Crutches, living alone, how bad will it be!?

[flipperdoda]

Hello - I'm having knee surgery soon and will be on crutches for at least 2 weeks, possibly 6. I'm staying with my boyfriend for the first few days after and he's prepped to do everything so other than pain I'm not too worried about that part - but once I'm home and working (from home, desk based) again, can anyone give a realistic idea of how difficult life will be?

I'm batch cooking and freezing meals now, I've got a food delivery ordered with easy stuff (pre made quiche, pie, microwave rice etc) for the day I will go back home, and I'm expecting to do sod all housework... but I just started wondering about how the heck I get meals from kitchen to living room table to eat? How do I shower/bath given mine is a shower over the bath? I won't be in a cast, but physically getting into the bath is surely going to be a struggle. How do I take a bin down two flights of stairs to take it out (I'm in a flat)!?

I suspect the answer to a lot of this is 'you don't do it/you ask friends for a lot of favours' and I'm lucky to have the option that if I genuinely can't cope my BF would move in until I could...but I want to have a realistic perspective of what I may or may not be able to do after the first five days or so.

Help!

PS I did google for tips and found a lot of threads talking about having a chair in the kitchen, padding for the crutch handles etc which was really helpful. But (understandably...) most of the threads on here are from people with other people at home. I can't just get someone else to carry things!

No kids to worry about thankfully

Could you:

• get a cheap zimmer frame with a tray on it, to make it easy to transport plates of food and other things around the house? Possibly a second hand one from ebay?

• make sure you have plenty of flannels in and do a strip wash for a few days, rather than try a shower (and risk falling!)

• the bins could wait and be taken down by your BF every few days, maybe?

Get a bath board thing from occupational therapy so you can sit in the bath and shower (face whatever way let’s you put your leg out the side)

You sit down and slide across.

You won’t be taking the bin down.

Get a coffee travel mug with a lid and handle so you can take a drink (doesn’t have to be coffee) into your work space /living room.

Don’t underestimate the effect of painkillers on brain function.

Get a perching stool from occ therapy rather than a chair it’s a bit higher (for kitchen and bathroom).

Is it one knee? Could you manage with one of the knee scooters?

I would get a perching stool and eat at the kitchen worktop. Tbh.

IKEA bag for dirty laundry. You can tie it and push it along with your crutch or throw it downstairs.

Loads of pillows to keep your up as much as possible. Make sure you have a pillow protector or towel on the top one in case your wound weeps.

Your leg up

Sorry.

Used crutches for years, get yourself a coffee mug with lid for taking back n forth from kitchen to where you are. Or if you have space put kettle and tray next to sofa so you are only carrying bottles of cold water to fill kettle.

It would be easier to eat in kitchen and use a chair or perching stool when cooking so you are steady. Failing that you can use Tupperware box with proper lid and stick in bag to carry

Wash on your own just use flannels try shower when some one is there help you.

I’d suggest getting one those grabber sticks around £15-20 for when you drop keys/phone/tv remote/meds.

I’d suggest putting a dinning room chair next to bed depending on bed height to help give you some support getting to standing position. Or wiggle your way to sit on chair if it’s easier stand up from that height.

I lived alone when I had a non-weight bearing injury that required crutches after being operated on. I had to manage for almost 3 months so found a few ways of doing things.

In the first instance - take all the help you can get/tolerate for things like taking out the rubbish/shopping/laundry etc.

Safest way to shower is to get a stool with non-slip feet to use as a seat. Maneuvering yourself in and out from a seated position is far safer than attempting anything else. Also make sure you have non-slip mats in the bath and on the bathroom floor. Don't underestimate how fragile your ability to balance and correct will be.

Getting meals/drinks from A to B. I ended up using lidded containers and a carefully packed backpack. It's not a great deal of fun eating and drinking from trays/lidded bowls and nothing looks remotely "gourmet" after being shuffled in a tub but it does mean independence at meal times and ultimately it all tastes the same.

If you really need to get non-fragile stuff down a staircase, I created a little sled out of a large plastic storage contained and some rope. I'd pop whatever needed transporting in the storage container and lower it down gently with the rope or get back up the stairs with the rope and pull it up gently.

Housework became just as needed so mostly kitchen surfaces and changing my bedsheets I did ask for help with - that was both ridiculous and painful for me to try doing, although you might manage better.

Hope the operation goes well and your recovery is swift.

Get one of those litter picker things because they are invaluable if you drop something. Lots of pockets or a bumbag

Stool won’t work over the bath I don’t think? The easiest thing is a bath board?

A Zimmer frame is an option I suppose, although I'm loathe to spend money on something I might only need for a week and of course there's the (irrational, totally stupid) reaction of 'I can't have a Zimmer frame!'. Which I would get over if needed...

Definitely expecting to strip wash for a few days but can't imagine doing it for two weeks or even longer. The bath board sounds good - having just done a quick google I'm going to ask the stupid question - when you say 'from Occupational Therapy' do you mean people at the hospital rather than buying it myself?

Bins will have to wait yes. That was probably just an 'oh god and what about THIS' moment, that's an easily sorted one!

I mostly drink water so happy to just cart around water bottles at least. I'm expecting to be a bit crap at work for the first week but it's a new job so I have to make an effort. Yes everything is happening at once. The person who hired me knows me so it's not too dreadful a situation!

Stool sounds good too. So many things to think about!

It is one knee yes, but the operation is being done on the front so I'm not expecting to be able to put any weight on the knee (and I don't know how much I'll be able to bend it) so I imagine a knee scooter is not an option based on that unfortunately.

Lots of pillows is a definite, and a bag for laundry is an excellent idea! The positive about a flat is other than getting to and from the flat, there's no stairs or steps to worry about when I'm at home. And it's small

Chair in the kitchen, chair in the bathroom to assist with getting in and out of the bath, chair next to bed.

I would not plan on walking around too much with the crutches - I had a couple of falls which was not idea. I got a cleaner in for the duration - I was on crutches/moon boot for 8 weeks as I just couldn't really manage.

If you are planning on deliveries etc, you might want to put a note on the door telling people to be patient. Rushing = falls.

Get help, seriously.

Occ therapy or physio I can’t remember will provide you with a zimmer or crutches or both. You won’t have to buy them. Ask for the bath board before you have your op so you have it for coming home (I had a stinky 6 weeks!!)

The hospital OT should see you and advise you on all of this.

In my case the ot was to visit me on discharge but it didn’t happen and I had to chase it

And provide the equipment you need. My dad had knee surgery and was given a perching stool, toilet frame, Zimmer frame and crutches. He bought a limbo cast cover for the shower.

Sounds like chairs next to everything (kitchen surface, bed, bath) is the way to go! I've got a non stick mat for the bath, it's good to be reminded that my balance will be dreadful. I need to just assume the worst I think, and plan for that.

nothing looks remotely "gourmet" after being shuffled in a tub

This really made me laugh, thank you. It's good to hear from someone who coped solo for so long on them - really I've got an easy ride compared to you, 2 weeks and no stairs!

Picker stick thing is a good idea, I can imagine that being frustrating otherwise.

If you are planning on deliveries etc, you might want to put a note on the door telling people to be patient. Rushing = falls.

This is an excellent idea, thanks! I've already put a note on the food delivery to say I'll be on crutches so please be patient + bring the food up to my floor, but a note for amazon deliveries etc is a good plan so I don't panic and rush. I really don't want to cause more issues

Rig yourself a light cross body bag from carrier bag plus old scarf or similar. You will find endless uses for it, eg put wrapped sandwiches and a flask (lunch!) in to carry from kitchen to your desk, moving small items from room to room etc etc.
Keep a supply of small water bottles to hand, so you can have cold drinks easily. You’ll be able to move them in your bag, see above!
Consider getting a spare kettle to have in your office or bedroom for hot drinks.
Lots of luck for a swift recovery!

The hospital gave me a zimmer when I said I didn’t wish crutches, and you will need to eat in the kitchen, and wash your hair over the sink, sponge yourself down when sitting in the loo. I had to do it for five weeks, it’s fine, you do what you need to.

The hospital OT should see you and advise you on all of this.

I expect they will, but after the surgery - I'm trying to work out what I need to do before I go in (pile up pillows by the sofa, put chairs in various places, etc!). I shall give the hospital a call and ask about things like stools.

Have a browse on a website like careco or completecare and have a look at the living aids sections. There are loads of things you can buy to help you but we found they also provided inspiration for how to use stuff we already had in the house.

Thank you to everyone who's responded and to those who've wished me a speedy/successful recovery too . I didn't expect so many responses and as well as being practical help it's nice to ease my worries a bit just by chatting about it all!

Get yourself one of those kitchen trolleys on wheels (IKEA, homebase etc) you put meals and sealed drinks on top and you can wheel about anything you need. I did it with a 4 month old while my husband was out 10 hours a day.

I had a total hip replacement a couple of years ago and as part of the pre-op procedure I saw an OT. I was provided with a zimmer with a tray and a frame to go over the toilet with handles so didn't need to buy them myself.

I did buy a "hip recovery kit" off ebay or amazon which is also recommended for after knee ops. It consisted of a long handled grabber, a sock putter onner thing (the official name -honest), a shoe horn and a long handled sponge. The grabber was definitely the most useful. I also recommend a rucksack drapped over your front if you needed to carry anything.