The big day’s looming – and your ankle is practically twinging with anticipation. You’ve been hobbling around with an ankle injury for so long, you can’t even remember a time when you could run without encountering a problem (or strut down the sidewalk when you see someone cute – busted!). It’s so bad that you almost can’t wait to get yourself on the operating table so you can start taking those “steps” toward recovery (yes, pun intended).
But before you practically throw yourself at your surgeon, you need to seriously prepare yourself for the upcoming months of recovery. Think of it as prepping your home as a recovery bunker – and Doomsday (aka your ankle surgery) is about to arrive!
Prepare Your Home For Ankle Recovery Invasion: You’re about to be laid out by a serious ankle disability – and you need to prepare your “bunker” for an invasion of ankle recovery! To do this, stock up on prepared meals that can be cooked with just the touch of a button (seriously, what did people do before microwaves?). You may also want to consider having a friend or family member come check on you after work to see if you need any assistance with meal preparations.
Part of building a successful bunker involves making sure it’s comfy. So stock up on pillows, make sure that you have plenty of outlets for your phone and computer by the couch or bed, and make sure you have plenty of entertainment on hand (recommendation: re-watch the entire Breaking Bad series. Seriously, you won’t even notice the first weeks of recovery).
Make Your Bunker As Safe As Possible: A good bunker is a safe bunker – and with your ankle recovery in mind, you want to ensure that you eliminate all tripping hazards. Kiss your loose rugs good-bye, tell your kids to pick up their toys, and install nightlights in every room so you have a clear view of where you’re going at night.
Prepare Your Bathroom For Your Disabled Ankle: You may want to stay on the couch forever once you’ve managed to get yourself there, but like it or not, you’ll eventually need to move to go to the bathroom. Make sure that all rugs are firmly affixed to the floor. Buy a non-slip bathmat for the shower, and place a stool in the shower so you can sit while bathing yourself.
Get Your Knee Walker Ahead of Time: No one likes to wait for a package to be delivered – and NO ONE likes to do that while struggling with ankle recovery! That’s why we recommend that you get your knee walker before your actual ankle surgery. This way, you can test out the model, get used to the feeling of this mobility device, and feel comfortable with using it by the time the day of your ankle surgery rolls around.
Now that you’re bunker is prepped, you’re ready to spend your next few months retiring and nursing your ankle back to health!