Checklist

I am assembling things that will be useful when I come home on Thursday.

- Rubbing Alcohol: to remove the iodine from my skin around the incision site.

- Toilet Seat Riser: Since getting up and down will be difficult with my knee locked. I looked at a few kinds and read that some people had trouble with the all-in-one models that included both a raised seat and handles for support. So, I just got the simple riser version and separately bought....

- Toilet Support Bars: These are supported by legs that go down to the floor, so they seem more stable.

- Leg lifter: I mentioned this one a while ago. It may be difficult to get in and out of the CPM machine on my own, and I am hoping this will help.

- Body wipes: I won't be able to shower for a few days but keeping clean helps tremendously with overall mood. I found these in the grocery store near the adult diapers, as they are marketed for people with incontinence. They will work for post-surgery care too!

- Dry shampoo: I haven't bought this one yet, but was informed I can get it at a drug store. It is like a mousse that you put in your hair to eliminate oil and make it feel a little fresher. It's not as good as washing, but better than nothing.

- Gold Bond Anti-itch powder: because spending too much time in bed irritates the skin.

- Gold Bond Anti-itch lotion: After my microfracture (MFX) surgery, my foot on the affected leg itched HORRIBLY and I could barely reach it. A little of this stuff felt like heaven! Note that I am not talking about the foot lotion that Gold Bond makes. That is a nice foot lotion, but it does not contain any anti-itch ingredients.

- Face Wipes: because standing at the sink to wash my face will not be comfortable for a long time.

- The Perfect Shoes: I had a pair of these that I wore all the time after the MFX, but they got pretty worn out. They are nice because they are lightweight and supportive, but what makes them perfect is that they are very easy for someone else to take off and put on. Reaching your foot is very hard! And yes, I did order them in purple.

- New curtains for the bedroom: because I will be in there a lot and want to spruce it up a bit. :)

- Non-medicated throat lozenges: because the breathing tube is irritating.

- An ottoman: I chose a round one that is 20" across. I like this one because it still isn't large, but it supports the length of my leg better than a small square ottoman. I have this under my desk in my home office that is on the same floor as my bedroom. When I can move around a little, I now have a comfortable and safe (no stairs) place to go. The ottoman is crucial. It took a while after the MFX before I could keep my leg in a non-elevated position for more than a few minutes. My foot kept turning purple! I would rather my shoes be purple, not my feet.

- Vitamin E lotion: I don't think it has been scientifically proven that vitamin E helps reduce the appearance of scars, but many people swear by it. Keeping the skin supple and healthy just doesn't seem like it could be a bad thing, so I will try it.

As you can see, I learned a lot from the MFX. The recovery for that is like a "lite" version of the recovery for ACI. It will be harder, but I am better prepared.