i have trouble with stomach acid so i always try to keep my head and back elevated imeadiatly after surgery they kept me elevated but no pillow because of blood circulation to the implant. my main current complaint is my ability to swallow .after surgery i did a cookey test . food with barium and they watch you swallow. I did very well with that.
But with radiation and no chemo. i lost some of my ability to swallow possibly because i didnt do the swallowing exersises.
For me the radiation was very painful the 5&6 weeks and i concentrated on the pain instead of the exersises.
i asked about the hyperbaric treatments and the docters said that i didnt need them at that time.i have had no trouble with any infections and no dental implants.

Thanks to you all for your support and advice. Six days until the surgery. I will check this thread from time to time so please keep the advice coming. Thanks again.
mark

Good luck! Will say prayers everything goes well!

The surgery, hospital time and recovery are very long but the results are amazing. For most of us who have had this reconstruction the worst part has been the long slow recovery to full use of the leg and complete reduction of swelling in the foot. On a practical level I recommend Crocs with thick socks as they cushion the foot, allow for swelling and are easily removed when you are not walking. I found that while using the walker it was easier to hold my leg up a little and hop on the good leg while using the walker for balance. Walking with a cane and after without was difficult for a while in parking garages as the floor sloped.

It is good that you are going to a rehab facility. While it is not as comfortable as home, it may be easier on all than having family members fixing food as your eating abilities improve and and running to the door for the various therapy specialists and visiting nurses.

For comfort, use as many pillows as possilbe to make yourself comfortable and elevate your leg. You may find that the soft "beanie baby" type or little baby/travel pillows are good for tucking here and there. I found that a lapboard was useful for writing and holding reading material and for use as a lap tray. Some have compartments to hold pens,etc. Several light blankets such as the drugstore travel type are better than heavy ones. Also when you get home make sure that you have a phone handy for a while so you don't have to get up for that.

My recovery nest was a two seater couch with full ottoman in my computer room. My husband set up a small eating station on the 2 drawer file cabinet with a picnic holder for disposable cups, silverware, napkins, small plates, sugar, etc. and left me with small apple sauces, water and other drinks. This gave me some independence until I was able to get around the kitchen on my own. (I was upstairs and found it tiring to go up and down for every meal and did not always have someone at home to help me between meals.) I used a skinny covered box meant to hold socks for holding medicines. This kept them organized and handy - nothing to drop where it would be difficult to reach. I was able to rest comfortably and did not need constant care.