Need ideas of possible ways to get out of state HR when no one can accompany me

[claudia]

Good Afternoon,
Well - I'm back.  Three years ago I intended on having Dr Gross do HR on my right hip however, things took a turn in my life and it never got done.  Now I am, once again, looking at  having the surgery done, but at this time I do not have anyone in my personal life that could accompany me to the surgery and drive back with me.  Any ideas of what I could do?  Neighbors, friends are unable to make the trip due to working constraints.  It doesn't look like I would be able to have outpatient surgery, so I would be in hospital for probably a day, then a hotel for a day or two and then the drive back (which the other person would have to do).   Are there nursing services that could provide someone for this purpose?  Is there a possibility that I could drive home myself (from Columbia to St Augustine, Fl)  about a 6 hour drive.  Right hip needs surgery.    Thanks

[blinky]

Can you hire a driver?  Such people do exist. Not sure how to find one...internet? some sort of uber Uber driver? When H was in the corporate world, there was a pool of drivers who were like taxi drivers but with better cars and a willingness to take you far distances.A car service?


Can you take the bus? Fly? Either of these methods should offer some degree of handicapped accommodation. Greyhound or Megabus? I'd fly. It isn't easy, but the airlines do take care of you.

[Saf57]

Claudia--you will not be in a position to drive yourself just three days post-op, particularly since it is the right hip. With sufficient notice, you should probably be able to hire someone to drive your car back from Columbia. There are a number of companies that offer this type of service--this is one:http://www.bemydd.com/, but there are others. Alternatively, you could do the roundtrip by air, Jacksonville to Columbia(assuming this route exists), with taxis to/from the airport, or perhaps even by bus.

[jd]

Do you have any help at home potentially from friends when you make it back? I had surgery on Wednesday, flew home on Saturday, and was fine on Monday during the day when my wife went back to work, but I had her help during the evenings. You can become fairly self sufficient fairly quickly with only one leg being operated on, but someone to help with some of the trickier stuff (filling ice machine, etc) would be useful. Can you get food delivered?

Re: the actual travel part, have you asked Dr Gross' staff if they have any suggestions? I agree with blinky that probably you can work something out. If you had a surgery on Friday, could you have a friend fly down on Sat, stay with you Sat night in the hotel, then fly back with you on Sun?

[JHippy]

Consider flying if you can. You can fly from Jacksonville. https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=UST,JAX;t=CAE;d=2016-02-08;r=2016-02-14

Is your insurance covering the hospital? If so, you can stay two nights. I had that option but Dr. Gross thought I'd be more comfortable in the hotel. In your case the extra help could be nice. So for example you could fly in Tuesday for a Wednesday surgery. Stay in the hospital Wednesday and Thursday nights, stay at the hotel Friday night and leave Saturday. Since it's the weekend hopefully someone can pick you up in Jacksonville.

I came in Tuesday, had surgery Wednesday, and left Sunday. At the time I felt I was one or two days longer than I needed and was itching to get home.

[23109VC]

you are not going to want to drive after surgery... i went to Dr. gross and after a week I flew home. while I was ON the ice machine i was fine.  the day I flew home, I had to get off the ice machine to fly.  I remember my hip was throbbing and did not feel good at al on my flight home. i flew form columbia to charleston,..then to san Diego.  that flight to San Diego sucked.. i kept asking the flight attendant for ice, put it in a zip lock and shoved it into my pants.. that helped but not much.


as soon as I got home i fired up the ice machine and was good again... but if you ask me.. a week after surgery.. forget it.. i would not drive 6 hours.


get someone to go with you.  i'm sure you can find someone to tag along. pay them if you have to. maybe you can go on tinder and "convince" someone to help you out.. hahahah.. just kidding.


i would say for the first few days after you go home you shoudl have someone around to help out.  you do get more mobile quickly...but as I recall, the first week or two, i wasn't up for doing much at all.  no driving, not walking around uch.. mostly on the couch, up to the bathroom, and back.  plus you're on a lot of meds...i think i was on Oxy and nucytna for two weeks..and i remember the combo sometimes made my hallucinate..nothig major but i would sometimes hear stuff that wasn't there.. i'd hear a voice and ask my wife "what  did you say" and she's tell me there was nothing.. no tv on, no one talking..then i'd fall asleep.... weird .. i am sure if was the drugs. once off that stuff it never happened again.  you need the meds too otherwise it will be painful. on the meds and the ic machine though - i was basically pain free.


recover from hip resurfacing was easy compare to my hernia surgery!


good luck!!

[dleogallag]

I had lefty done 4 years ago - righty done 4 weeks ago - I could drive, kinda at 3.5 weeks (with righty) - but its uncomfortable - 6 hours wouldn't be fun or possible at 3.5 weeks.  4 years ago, a week after surgery, I got on a greyhound style bus for a hockey tournament with my kid - 6 hour ride - not bad - you can get up, move around a little, stretch the leg out (I also got a whole row to myself, not sure you can guarantee that) but if you can, might not be too bad.