| Taking a shower after a hip prosthesis is removed | | | | sometimes pop up and catch us by surprise. |
| due to a staph infection or wear and tear can be a | | | | During those months when we had a |
| daunting task. Typically one cannot put more than | | | | “spacer” and no hip joint, that was the way |
| 25% of one’s weight on the affected side | | | | we took a shower. Our yard has a privacy fence, |
| because there is no real hip joint, just a spacer. | | | | and we warned our friends to knock on the gate |
| Even though we have two bathrooms, one has a | | | | before entering the back yard since he would be |
| regular bath tub, and the other has a stall shower | | | | “au naturale”. This may be a kind of fun |
| with a step-over wall, about 6” high. To get in | | | | way to take a shower, but extremely inconvenient. |
| and out of either requires lifting the effected leg and | | | | All the bath items had to be lugged out to the yard |
| putting full weight on it which was impossible with | | | | and then be brought back inside. This adds a lot of |
| just the “spacer”. We also do not have grab | | | | extra work to the caregiver’s chores. |
| rails in either bathroom and we did not want to install | | | | We did this for about three months. When my |
| them since this we hoped mobility issue would be | | | | husband was scheduled for hip revision surgery |
| temporary. We did not want holes in the ceramic | | | | (replacing the prosthesis that was removed) it was |
| tile. As everyone knows, most accidents that | | | | now November and taking a shower outside may not |
| happen in the home happen in the bathroom. We | | | | be possible due to occasional bouts of cold |
| definitely did not need anymore unplanned hip | | | | weather. We also were told he would be wearing a |
| surgeries. | | | | brace for three months to stabilize the hip. This |
| Our neighbor came up with a solution. He had a | | | | meant life in the shower was not going to get any |
| portable outdoor (sometimes called Hurricane) shower | | | | easier. In fact, for the next three months we would |
| near his swimming pool which can be hooked up to a | | | | still have the same old mobility challenges. It was time |
| hose. By filling the hose with water and leaving it | | | | to find some relatively inexpensive gadgets that |
| lying out in the sun, one could get a really hot | | | | would help us handle the shower issue more |
| shower. Of course you have to get washed real | | | | effectively. We wish we knew about some of these |
| fast before you run out of hot water and get hit | | | | items before we came home from the hospital. |
| with a blast of cold water. Those of us who live in | | | | Please visit my website at: to find products and ideas |
| the Sun Belt don’t have a problem taking an | | | | to make everyday tasks easier for both the patient |
| outdoor shower except on those rare, cold days that | | | | and the caregiver after hip or even knee surgery. |