Tips for Preparing Your Home Before Your Hand Surgery

21 March 2017

Jaime Allen

If you are preparing to have hand surgery soon, then you should take some time to prepare your home prior to your surgery so that you will be more comfortable while recovering. Since living with one working hand can be a challenge, setting up your living space in certain ways can go a long way towards making your recovery period much easier and less frustrating. To this end, here are some tips for preparing your home prior to your hand surgery date:

1. Buy a Few Supplies at the Grocery Store

There are many inexpensive things that you can stock your home with that will come in handy after your upcoming hand surgery. Some of the most popular are:

• drinking straws
• plastic trash bags
• packing tape
• pump dispenser toothpaste
• over-the-counter antihistamine

It will be difficult for you to handle drinks after your surgery, so using a coffee mug and a straw usually works the best. You cannot get your surgical bandages wet after your surgery, so you will need some plastic trash bags and packing tape to wrap over your hand. You will also need someone to assist you.

Since taking the top off of toothpaste tubes is hard to do with one hand, you should buy some toothpaste sold in a pump dispenser. If you will have a cast on your hand after surgery, then your hand may itch as it heals. You can treat the itching by taking an over-the-counter antihistamine. 

2. Deep Clean Your House Right Before Your Surgery Date

You will not be able to clean your home after surgery and may find yourself staring at your dusty carpet and wishing you had cleaned it. You can avoid this fate by deep cleaning your home just prior to your hand surgery. Taking a bit of time to clean you home allows you to come back to a clean house that doesn't need any of your time or mental effort. A clean home also gives you a longer recovery time before things will need to be tidied up again. 

3. Cook and Freeze Some of Your Favorite Foods Ahead of Your Surgery Date

Finally, since you will not be able to safely cook food for a week or two after your hand surgery, take some time before your surgery date to cook up some of your favorite foods and freeze them. Place single servings into plastic zipper bags so you can easily take them out of the freezer and put them in the microwave. 

To learn more, contact services like Town Center Orthopaedic Associates, P.C.

Share

Search