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!

And yes I hope your recovery goes well.

I’ve done it three times in the last 2 years. Once on my own 10 days after surgery and the other two times completely on my own and I live in a hose not a flat!

It’s doable. Don’t overestimate and push yourself tho.

I've had both knees done at different times.
I've never used a crutch but a stick. The main problem is getting up and down . You can get a seat to fit over the loo and a thick cushion for where you sit. Think about getting in and out of bed as well. Get an apron with a big front pocket for carrying your phone etc around. Argos is a good place for reasonably priced aids.

Your local chemist will also have aids and a book you can order from but you should be able to get most on the nhs.

The other thing I thought of after the fact was that I should have scooted about the flat in an office chair on wheels. Would have been far more efficient than staggering around on crutches!

I have way too much experience here from when school!

Non weight bearing cast to start with sounds like.

They are a sod.

Even when fit and young I couldn't get more than down road. Holding leg in front so not on ground is heavy and exhausting.

Stairs v hard. Carrying things hmmm.

Ok. Plan for the worst! My ideas.

1. Carrying food. Rethink. Can carry few fingers one hand. So things can put in something. Soup, flask. Toast, carry by corners. Or eat kitchen. You will want one chair bum one chair rest leg on.

Can you slide eg ready meal to where eat? Or, put on sheet drag behind would work.

Be creative!

1. Split cast shower bath out. Unless that not what they use now. Yep flannel.

1. Arrange things so minimise stairs. Even so can sleep downstairs. By self, got to be a risk using stairs.

1. Don't be tempted to do or try anything that is a bit of a challenge, or unnecessary. Get plenty comfy clothes washed for when come home.

1. Find box sets books etc now so don't have to get/find/order after. Get nest ready. Bending down is essentially impossible. Get chargers etc you need up off ground and plugged in. Bottom shelf things will need out on waist height.

1. It's not forever! Good luck.

PS DM me if want. My experience 40 years ago lol so prob out of date. Happy to chat though :)

@flipperdoda

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

If full leg non weight bearing like I had.

Zimmer no good.

Can't stick leg out in front to keep it off ground.

Some havehave wheels don't they, will go flying. Ones without, just I think would topple. When moving body forward as need to lift off ground and hop. And moving frame forward both arms, only one leg on floor, can remember and would be really hard.

Crutches fine OP.

Do you know sort of plaster? Can you ask?

Mine were thigh to ankle, normal cast then cut open down sides to allow for swelling.

Office chair on wheels is very useful if you have one. I used to scoot about on mine (backwards was easier)

For food from kitchen to where you want to eat- I had a series of chairs/small tables. I'd put the food onto the first chair and crutch past it, the pick it up and move onto next chair. Then crutch past that. Then again. Until I got to my final destination to sit at the table and eat. Took a while, and there's lots of balancing. I was too stingy to buy a trolley.

'I mostly drink water so happy to just cart around water bottles at least.'

Small backpack. Not shoulder thing as weight not balanced.

Forget the laundry. IMO. Get enough clothes for... How long? 2 weeks non weight bearing for me each time.

Washing machine low I wouldn't plan to be using it.

Plan for worst. Hope for best!

Zimmer frame with a carrier bag tied on the front, grabber stick, travel mug, inflatable cushion to keep your knee up in bed. Make sandwiches, wrap in foil & drop in your carrier bag, mugs of soup, salads in tupperware boxes. Do you have a breakfast bar in your kitchen? Hire a wheelchair if you can.

If non weight bearing then wheelchair and Zimmer are not going to work. IME.

Due to leg out in front off ground.

Used wheelchair hosp non weight bearing to get out bed after OP.

Have to have plank or similar to sit on, to support leg out front. Can't get near anything!

I've just had a TKR, sso feel qualified to offer some gems of advice here.

1. don't underestimate the effect of pain relief. Taken at full dose and regularly whether you feel you need it or not will significantly improve how you feel

2 do the physio religiously. Funny thing is that although it will hurt to do, afterwards the pain is almost gone. 3 Ice, ice and ice some more. If you can get hold of gel packs that can be frozen (chiropractors sell them) Try on line. They are fantastic because you don't need to worry about them causing skin damage

1. your 'operated' leg muscles will be weaker and lifting your leg sufficiently to get into a bath even for a shower is going to be next to impossible.

5 You can ask for a bed handle (from OT at the hospital) which will enable you to pull yourself up into position to get out. You'll be surprised how much you use your legs as counterweights. 6 Toilet frame essential (see above) Finally, if you're worried about the scar, try to find (on line) some small silicone patches to reduce the scar once the stitches are out and the wound healed (about 4 weeks). Brilliant little things. Good luck

Check with your local council if there is anything they can offer, mine allows anyone to get meals on wheels, they may be able to loan you equipment.

The meals on wheels are a hot dinner and a pudding delivered about 12-1pm but they can also deliver a 'tea' of a sandwich fruit and a snack.

One thing is that you will not be able to carry much, eg you will not be able to move a plate of food from your kitchen to wherever you want to eat so set up the microwave and kettle where you can use them, consider using paper plates.

It might even be worth getting a cheap small fridge to keep near the kettle / microwave.

Invest in a Contigo water bottle, you can, if necessary fill one and throw it into another room without spilling water. Whether you have a fridge or not get a couple of jugs to have water to hand.

You will be able to hang a bag from the crutches to get a ready meal from the freezer. A small rucksack or bum bag could be useful.

Have lots of snacky things that don't need a fridge, fruit, nuts, chocolate.

If you don't have any, get loose joggers and T shirts, things you can sleep in if you are too tired to change for bed.

It might be worth making a plan with your bf that he comes round and sets you up for the day, or for the following day or two. Things like fill water bottles, set out some clean clothes etc.

Good luck with the op

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I have something like this in my kitchen that I use for storage anyway, but it was so useful when I was on crutches as I could just put stuff in it then push it in front of me when I needed to go to another room - I guess you could also pull it behind you if you attached some kind of lead or string to it somewhere…

I had ACL/MCL surgery a few years ago. If you are having ligament work, they want you off crutches asap & you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can shuffle around the house without crutches - usually after four-five days.

Get yourself a bum bag or rucksack for phone, water bottle etc. I was fine to make a cup of tea and reheated meals. Showering , sit on the end and swing in via good leg, stand up. It’s unlikely you won’t be able to stand at all without crutches so have a quick shower and out again.

My original injury involved both knees & that was a challenge - then boyfriend had to help me out of bed, put me on the toilet etc! Surgery was relatively easier.

Do stock up on over the counter pain relief before you go in as you can't buy in bulk.

They should give you a form before you go in asking about your shower, bed height, toilet height etc.

Just looked after my dad after knee replacement and before he went in they had delivered an adjustable height chair, toilet seats to adjust the height, and bars for around the loo to pull himself up on.

The only thing that was post op were the walking sticks which were sorted by the physio.

charity shops are full of zimmer frames.

echo what others are saying.
and add physio - if you can pay for a couple of sessions with a private physio as soon as you are home. that will make a world of difference for your recovery.

Thank you so much everyone. I've got a backpack and multiple water bottles sorted, considering moving the microwave into the living room but I think generally will just shove food down on a chair in the kitchen and deal with it - it's not long. Definitely going to speak to the hospital about what other things they can offer - it's being done privately so NHS info is useful but not directly applicable.

Physio I'll be doing privately as well - I do a lot of sports and my NHS physio experiences have told me they're good for getting you moving again but not so good on the sports perspective (which is sort of fair enough).

BF will absolutely set me up as much as possible when he visits, but he's not close enough to pop around every morning for example so if I need him every day then I'll have to just move there/vice versa for a bit.

I won't be in a cast - there's a possibility of a brace apparently but they're not sure what I'm going to need til they get in there. It's removal of excess bone and tendon-fixing-up after as they have to slice through it to reach the bone, basically. I think it's mostly doable, just concerned about toilet and shower now..!

I bought a gel ice pack yesterday (currently on my knee in fact - bloody knee) so that is ready although my freezer is low down so I'm not sure how I'll cope freezing it again but needs must.

I have a wheely office chair! Might scratch up the paint on the doorways moving it, and it's pretty heavy, but it's there which is good. Wheelchair not really a good option given the whole second floor flat thing.

They should give you a form before you go in asking about your shower, bed height, toilet height etc.

They have not done this - I'm going in fairly soon so I don't think they will be doing so either!

Picker stick - our council give them out free to litter picker volunteers, so maybe get in touch and ask for one (you can litter pick later on, once walking to aid recovery, can't you lol!)

I bought a gel ice pack yesterday (currently on my knee in fact - bloody knee) so that is ready although my freezer is low down so I'm not sure how I'll cope freezing it again but needs must.

I bought a CryoCuff to get around this. If you can justify it, it is worth every penny as you don’t need to change the ice very often. Mine didn’t leave my knee for weeks.

I also had mine done privately and they won’t really care what set up you have at home. They’ll give you crutches and check you’ve got someone taking you home, and that’s about it.

One ice pack wont work well, you need at least a couple or three

I would buy a pack of laxative/stool softeners in case the pain killers bung you up

Remove all your rugs if you have any, they are tripping hazards

If your flat is cluttered or has narrow walkways, try and re arrange things a bit to give yourself space to maneuver. Two crutches will make you much wider and you will need space to turnaround

Clear off your bedside table and a surface close to where you will sit in the day so you have space to put things down. Set up a phone charger at both places.

Think about clothes you can get on and off easily. Maybe loose stretchy shorts, you will not want socks so you might want to plan for a higher heating bill for the two weeks

The more you can elevate your knee, the better. Pillows are your friend here, have a stack for the bed and for where you will spend your day

If you use disposable plates and cutlery you will have less washing up

I would get a cross body bag that your phone, water bottle, pain killers and other essential bits can live in and wont fall out of. Then you can always travel with it. Never move without your phone in case you fall

Arrange a time to talk on the phone with someone twice a day. If they cant reach you, they should come and physically check on you.

If you can borrow some crutches from someone, do some test scenarios around the flat to see what you need to move etc

Sorting the flat now in terms of space and accessibility - will get all the spare pillows out and spread them about too!

I was thinking earlier and what I was told was X weeks on crutches then I should be able to start walking/swimming/cycling with zero resistance again. I know it won't necessarily be that smooth but it it making me think maybe it's weight bear as I can cope, rather than no weight bear...two weeks non weight bearing then straight into walking sounds utterly unrealistic otherwise.

Anyway. Think I've worked out what I can do beforehand, and I'll cope after with lots of calling in favours I expect! Thank you. Totally worked myself into a panic so off to blast some music and sort out the flat so I feel useful!

See if you can speak to your local occupational health. They can give you things like a trolley for moving stuff around, a gadget for putting socks on, and a grabber for picking things up. You borrow them and when you're done they get them back.

@StrongTea

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

Or a fabric shopping bag with long handles, that you can sling round your neck for carrying bits and pieces.

How far from you does your boyfriend live? Couldn't he come round to put the bin bag out? Could any packages be delivered to him and he could bring them round?