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Advice for spouse of Spinal Fusion surgery pre-op and post-op

Spine Health | Last Active: Aug 6 5:37pm | Replies (40)
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@upstatephil

@garytpickens - Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. MCC is a great place to ask questions exactly like the one you asked.

I had a four-level decompression/laminectomy and fusion at L2-5 in May 2023. I counted on my spouse (wife) for many things! She was always with me during surgeon visits serving as an extra set of ears. She helped prepare the house for the initial period when I was pretty helpless...She also used all of her patience to deal with me during what can be a challenging recovery - especially in the early weeks.

Do you have a list of things and equipment to have at home to make recovery better? Super important, I found.

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Replies to "@garytpickens - Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. MCC is a great place to ask questions exactly..."
garytpickens | @garytpickens | Jul 29 1:34pm

Thanks for your reply. I was told about the gadgets and equipment that will be needed and I think I'm all set. In your opinion, what was the most important piece of equipment?

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jwoaks | @jwoaks | Jul 31 9:54am

Indispensable items for me -- I had decompression/fusion surgery 10 weeks ago:
Shower chair
Handheld shower sprayer
Suction cup holder to put on shower wall for handheld sprayer (available for about $10 onliine)
Long handle bath brush specifically for private areas ($10)
Misc. suction cup hooks for placing shower items at your sitting level
Toilet aid for wiping ($10)
Toilet rails
Walker to help me get on and off the couch in the early post-op days (bought one for $4 from Goodwill).
Grabber -- I was shocked at how many things I could do with a grabber, such as laundry without assistance.

And don't forget to walk. I averaged 2500-3000 steps per day for the first two weeks and more after that. I'm now pretty much back to most of my routine pre-op activities. I attribute that, in part, to following doctor's orders on intermittent walking throughout the day.

Good luck!

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