Hip replacement is no fun, especially the fifth time around.  Let me explain.  At first my husband had his  right hip replaced.   After surgery, he went to rehab for a couple of weeks and when he came home he was fairly self-sufficient. A year later he had the left hip replaced.    Having been through surgery just a year prior he knew what to do to speed up his recovery.  We were happy to have the surgeries behind us and glad we did them.

Approximately 8 years later my husband called me from work because he had terrible chills and wanted me to bring him a sweater.  By the time I got to him he was not making much sense so I took him directly to the emergency room of our local hospital. After several hours it was determined he had a serious staph infection ( not MRSA fortunately) in his left hip. The doctors still don’t know what caused it. He needed to have the left prostheses removed and be on antibiotics for 6 weeks.  This surgery left him without a hip joint and he was unable to move his left leg. Also, being 8 years older than when he had his first surgery, he was not quite as strong as he was back then.  He could not get around as well by himself as the first time around. We needed additional gadgets to help with every day tasks.

Getting in and out of the car was an ordeal because he had to twist and bend to get onto the seat.  At first we put a plastic bag on the seat to make it more slippery but it kept crumbling up and falling on the floor. I finally discovered a seat that swivels and a gadget to put in the car door frame to hold on to as an aid in getting into the car (both inexpensive). Getting in and out of the car became easier and less painful.  This helped solve one problem.

After three months we scheduled surgery to get a new hip joint.  Unfortunately the infection came back, and he had to have surgery again to wash out the infection and wait four more months for surgery without a hip joint.

Finally he had surgery, but had to wear a brace for 3 months which again limited his mobility. During that time I embarked on a search for inexpensive products to help improve his mobility and give me a break. I also found some entertaining things to do to maintain our sanity during nine months of constant togetherness. Today, he is walking with the use of a walker and the brace will be removed next month.  Meanwhile, the arthritis in my hands is causing me some issues, so I think I need to find some nifty little gadgets to help me out?

If you have found yourself in a situation whereby you need help with mobility challenges, please visit my website where you will find unique, inexpensive gadgets to help get in and out of the car, help in the bedroom and bathroom and some fun things to do.