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Prepare Me

Prepare for a prosthetic fitting

Fit, comfort, and practice — expect adjustments.

Asking questions is not being difficult. It is being a good partner in your care.

Your preparation progress

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Adds the event plus preparation reminders at two weeks, one week, two days, and the day before.

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Overview

A prosthesis is fitted, adjusted, and re-adjusted. The first socket is rarely the final one, and speaking up about discomfort is part of the process.

What to expect

  • Measurement, casting, or scanning
  • A test socket before the final one
  • Gait training with a therapist
  • Repeated adjustments as your limb changes

Questions to ask

  • What components are being recommended, and why those?

  • What does insurance cover, and what will I owe?

  • How long each day should I wear it at first?

  • What skin changes mean I should stop and call you?

  • How often will it need adjustment or replacement?

  • In plain language, what is happening and why is it recommended now?

    Plain language is your right. Ask again if the answer is technical.

  • What are my options, including waiting or doing nothing?

  • How will this change what I can do day to day, and for how long?

  • What should I do to prepare?

  • Who do I call with questions, and what number do I use after hours?

  • What would make you want to see me sooner?

    This turns vague worry into a clear trigger for calling.

Personalize with Ask Phoenix

Interactive checklists

Check items off as you go. Progress is saved on this device so you can continue later.

Private to this device. Included when you print, export, or save to your Health Binder.

For caregivers and family

What caregivers can expect

  • Homework between sessions
  • Progress that is slow and uneven
  • Frustration as part of the process

How caregivers can help

  • Help build the home program into the daily routine
  • Celebrate small measurable wins
  • Report setbacks to the therapist instead of pushing through

Questions caregivers should ask

  • How should we do the home program safely?
  • What is realistic progress in a month?
  • What should we do on flare days?

Recovery and what happens next

  1. First session

    Evaluation and goal setting.

    • · Describe your day, not just your symptom
    • · Set two goals that matter to you
    • · Ask how many visits are approved
  2. Weeks 1-4

    Consistency beats intensity.

    • · Do the home program
    • · Track what helps and what flares
    • · Report pain that lasts hours after a session
  3. Progress review

    Adjust rather than push through.

    • · Review measurable progress
    • · Update goals
    • · Ask what happens when visits run out

Risks and warning signs

Possible risks to ask about

  • Every procedure and medicine carries some risk — ask for yours in numbers, not adjectives
  • Reactions to medicines, contrast, or anesthesia
  • Infection
  • Delays or the need for a repeat visit

Warning signs — call your clinician

  • · Redness that does not fade within 20 minutes of removing the socket
  • · Blisters, open skin, or persistent pain
  • · A change in fit or sudden looseness

Red flags — seek emergency care

  • · Trouble breathing or shortness of breath at rest
  • · Chest pain or pressure
  • · Heavy bleeding that will not stop
  • · Sudden weakness, facial droop, or trouble speaking
  • · Signs of sepsis — fever with fast heart rate, confusion, clammy skin, or a feeling that something is very wrong

In an emergency, call 911. Do not wait for a call back.

Follow-up care

  • Ask for a written home program
  • Confirm how many visits are authorized and what happens next
  • Book the re-evaluation

Frequently asked questions

Helpful resources

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Prepare Me is educational preparation support from Phoenix Health Compass. It does not diagnose, recommend treatment, or replace the guidance of your clinician. Checklists and notes stay on this device unless you save or share them yourself.