Freakish Planning Person

[cjsmith]

Freakish Planning Person is making more lists! Lists containing lists!
[LJ-CUT TEXT="Notes for myself"]

1. Scheduling person at surgeon's office called to say she can tell me for sure tomorrow.

• Boss notified of delay in schedule resolution
• Boss's boss notified of delay in schedule resolution
• ...

WAIT, strike all that. New voice mail message. I'm on for the 4th!!

• Boss notified of the date
• Boss's boss notified of the date
• rfrench will be notified when I see him or when he reads his e-mail or when he reads this
• joedecker, backup driver (thank you! I may still need you!), will be notified when he sees his IM screen or when he reads this notified
• Parents will be notified as soon as they hear their voice mail
• (new 8:30pm) All square dance commitments notified, as soon as group leaders see their e-mail anyway

2. Fears about the outcome: present. Contingency plans for if this doesn't do much for me: made.

3. PREP: Questions to ask at pre-op appointment

• Does the surgery center provide crutches? Funny shoes?
• If I'll have prescription painkillers, can I get the prescription now so I can fill it while I can still drive and walk?
• Food/water restrictions? Starting when?
• Medication restrictions before surgery? After?
• Anything I shouldn't be wearing when I come in? (No more surprises with metal jewelry!)
• When should my ride be prepared to pick me up from surgery?
• Will I wear the funny shoes 24/7? If so, what are they like? If not, what are the dressings like?
• Is there anything I should buy now to prepare for aftercare (eg bandages)?
• When can I stand up? shower? ride a bicycle? drive a car?
• When's the first post-op follow-up appointment?
• Can I get a videotape of the surgery? Still photos?

4. PREP: Chores

• Set up guest bedroom as recovery room, including water, books, pen-and-paper puzzles, Ethernet cable, read-in-bed back pillow, pillow-desk, and lots of pillows to go under feet DONE (hey, why not pamper myself?)
• Also have lined trash can handy in case anaesthesia doesn't agree with me. DONE
• Also put backpack in room. DONE
• Set up couch as first-afternoon crash spot, including water, books, pen-and-paper puzzles, laptop connected to Ethernet and power, pillows for under feet, land line, cell phone, snacks, painkillers.
• Make a bunch of quick-reheat food for the first few days DONE (purchased frozen food)
• Make chocolate chip cookies as promised to schedule-person DONE
• Get bike functional, in case I can ride it before I am allowed to drive
• Take apart an office chair so I have an under-desk-capable stool at work to elevate my feet a bit
• Make foot MRI icon already
• Create waist-pack of Important Stuff: water bottle, painkillers, cell phone, anything else that should always be on me

5. PREP: Errands

• Buy wedge-shaped pillow for laptop use in bed DONE
• Borrow pillow-desk from wonderful friend DONE
• Borrow table from aelfie
• Buy lots of flavored fizzy water DONE
• Buy beverage container with non-leaking lid (eg thermos) for the time on crutches DONE
• Go to medical supply place and check out real shower seat DONE, sort of (plastic stool will do fine in that big shower)
• Find extra-big shoes to wear while swollen NAH, do this as needed later

6. Last minute:

• Wednesday night: laundry
• Wednesday night: buy bag of ice
• Wednesday night: put laptop downstairs, by couch, connected to net
• Bring backpack to surgery
• Wear WIDE-legged shorts and a skirt to surgery

Anyone reading this: if you've had foot surgery, especially both feet at once, what should I be ready for?

Comments

transit // Re: no bicycles! ouch!

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

If you haven't checked light rail, do check that. I like it better than the buses, but of course there is just the one line it follows, so then there is how to get to/from those points to where one is actually trying to go. Outreach Paratransit I don't know about but sounds good in that I assume they actually get you where you need to go.

It does sound like you could use a cane, and probably some other things too, just in general. Have you gone to a medical supply store to just try out various things?

I have a friend who is an O.T. (I didn't know her when I broke the foot bone) who suggested (if she had known me then) use of a walker-thingie with a basket, which would have been very good for me I think.

Anyway, I think the "more options" approach sounds really appropriate given what you said above. Falling is NOT fun, nor is just feeling unstable! Like, I think I'd buy a cane
AND a walker, and whatever else. Or at least try them out
at the store or borrow one for a stroll around the block.
I'm sure there MUST be tools that would feel good. (OK
well there SHOULD be whether there are or not LOL.)

You can also consider (if you haven't and want to) talking to
work about the POSSIBILITY that you may need to work, say,
6 hours a day for a short while if travelling takes lonter
and/or is unpredictable. And "from home" is lovely
if workable, but I assume you've already thought of that.
Then again, if it has been considered in other times,
reconsidering it given the current situation may be
worthwhile too.

Re: transit // Re: no bicycles! ouch!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

The closest light rail station to my house is a little bit past my work. :-) Outreach or taxis are likely my best bet for any time I can't get Rob to drive me.

I definitely want to go to a medical supply store to try things. A walker could really help as an alternative to, or a way to transition from, crutches.

Work is being very supportive. I'm impressed. There's an enormous push starting when some stuff comes in from another company, which is pretty much the day I go in for surgery, and *my* portion of it starts just a few days afterward, at which point if I'm not in the lab and productive I'm holding up THE WHOLE COMPANY, and what did they say? "Take what time you need for your health." Aweswome.

Re: transit // Re: no bicycles! ouch!

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Regarding work: very cool.