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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)Comment receiving replies
@misssuezq
It is good your doctor let you shower after 3-4 days. When I heard I could not shower for 2 weeks after lumbar spine surgery, I was not too happy. That is way too long. They said I could do sponge baths but my hair will be so greasy after 2 weeks. I’m sure dry shampoo can help some but there will be a product buildup. Did you shower in a way that didn’t saturate your bandages (did you cover your bandage with something))? I was thinking I may try to sneak a shower after a week and use my shower chair and handheld shower head to lean forward to wash my hair so water doesn’t run down my back.
Replies to "@misssuezq It is good your doctor let you shower after 3-4 days. When I heard I..."
Thanks for the advice on the dry shampoo!
@dlydailyhope Do you think a rain poncho would work well enough to keep most of the water off your back while you wash your hair? You'd need to snug it up somehow temporarily or hold it closed around your neck with one hand.
My surgeon used a Mepilex dressing which is waterproof and can stay on for up to 7 days. Worked great and I was able to shower second day after surgery.
@dlydailyhope - I just love Jennifer's idea of a rain poncho! I have a great mental image of that...
Not sure why there's such a range of doctor's orders regarding when a shower is acceptable. Honestly, I don't recall how long I had to wait...Whatever that period was, I managed.
I definitely made use of a shower seat and a hand held shower wand (already a part fo my shower set up).
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I had my fusion January 2024 at Mayo Clinic Rochester,MN. Funny, I’m not sure but I think we used plastic bandage covering. I was still in the hospital and they used a shower bench for me to sit on had my back to the wall using a hand held shower spray.