A Check List if you are going to surgery

BALTIMORE - Let's say you are 85 and going to have hip replacement surgery in the morning.  What should you do?

According to Dr. Alicia Arbaje from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine you should spread the news. Let your main healthcare provider know you will be having surgery.  Prepare an updated condition and medication list and carry several copies with you. Bring someone to appoitments to take notes or tape record answers to the following.

1.  What is the actual srugery you are recommending?

2.  Will I go home after surgery or to a rehabilitation facility?

3.  Do I need to change the arrangement of my home environment after surgery?

4.  Who is going to be in charge of paying the bills?

5.   Who is going to bring in groceries and make meals?

Don't forget to bring essentials to the hospital, like your eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures.

To hear more on these tips and the questions to ask and why it is so important, click on the video box to the left of this article to see Dr. Alicia Arbaje's segment on Good Morning Maryland @ 9.