Upcoming ACDF

Hi Pat, lots of prior members here opted for the cadaver bone graft & had zero problems. Quite a few that used their own bone graft had terrible pain & wished they had not done it. Personally, for myself I would opt for the cadaver, recouping from the surgery has it's own issues & I would not be interested in adding more pain to the mix.

Things that help with recovery, plenty of cold packs, do not use heat as it aggravates things.
Bendable straws
Plenty of bottled water
Make sure to have some quick meals that can be heated in the microwave
If you are a female, get bras that has front closures
Button shirts, no shirts that has to go over your head
Take your pain medication & muscle relaxers on a schedule the first week, don't try to toughen out the pain, you will lose in the end. Keep in mind you will only be given minimal pain medication
Be sure to get up & walk around in the house
Get a reacher/grabber to pick up things off of the floor, you can buy these at WalMart, drug stores & online. We have several we use
If you have throw rugs on your floors take them up for the time being

I am sure I left some things out, I will come back & post more later.

A recliner is beneficial, if you don't want to buy one look into renting one & compare the cost. Getting in & out of bed is big struggle with this surgery, this is why so many buy recliners. In addition to this, many found sleeping in a nice over stuffed recliner was more comfortable to sleep in rather than a bed. My husband had back surgery 7 thank goodness he already had a recliner, it would have been extremely hard for him to sleep in a bed.

If you have a cup that keeps drinks cold/hot with a straw this will work great, just be sure to have plenty of drinks on hand.

Consider picking up a pack of protein drinks, keep them in the fridge, about 45 minutes before drinking one, put it in the freezer, the colder the better.
Italian ice or popsicles a little on the mushy side.
Avoid NSAIDS
Put a small table by the recliner
Keep your phone charged & on this table, you can set alarms to track your medications
Soft foods the first week, people often have swallowing problems right after surgery
Do not hesitate contacting your surgeon with questions, this is what he/she is paid for
Did you get a 2nd opinion, if not you should still have time to get one

Being prepared is the key to a good recovery.
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