Social distancing and gadgets

We have been practicing social distancing since the beginning of March,  when it became clear to us that this virus was to be taken very seriously. The more we learned, the more we became aware of the healthcare crisis that was developing  world wide. We keep well away from people that have been travelling. We talk with friends on the phone, but no dinner parties, or any kind of social get togethers. What happened in Italy and then Spain was a real eye opener. Grocery trips are no longer a social, where you talk with people in stores that you haven't seen in some time.
So extra time on hands around the house, and here finally another post. I had promised some people to write about the "don'ts" after  a total hip replacement and how to handle those. So here it is.
With a new hip you're not allowed to cross your legs (I can live with that), twist your upper body, lift your leg (well, you can't anyway), nor bend over since you always have to have at least a 90° angle, and nothing less, between hips and upper legs. All this to prevent dislocating your brand new joint and to promote fast and proper healing. These rules are easy to follow for the first week or so, but then, oh boy. Have to be aware all the time. (Needless to say I don't always stick to those rules now that the healing is progressing fast.)
How do you get dressed, undressed, get in a car, a shower (if your shower is in the tub), in and out of bed with all these limitations? Here some gadgets, that you can  get as a package, that help you with all that.

This here is one of the most important tools. You can pick things up if not too heavy, and put them down, but it also helps you to get dressed. Just lift your pants and undergarment for the lower body (😁) and put your injured leg in it. Pull it up a bit and then you can bend your regular leg to get it on and pull it up. Still using this today (after 3.5 weeks), and will use it for quite a few more weeks until I am allowed to do that famous 90° bend (hopefully after 6 weeks).

Next is the transition bench. Wonderful invention. The legs are adjustable.

You start sitting down outside the tub, slide over and lift one leg in then the other. The lifting of the operated leg is done by  putting your foot through the loop of this handy device, a leg lifter.

A handle at the other end allows you to lift your leg by pulling it up, swinging it over and letting it down. Simple really. It's all canvas covered steel, except for the handle, which is just fabric .
This handy leg lifter also allows you to get your leg in and out of bed, and get in and out of a car.

Then there is the sock puller.

Took me some time to learn how to use this. On the video they showed us, it seemed so easy, but frustration reigned big time. The sock never made it over my heel, and the whole thing just jammed on my foot. Tim came many times to the rescue. Then he figured out that you can't put your sock all the way over the device, but only up to the indentations where the straps are attached. That did the trick and I finally got the hang of it.

Slide your foot in, pull the straps, the sock will make it over your heel, and making use of the lifter and the tip of the long shoe horn I can pull it all the way up.

On April 1 I have my follow up visit. X-rays first, then meet with the surgeon.  At least that's the plan, but since this will have to take place in the Sudbury hospital, this may not happen, because of the Corona virus. More and more things get cancelled, including routine checkups. Will find out more in the coming week. One thing is for sure, since a hip replacement is an elective procedure, my other hip will not be done this summer as planned originally, not even this fall I would think. Wait and see and hope it doesn't act up too often.