My 83 year old husband fell again. Full hip replacement 1.5 years ago. Has peripheral neuropathy in legs, feet and hands (caused by post-polio from childhood or long term use of Dilantin medicine for seizures). Bad experience at 2 rehab facilities prefer to stay home but I'm doing everything and I'm exhausted (and to be honest a little resentful)
Straight from the horse's mouth.
If your husband ends up in the hospital and rehab is recommended, send him. While there ask for a 24/7 evaluation. If its said he needs 24/7 care, then this is the time to place him. Some rehabs have LTC, makes for an easy transition from rehab to the LTC. Then you see an elder lawyer to have your assets split. His split goes to his care. When almost gone you apply for Medicaid. At that time, you remain in ur home, have a car and enough or all of your monthly income to live on.
Your major question is one that only a GOOD ortho doc who is very in the know about hubby's entire history can guess at.
The real thing here is that it is unlikely either way to result, due to the chronic history with polio and neuropathy, which ISN'T going to get better, what concerns me as much here is any relief for YOU.
Backs are awful. Sometimes a fix is semi-miraculous. Other times it falls into "not everything can BE fixed".
You may be looking at leaving this in the hands of hubby's and doc's choice and you considering how much longer you yourself can go on.
Sorry. But I think that's a real question here. You are a human. Not a Saint. And the latter has a real bad job description attached.
I agree with waytomisery to talk to his ortho and explore other options.
The best option could be different for each individual . For example does he have very bad osteoporosis ?
My sister had a fracture and had extensive back surgery about 25 months ago . The surgeon did a lot of other work besides the one fracture because he said her spine was on the verge of collapsing from bad osteoporosis .
3 months ago she fell again and broke her hip . She also made some of the hardware in her back loose . Just had another check on that and it’s worse , with more loose hardware , her bones are just Swiss cheese and the screws are getting loose . Her spine is deteriorating more quickly than the doctor anticipated .
Did your doctor offer less invasive bone cement ?
Back surgery was 15 months ago not 25.
She also had a bad case of delerium afterwards .
Also the first surgeon she saw told her surgery would not fix it . The second surgeon said she needed it because her spine was going to collapse and be paralyzed, which looks like it will happen anyway .