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TKR Five Months Later

JG464 said:
I have a very patient pt coming to the house but have not gotten past third step it is fear on my part I know and just have to fight through it-or never shower again!!!!!
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Ask your PT to go up the stairs behind you, so that she/he can prevent you from falling.
Just take it slow and steady and you'll get there.

When you come downstairs again, have your helper go in front of you.
 
When I came up from the hospital, I had 6 steps to go up. I called friends for help and had one in the front of me and one behind me. I didn't really need them, but I was afraid! Having hand rails on both side of the steps is a huge help! It allowed me to get up and down them alone in the next few weeks!
 
I was taught by the PT to go side ways up /side ways down steps, while holding on to the rail. Non operative knee first ,then operative knee, reverse going down . Instead of toward looking up and down, I was side ways. It looks strange, but it worked. I was able to go up and down steps when I came home.
 
Trying real hard to have a positive spin on the recovery-thanks for tips with stairs-spoke with pt about sideways and will work that way... developed a bad pain in my hip when walking or moving that area and bad swelling...visiting nurse will be here this morning to discuss..was told by pt yesterday to sit back elevate and ice...and in addition we are due for our third nor’easter in three weeks tonight!!! Will be looking for refills on meds before storm
 
Good tips on going sideways. It works really well and you will regain your confidence while you get to enjoy going to your upstairs. And do listen to your therapist: at this point in your recovery you really don’t need to do much beyond elevating and icing — a few knee bends, a few stretches (both of which you can do in bed or a recliner), and walking for your daily activities. I hope you get your refills ahead of the nor’easter. It looks like this one will miss me, but the last couple sure were doozies!
 
Reading through many of the post op threads keeps me going...I am now 9 days post surgery...the pain in my hip is subsiding-all agree must have pulled a muscle so will keep my OS appointment next week as planned and not move it up...was feeling better with pt here yesterday and we were able to do a few more gentle exercises...after she left I did more than usual amount of trips around the house...sat for less than ten minutes at dinner table....just needed out of what I once thought of as very comfortable recliner...,well this morning am really really stiff so I’m sure pt will be shortened...I did however sleep for 6 1/2 hours straight last night which was tremendous...guess it is patience, patience, patience which for me is tough but getting used to it...trying to emphasize the positive but this is really really hard!
 
Day 11 post op- I finally faced my fears and went up and down my stairs!!! Besides the fear there was the pulled hip issue which has resolved and with that more strength and confidence in the knee-I only wish therapist could have left me there to take a shower but understandably was not to be. It will give me determination to do again tomorrow with the help of a family member to take that luxurious shower!!!!! Sleep is elusive-icing and elevating as we speak....feel SO good to have made it up, on and off my bed and back down!!!!!
 
Yay, you did the stairs!!! Now you know what it’s like and that you can navigate them. It won’t be so scary next time. Great job! :loveshwr:
 
You did it! You know what that means, don't you? It means you can DO IT AGAIN. Yep. You can, in fact, do it a few or several times a day. I remember a day about two weeks after having both my knees replaced. Still plenty of pain and doing the stairs still meant using my cane and doing it step by step. Naturally I had just walked up the stair for a nap and the doorbell rang. Went down the stairs, slowly, to answer the door. Go away, solicitor for energy services. Back up the stairs (because FIL sits in the room with my recliner and I wanted the privacy to sleep). Doorbell rings again. Back down the stairs...

Anyway, I ended up just plopped in the recliner and let the old guy watch me as I slept. I could do the stairs, but they simply weren't worth it!

I'm so glad to hear your hip is bothering you less. :) It can take a while for something like a pulled muscle to go away, but it's easier to wait if you can feel it getting better.
 
Congratulations on the stairs. I was chicken of doing stairs until the home PT did it with me. Once I did it once I was over the fears. Not that I didn't continue to be slow and careful...
 
I had to do 6 steps to get up to my deck and then one more into the house. I had someone at the front of me and someone at the back of me that first time. I did fine. Having rails on both sides is a huge help!
 
I think the way you can safely do it is the key. You won't be doing it that way forever, so just do what you can do without the chance of falling!
 
Ahhhh thanks- Still doing outside pt on my own. I've been contemplating stair wrk and this answer prob saved me a few hours of swelling
 
Ahhh more progress!!!!!! Made it up the stairs using one bannister and cane with a good son spotting and husband at top of stairs. Cane-good leg-bad leg-repeat. Once upstairs with my walker and a spare figured the best way to stall shower was with walker in there (suggested by pt who rightfully thought I might not get in and out of shower chair easily. The walker in there worked beautifully and a shower after 12 days of sponge baths was heavenly!!!!!! Truly appreciate my very patient husband more and more. So final part of this adventure is getting back downstairs- did the sideways hold on to the bannister bad leg good leg bad leg good leg (there was a cane involved but I used two hands on bannister). I did it! I feel like I ran a marathon...ahh progress!
 
Well done! You've earned a long rest.
 
Good for you!! I remember my first shower. It was heaven!! Amazing how much we humans take for granted until we face a situation when even the small things / activities are a challenge. I find myself looking at people doing the simplest things like walking without limping, sitting on the floor or with legs bend and say to myself, “how do you do that”? It seems so amazing. The human body is amazing.

I don’t have stairs in my house except a few steps from driveway to porch or from garage. I bet going up and down stairs is goin to help you in your recovery.

Congratulations again on the milestones (steps and shower)!!
 
Babushelen said:
I don’t have stairs in my house except a few steps from driveway to porch or from garage. I bet going up and down stairs is goin to help you in your recovery.
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I agree. I thought it was great when we moved into this one floor house almost 3 years ago but now I don’t have anyplace to practice stairs. I’d have to drive somewhere. And keep doing it after I mastered it just to maintain the ability. I don’t my think that’s going to happen.
 
I used to practice stairs in a shopping mall. People must have wondered what this crazy woman was doing, going up and down the stairs several times.
 
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