SPINE FUSION acute rehab - Occupational therapy = Stayin' alive

Today, as I get used to the idea of going home, an Occupational Therapist I've never seen before comes in.   I describe my room and bath and the apartment they're in, almost step by step, for her.

The bath   Has room for the walker to sit in there safely.
The tub has shower doors--not useful for stability. 
 I have a bubble mat on the tub floor with a shower chair on it.  A towel goes on the floor outside the tub on the faucet side, for firm footing. The back of the toilet is just inches from the tub--something to stabilize me as I get out of the tub area.  The other towels are right on the other shower door. When I'm clean, the grabber will pick up the towel/mat so I can hang it up.

There is a vanity right beside the toilet, if I need stability getting up.  The toilet is exactly the right height for me, since my legs are short. 

I keep my cosmetics, soap, tooth stuff, etc., on the vanity top so I don't have to bend down to the cupboard underneath.  It is only a couple steps to the bedroom - good for safe passage at night.

The living/dining area has a generous aisle leading to the kitchen.  On the living room side, there is room for the walker to move from the dining room or the bedroom area to the front door.  Then only one step from the outside landing down to the lower landing and then down to the courtyard. 


In the kitchen I keep some of my dishes on the counter top, and a couple of clean pans on the cooktop.  Some food goes in a little upper cupboard I can reach without leaning.  The refrigerator at least has glass shelves, so I can see what I can't reach in the back and on the lower shelf.  The dishwasher is off limits now, being mostly too low for me.  If  could drive, of course, I'd hunt for a black dish dryer rack, but . . .

Every inch counts in the bedroom.  The desktop is easy to reach, and so is the top of my folding shelf rack.  So, things get moved from desk top to bed to desk top as necessary.  The thick carpet keeps my rolling desk chair from rolling (I had that same trouble where I worked.)   I rigged up a sort of end table from black file boxes, and another on the hidden side of my posture chair.  I can reach my coffee, water, note pad, book, morning pills and so on from the chair.  It has an ottoman in front of it, for resting my feet, since the chair (great support back) is too tall. 

More on the bedroom in the next installment