climbing stairs post-op

[ruthienc1]

Hi All!
I'm trying to figure out if folks find it easy to climb stairs 10 days post-op. We'll be flying from Boston to Baltimore 10 days out and then driving on to NC (with daughter as caregiver in tow) the next day. We'd normally stay with our daughter's family, but are wondering if I could do the steps then (bedrooms are upstairs). A hotel would be an option if it appears stairs would be hard. Please weigh in! Your answers to my questions have been so very helpful. Thanks!
Ruth

 

[Freddie]

Hey there Ruth,
I have 6 steps here at home. Thats where the bedrooms and bathroom is. I had no choice to do the stairs. When I mentioned this to physo (sp) gal while I was in the hospital she responded "doing 6 to 8 steps is fine - take them slow. Steps will equal to a 5 minute walk". I didn't include the steps as my daily routine in walking, but when you gotta go.........you gotta go.......don't matter if there
are steps or not.

You should be fine, if you take them slow and easy.

Best Wishes

 

[Phyllis]

You should be fine if you take them slow and easy. Many hospitals will have you doing steps before you leave.

 

[Bonzo Dog]

Another take the stairs view. Do a few treads, have a rest, do a few more, it dosen't have to be a sprint. Try to do an extra one or two each day as a confidence builder.

 

[Jkm7]

Not only are stairs no problem, but Massachusetts General Hospital reinforces that by requiring all OHS patients walk a flight of stairs before they can leave. (As Phyllis saids, above.)
I think it is their way of 'proving' to us we can do it.

My bedroom is up a full flight and after both of my OHS, I had no difficulty going up and down. The first few days home, I tried to limit how many times I went up but it was no problem.


Good luck. This is not something you need to have on your 'worry list'.

 

[ruth]

Hi Ruth, this is Ruth!

I slept upstairs in my home from the 1'st day home (day 6). I walked the stairs maybe only 2 or 3 times per day the first few days home. The bigger issue for me was needing a wedge pillow in order to sleep in my own bed. Unlike many others here, I didn't sleep in a recliner early on.

I wish you all the best in your surgery and recovery. Welcome to the forum.

Peace,
Ruth

 

[Marguerite53]

I think the stairs will be much easier than the car ride! That's 4 hours by my ancient calculation (drove from Silver Spring, MD to UNC-G in the '70's). You are going to need to stop half way through that journey and stretch your legs and move around. The seatbelt is not much fun. Please get your particular surgeon's advice about where to sit, how to place the belt, pillow, no pillow, etc.. I smooshed a squishy pillow under the seatbelt and went out very infrequently. Didn't like the car!

Stairs. As was said. Take a few at a time and stop and have a little conversation. then go along, if need be. I think you'll be fine on the stairs...just might be a little swoony from the pain meds. Certainly it won't hurt, just might be unsteady, so try to have someone with you on the stairs til you see how you feel.

Best wishes!!

Marguerite

 

[WayneGM]

In our house, stairs are unavoidable so I had to navigate them as soon as I got home. It was no problem as long as you taken them slow.

I ditto what Marguerite said about car rides. They were my least favourite thing for weeks post op. The seatbelt was uncomfortable and you can feel every bump in the road...railroad tracks were like a mini sneeze!

Best wishes and good luck.

 

[Bonzo Dog]

Not only are stairs no problem, but Massachusetts General Hospital reinforces that by requiring all OHS patients walk a flight of stairs before they can leave. (As Phyllis saids, above.)
I think it is their way of 'proving' to us we can do it.

Copy that at Leeds General Infirmary. Post surgery confidence building is big on their agenda and rightly so.

 

[sknydave]

I also had to do the same thing. I have 3 flights of stairs here and they had me doing the same thing at the hospital 3 days after the surgery. I was expecting to be weaker! You should be fine.

 

[Soilman]

Howdy Ruthie and welcome to NC.
This might be some incentive for you.
A friend of mine had OHS just before Christmas for a blockage. When he asked the Doc's when he and wifey could have sex, the Doc told him as soon as he could climb a set of stairs normally. Saw him about a month after surgery and asked him how he was doing. With a twinkle in his eye he replied: "I climbed the stairs TWICE yesterday"!

 

[JCSydney]

Oh boy Soilman. LOL!

I too had to prove I was ready to leave hospital on the ninth day by climbing two flights of stairs. What intrigued me was that I found it harder to walk down than up.

When I mentioned that I had 16 steps to get up to the bedroom in our house to the nurses at cardiac reconditioning they said that was a good thing.

 

[Philip B]

Stairs

Stairs

Hi Ruth,

Experiences will probably differ among individuals, but I had no problems with stairs post-op. Enjoy your trip.

-Philip