5 Essentials to Surviving Wrist Surgery
There are certain things you simply can’t do after having wrist surgery. Fortunately for you, I’ve already gone through it, and I learned some of them the hard way. But as the Mortified Podcast says “we are freaks we are fragile, and we all survived.” Here’s a couple tips to help you survive your wrist surgery or any type of surgery!
Cast Protector – Want to shower? I did, and I totally forgot to get a cast protector prior to my surgery. It essentially is a bag with a silicone ring that makes a seal around your skin to keep water at bay. I used one when I had surgery on my foot too, because you simply can’t get your incision wet when there are stitches, or when you have a cast. It looks ridiculous, but how else are you going to shower? Using garbage bags isn’t exactly the best method, I know from experience. I also had to use my cast protector when I went to Hawaii. I wasn’t allowed to get my arm wet, because I still had an fresh incision with stitches and my doctor was worried about bacteria in the ocean. I called my cast protector my arm condom, but you better believe I was going to wear it so I could at least go in the ocean!
Yes, this is my arm in the cast protector and a kayak in the background
Goodwipes Body Wipes – I have used these for years, and they are great for times when you haven’t just had surgery too. Surgery though, it’s draining, your body has just gone through so much, and showering can literally drain all your energy. It’s surprisingly exhausting to shower, and these wipes saved me during the times when I just didn’t have the energy to shower. I still use them all the time for traveling, gym, when I’m lazy 😉 I sent them to my cousin after she had surgery, and she was really excited. They also have “down there” wipes which I’ve linked here, and they make a men’s version that I’ve linked here.
Floss picks – I floss my teeth every single day, twice, and I never even thought about how I wouldn’t be able to floss my teeth with one hand. It wasn’t until the night after my surgery that I realized I would need something to survive the next couple months. Enter, floss picks. I ordered them off Amazon Prime and they quickly arrived, and I was able to continue flossing my teeth!
Jar opener – If you live by yourself, or your roomie, significant other, etc. isn’t always home, there will be times when you are going to have to open things. It’s hard. When I wasn’t asking for help, I would put the bottle, jar, etc in between my thighs and use my one hand to open things. A jar opener definitely helps in this situation.
Patience – Unfortunately you can’t go out and buy this one, but wrist surgery (any surgery) sucks! It hurts, really bad, it’s frustrating, and a whole mix of emotions I can’t find the words to type. I really struggled during this time, physically and emotionally, but thankfully it’s only temporary!
If you have any essentials for post-surgery, feel free to drop a comment and share!