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MUA LTKR, 8 weeks out; MUA at week 5; worried about ROM

I agree, the psychological aspect is huge in going down the stairs, foot-over-foot. The thought of huge pain or a tumble can keep anyone at the top of the stairs, but at this point in time, I'm just left with a very slight fear of falling. I'm not even sure how that evolved....it's puzzling! Regardless, I know I can do it, and this week, I resolved to no longer engage in *backwards stairs*. Forward only!
 
I thought I was the only one who went down the stairs backwards! And before BTKR for a year or so also.
 
Recently we came upon some steps with no handrails. My DH went blithely on, talking to a friend, while I was stranded up top. With a couple of wobbly tries, I made it down three steps and then had to call him back to give me a hand. That's when I feel the most aged and infirm.
 
Glad you had DH nearby to give you a hand . . . .I am certainly much more attentive to the lack of accessible accommodations, including railings on stairs, than I was prior to TKR. I try not to use the railing anymore in order to strengthen the legs and am quite successful going up, but find myself wanting the railing nearby on the downstairs even if I don't use it. Our house is one floor with just two or three steps at all entrances - and no railings. My spouse made a set of handrails to the front door prior to my surgery and I just removed them this weekend (to be saved for knee #2). I had to use the cane for many weeks going down the back stairs with no railing - it was very scary!!. :shocked:
 
i know what you mean @Polkadot but we have to give ourselves a pass and remember the brutal surgery we had and accept that we will need assistance for some things for as long as we need it. just wondering, were you attempting to go down the stairs alternate feet without a handrail or the "bad foot down" way? think of all that we have accomplished since the surgery and continue to be safe and ask for help when needed. i still need to hold the handrail going downstairs alternate feet.:flwrysmile:
 
I think it's very normal to be worried about falling. The last thing we want is a broken hip to go with our recovering legs. I'm glad you called your hubby back, @Polkadot. I've done the same thing in the last few weeks. A big knee-rah for being safe and taking care of ourselves!
 
I absolutely cannot go foot-over-foot, down the stairs without a handrail. Even the gimpy method feels like a header is in the offing; scary! Ask for help? You betcha!
 
@Polkadot congrats on being safe rather than sorry! I'm sure your DH just forgot for the moment as he was chatting with a friend. Otherwise he would have been at your side to lend a helping hand!
 
Polkadot said:
Recently we came upon some steps with no handrails. My DH went blithely on, talking to a friend, while I was stranded up top.
Click to expand...
How like my husband! I have had a couple of falls that could have been prevented, if he would only walk beside me. Instead, he goes on ahead, always maintaining that my walking speed doesn't suit him. He's done it all our married life - Father Duck strides on ahead, while Mother Duck and all the children follow behind. :heehee:

Two years ago, I fell flat on my face in Zurich, Switzerland, thanks to tripping on uneven pavement. Hubby was too far ahead for me to grab him, to stop my fall.
Three weeks later, he charged up a long escalator in London, UK, ahead of me. My hand was knocked off the handrail by someone in a hurry and I fell, doing a backwards somersault and landing on my knees and one hip.

I remind him every time and he remembers for about 5 minutes. He was not brought up to feel empathy or think that another person might need help. He's great in all other respects, but I've never been able to cure him of this.
 
Oh Celle!!! Sending a very late hug!!!
 
That's terrible @Celle! I suppose it has forced you to be very independent, but those falls sounded horrible. :bolt:
 
Oh, I think we need a "dislike" button. Your falls sound terrible, @Celle. You can have a late hug from me, too.
 
Wow, @Celle! I agree with @phrog. We need a "dislike" button! You probably take the prize for spectacular falls. Escalators have always unnerved me, ever since my twin brother got his foot stuck in between the little metal "jaws" of one. (He had some bruises, but was okay). I can't even imagine doing a somersault on one and being able to get up afterward!

My DH is good about walking with me, and is usually more solicitous than I want or need (you nailed it, @Canada35); however, he is also a typical absent-minded professor type. He gets distracted easily and forgets things. This time it was me at the top of the stairs. One time he was running late for a flight and left his car in the unloading zone. Another time he bought airline tickets for a trip with me and my daughter, and he forgot to buy one for himself! The stories abound...

My first husband was more the non-empathetic, oblivious type. He did walk ahead of me pretty much all the time. So I can empathize there, Celle!

@Pheebs52, I agree about wanting those handrails and asking for help. I'm not used to speaking up, but this TKR experience has taught me to let people know I have had a knee replacement. Advocating for myself doesn't mean taking advantage--that's what I've had to learn. The further out from the surgery and the more able-bodied I look, the more critical it is that I speak up if necessary. I fully agree with you there, @liam2015!

I went foot over foot once DH came back but did the three steps the "baby way." @kmak81230, removing the railing must feel really great--a real reminder that things are changing for the better!
 
At close to the 5-month mark, I am noticing, like @kmak81230 and @Pheebs52, that there are stretches of time, sometimes full days, where I feel "normal." My DH had a conference in Traverse City the past four days. I went with him, and during his meetings, I walked several blocks to the downtown area and did quite a bit of dawdling in front of store windows and even inside a few of them. (I have found the "dawdling" and the standing in one place part of shopping more challenging than the walking in the past.) I handled several afternoons of that kind of shopping behavior ably without needing to ice or elevate later. (Good thing, because I forgot to bring any ice packs!).

The first evening was the most difficult. I attended the mixer with DH for 2 hours, mostly standing. The bad news is that I was pretty sore and had a little trouble getting comfortable in bed. The good news is that the next morning I was fully recovered.

Yesterday afternoon was a dunes tour and wine tasting. Lots of time on a large bus; 5-6 ups and downs the bus stairs; walking on shifting sand paths through the dunes (I used my DH's arm for some of that); and then a 4-hour drive home with legs down made sleeping last night difficult. The ES Tylenol I took appeared to have absolutely no effect on my throbbing knee. My lonely cat draping herself over my ankles didn't help, either. However, this morning, I'm again feeling pretty good.
 
ooh - I'm so jealous - I love Traverse City. Our family has a cottage in the Leelanau Pennisula but I haven't been up there in several years. So glad you are doing so well with all of the "normal" fun, life activities and bouncing back after long days on your feet. I have the same issue with standing around in one place - much rather walk a mile than stand in the kitchen for 20 minutes. And also a bit of trouble getting comfortable in bed after a long day. Today is day number four of having longer "normal" periods, so I'm almost ready to call it a "trend," or "turning a corner." Kneerah for us!
 
Shopping has become a pleasure again, hasn’t it? So have outings of any kind. You’re doing so welll, and the normal just keeps getting better and better!
 
Those stretches of time when you feel "normal" give you ( and all of us) hope that one day in the not too distant future, our knee stories will be told in the past tense!
 
@Polkadot, I hadn't heard of Traverse City and took a virtual tour just now. Looks like a beautiful place and the downtown's old buildings are just my cup of tea. What good news that you could enjoy it! Achy leaden leg is pretty common after a day of activity, but oh-so-worth-it when the day has been a pleasant one. Knee-rah!
 
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