In 2019, I had bunion surgery on my bunionettes. I had two separate surgeries in two different homes with kids underfoot. You can read about my recover of my bunion surgery in these blog posts.
For me, bunion surgery was a lot of sleeping, rest, and immobility. Recovery was slow, and I relied on my husband to support the kids, and their activities.
What do I need for Bunion Surgery?
- Mobility Aids
- Bathroom Supplies
- Pillows & Bed Comfort Items
- Something To Do- books, activities, and more.
- Snacks & Water
1. Mobility Aids
The hospital sent me home with crutches, but if you already have crutches, it will be beneficial to bring those with you on your surgery day. Crutches can be one of the easiest support tools to get around.
Do I need a knee scooter for bunion surgery?
The scooter was fantastic for my summer surgery. We lived in a single floor house and it was great for getting around and doing things – and for resting my leg on when I was cooking later in my recover. However, for my second surgery, I found the scooter cumbersome, and many in my bunion groups suggest the single crutch is a better fit for these situations.
You can rent scooters and mobility aids from local shops and this would have been a more cost effective choice for my family.
Yes to the basket – because otherwise it’s near impossible to bring your snack to the couch.
2. Bathroom Supplies
A bathroom stool is the only way I showered and the best investment. I used the bathroom stool for upwards of 10 weeks. Even when I could walk barefoot, standing in the shower was a hard task. I would also recommend support bars in your bath tub to help you get in and out, as well as to stand in the shower.
Putting weight on your foot in a wet environment can be precarious and uncomfortable.
I bought a full size cast cover – definitely only need the smaller one and it’s a great care free choice. For me, worth the investment because I had two surgeries and have repurposed it.
3. Pillows
Rest and elevation is key to a comfortable recovery. I hoarded every pillow and just created a pillow mountain for my foot. However many different types of wedges are available. One of the more popular wedges is the one with the support.
You will want to take the pillow everywhere from the couch to the bed. Elevation reduces swelling which reduces the pain in your cast.
4. Something To Do.
During my first surgery, I explore cross stitching and discovered a ton of new and great patterns from Etsy. I wrote a blog post on it.
During my second surgery, I finished my book on Cloth Diapering and my laptop table became an important part of my recovery.
Make sure you have the right supplies for the tasks at hand and remember that you might not be up for big projects the first week, and merely want to watch Amazon Prime for a few days while you rotate medications.
5. Snacks & Water
The day before surgery, stock the space you’ll be resting in with all your snacks. I filled my sock drawer with candy and granola bars because asking someone to get you a snack is a lot of work – and might not be the best choice for your family.
And a water bottle that’s easy to drink out of – something with a straw might be handy, and the bigger the better so that again, you don’t have to rely on someone to bring it to you, or to refill it.
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