(Photos are from 2013-2014 when I dislocated my elbow and smashed my wrist. 9 months later I was trying to come back too quickly and snapped my ACL. Oh yeah, and I was going through a divorce, short-selling my house, and quitting my job to be a full-time coach. Ha Ha! Keep looking for those silver linings! If I can do it, you can too!)
Crashes happen and when they do, sometimes we need a little help from our friends. This is a post-surgery checklist for my broken friends. Feel free to message me on Facebook with additional ideas you have.
Sink the Stink (bathing):
- Shower chair or bench
- Detachable shower head
- Garbage bags – to wrap over injury
- Waterproof cast covers are sweet too
- Baby wipes – beside the bed
- Pit pads – abdominal pads beside the bed
- Handicap toilet seat
Move it or lose it! (mobility) – some cities have agencies that lend or rent these out. Put out a FB message too.
- Cane
- Crutches
- Wheel chair
- Duct tape to bling your new ride (hello kitty and pink zebra recommended)
Borrow list
- Shower chair or bench
- Handicap toilet seat
- Detachable shower head
- Cane
- Crutches
- Walker
- Wheel chair
- Cryo cuff – ice chest thingy for knees
Fuel
- Food tree 2-4 weeks
- Email out a month-long chart
- Friends sign up to bring 1 meal per day
- Comfort foods hot and cold
- Casserole / mac & cheese / stew / etc
- Kitchenette – set up a make shift kitchen in your room
- Accessible food and water
- Water jug
- Water bottle
- Within reach medical and art supplies
- Snack box filled with treats
- Clif bars
- Cooler
- Microwave
- Garbage bag
Girl we couldn’t get much higher! (Pain Management)
- Chart for meds: check boxes for- what / time / amount
- Timer or phone alarm for reminders
- Pre-opened medicine jars – can’t open childproof seals with one hand
- Ice packs- rotate them
- Cryo Cuff or knees – replace ice as kneeded
- Careful not to stand all day
- Common baby light my fire
Shit happens (or sometimes not) – prevent the poo-baby!
- Handicap toilet seat
- Miralax
- Stool softener
- Prune juice – warm
- Prunes
- Coffee
- (you’ll need all of it to shit)
Getting around (travel)
- Phone tree – rides to dr, pharmacy, grocery store, etc
- Send out dates and times to see who can help
Boredom bunny hops (entertainment)
- Movie access – log ins for Hulu/ Netflix
- Kindle with books loaded
- Books – borrow from friends
- Brain games – some people like that nerdy crap
- Language apps – learn a language
- Plan a trip somewhere as reward for getting through this shit
- Podcasts – Roam Ryders
- Websites – Ryan Leech (learn skills like bunny hops, manuals, visualization)
That’s what friends are for
- Refill water jug
- Change the sheets
- Do the laundry and dishes
- Entertainment – watch a movie with them
- Phone tree – for appointments and errands
- Food tree – one person per day for 2-4 weeks
- Outdoor walks – fresh air does wonders, get them out of the house
- Wash and brush their hair (a pink streak will really cheer them up)
- Paint their nails (after surgery)
- Be their cabana boy (or girl) – to be at their beck and call for the first few days
- Know your friend is going to be a moody bitch and try not to take it personally
Words of wisdom (get a journal and write in it):
- Affirmations – write one good thing about yourself each day
- Attitude check – track how your feeling as a self-help guide
- Have friends write you one paragraph stories from when they were injured
Big girls don’t cry? (Oh yes they do!)
- You are going to cry a lot
- You’re going to feel like a baby
- Remember this is temporary
- You will have to ask for help
- You are going to be an irrational moody bitch (blame it on the drugs)
- Warn your friends and thank them a lot
Let the training begin (start slow)
- Stationary trainer and road bike – borrow from friends
- Spin app – Trainer Road / Zwift / Training Peaks / etc
- Have a friend set it up with you
- 10 minutes will feel like an hour at first, give yourself time to get back
Puffy hearts (follow up)
- Thank your friends, maybe throw them a party for keeping you sane!
