Worried about stairs...

[Lovestoread]

Although I live in a two-story home and only had one knee done at a time, I was able to manage pretty well. Before I was discharged from the hospital, the PT had me practice stairs using a cane. Granted, I didn't go up and down my stairs often during the days following my surgery, but probably two or three times, and was able to do just fine.

 

[caridgway]

Everyone is different but with only knee coming home should not be a big issue. My basic belief is that there is no place like home. I can control when I get up, sleep and keep my meds on schedule without waiting for someone to dispense them. I can ice as much as I need and again, do not have to have someone remember to keep me iced and elevated. Again, part of the reason I had one knee done at a time is that I knew I could come home with one knee only operated easier than with two. My other reason was work - so I could space out the time I was away even though I did do both knees in one year.

If you do go to rehab, investigate it throughly ahead of time to make sure they deal with joint replacements and are organized around what is needed post op -- ice,elevation and pain meds on schedule. Some rehab facilities are not tuned in to the recovery and some of the forum members have had issues from lack of support in those directions.

Best of luck to you and just focus on the fact that soon you will not have that awful knee pain. Lee

I agree about going home, and so did my surgeon. In fact, he highly encourages patients to go home because there is more risk of infection at rehab, and he said that sometimes you get less assistance than you anticipated. Of course, it depends on whether you have someone at home to help out. My doc would not release me from hospital to go home unless there would be a companion there 24/7 for the first 3 - 4 days. that may be because of the heavy duty narcotics use the first few days. I was able to go up a few steps pretty quickly; but going down without extreme pain took a lot longer (about 5 weeks). But I was able to go down one step at a time, just like before surgery. As many people have said on this website, its going to take as long as it takes for tissues to heal. You really can't hurry it along, but just be patient and believe that the healing is going to come. True, the first 2 -3 weeks after surgery are tough; but I'm 3-1/2 months out now and I can say that I have hardly any pain, very good mobility and I'm so glad I had the TKR. You are thinking ahead and planning for your recovery which is a very good thing, because you are taking control of the process as much as you can.

 

[referee54]

As others have written, you should not have issues. you will not be released from the hospital until you can show them that you have mastered stairs---"up with the good, down with the bad."

I had a BTKR and I could do stairs, albeit gingerly and slowly.

You will be able to do them, but you most likely won't want to do them often.

Exactly. I had BTKR and had big trouble with stairs for a few weeks. I could do it, but it took ages and was really awkward.

I would not say that I had a big problem, but it was a little challenging and very time-consuming; but I had a BTKR---you will still have a non-surgical knee to help you out.

If I were you, I would build a "fortress" on one level of your home and stay there as much as you can.

You can and will be able to do the stairs, but, as my son said, "...battles were fought in the Civil W that took less time for me to get up or down stairs."

 

[dtmbf]

I live in a 3 story house with 15 steps between each level. I too was quite apprehensive about all the stairs and was very vocal to PT after my surgery (LTKR) about my fears. They made sure I could do the stairs - all 15 of them- they took me to a stairwell to practice - before I left the hospital. Once home, I made it a practice for the 1st 2 weeks to only do the stairs once a day - down in the morning & up at night. I am slow & cautious on the stairs but they were very doable for me.

Personally, I would try to avoid rehab - I'm not trashing their services but they are a source of infection and you have little or no control. At least at home you can sleep when you want, get your pain meds on time, and eat home cooked meals.

The 1st 4-5 weeks of recovery are really tough, and then it ( for me at least) starts to get a little easier. I prepped my house before the surgery which made it way easier when I got home!

 

[ema8447]

@Jasminethecat ...

Sounds like I'm a little late to the party to chime in, but just wanted to let you know that I also live in a "multi-level" house that I love but didn't seem so practical for recuperating. BUT, the PT's also had me doing the stairwell before I left the hospital and I managed the stairs just fine. And now I can go up and down them all I want - just like a person with no knee problems. Can't beat that feeling of accomplishment!

Take care,
Elaine

 

[Jasminethecat]

Thank you for your cautions about rehab facilities. I'm going to keep your comments in mind on Friday when I look at the one closest to home. They have excellent patient ratings but I now know so many more things I should ask about. And their infection rate will be high on my list! It is certainly true that there is no place like home (and Jasmine the cat lives there). I'll let you know my reactions after I tour this facility.

Thank you again for your very thoughtful comments. You are all wonderful!
Evelyn

 

[bottomshollow]

With just one knee being replaced, I would opt for going home after surgery. I actually would have gone home after having two done two days apart; but my hubby is a semi-invalid and I would have had to do too much that first week after surgery so I did go to inpatient rehab for 6 days. After that I did fine by following the BoneSmart mantras to the letter--pain meds on a schedule, lots of resting with legs elevated (toes above nose) and icing, icing, and icing some more.

 

[Phil75070]

@bottomshollow Those legs look about 30 years old, nowhere neat 71! And no discernible sacars! Great gams! (Is "gams" still an expression used these days?)

 

[bottomshollow]

@Phil75070, I would give my eye teeth if those were my "gams", but they belong to someone else--found that pic using Google Images.

 

[Phil75070]

@Phil75070, I would give my eye teeth if those were my "gams", but they belong to someone else--found that pic using Google Images.

I am shocked, I tell you! Shocked!!

 

[referee54]

I would give my eye teeth if those were my "gams", but they belong to someone else--found that pic using Google Images.

Great gams! (Is "gams" still an expression used these days?)

The last time I her the word "gam" was when I was showing Saving Private Ryan in my Contemporary Cinema class. The German, nick-named "Steamboat Willy" said it.

The defintion of "Gam", from Dictionary.com is this:

gam
gam
1 [gam] Show IPA
noun Slang.
a person's leg, especially an attractive female leg.
Origin:
1775–85; probably < Polari < Italian gamba leg; see jamb1

 

[VancouverUSAgal]

My medicare advantage plan covered rehab with a $50/day co-pay. I believe they cover if your surgeon says you need to go. I had both knees done and did not get good pain control the first couple of days so couldn't do a lot of physical therapy in the hospital. I don't think I would have possibly been able to climb a flight of stairs right out of hospital. While in rehab, they worked with me on stairs but the portable staircases they use have shallower steps than the standard in homes and offices. When I attempted stairs of that size after several weeks of PT, they were much more difficult - doable but exhausting.

I never used crutches and wouldn't want to. I used a walker for 2 weeks and then was fine with 1 crutch. I already had one, but usually people can get whatever equipment they need. I just wanted to make sure I didn't have to pay for any (sometimes they charge for durable medical equipment) so I borrowed walkers, shower chair, etc. and already had the raised toilet seat.

As far as rehab, I didn't like being there and had trouble getting ice, some equipment, and even pain meds on time. However, the hospital bed and grab bar (from ceiling) made it easier for me to maneuver into and out of bed. PT was good there, and it did make it a lot easier on my caregiver because I was much more independent after I got home from rehab. Just be aware you may need an advocate to go to bat for you. Those rehab places are understaffed and things get overlooked unless you speak up or have someone else to do it. So, I think it's a toss-up whether to go or not and you may want to wait and see how you do with the surgery. Most people who just have one knee done go right home unless they have other medical issues but everyone is different and definitely each of us as our own recovery experience.

 

[referee54]

Thank you for your cautions about rehab facilities.

Due to my BTKR, I was on a rehab floor of the same orthopedic hospital where I had my surgery done.

they were excellent---the nurses and all fo the care-givers; the PT folks and the OT folks were equally exceptional.

The food, though, was the only negative aspect of the stay.

I was very glad that I went there---I was not ready to come home yet, and they helped bridge the gap between my surgery and my eventual return to my home.

 

[Jasminethecat]

I wanted to report that I toured Grace Cottage Hospital, a nearby hospital/rehab facility last week and was very impressed. They are small (just 19 beds) but have a large PT/OT staff. (They offer physical therapy 2 times each day.) The 2 physical therapists I spoke with seemed very caring and emphasized their patient-lead focus: encouraging but not pushing. That sounded very good.

I also interviewed an 85 year old current TKR patient who said it was a wonderful place. This was her 2nd TKR surgery, the other knee having been done years ago at a major NYC hospital. She said the care was equal or better to her New York experience. In fact, in our area, this is a highly thought of facility. Depending on how surgery and recovery go, I'm not thinking it would be good to spend some time there.

I'll probably visit another rehab facility in the weeks ahead, but this one looked very good. Still seven weeks and three days until LTKR!