Stairs After Surgery

ejn
ejn Member Posts: 64
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I am a couple week until surgery on 8/11/10 and I was wondering if I will be able to climb stairs when I get home from surgery or will there be any restrictions regarding the stairs. My favorite recliner is in the mancave and I am thinking it might be a comfortable place to be for a couple of days after surgery. I guess if there are restrictions I can get my recliner brought upstairs to my bedroom before I go for surgery. I have all of my pre surgery testing done and now all there is left to do is to wait with anxiety. Responses will be appreciated. Thanks

Comments

  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010
    #2
    We have numerous stairs in
    We have numerous stairs in our house. The first day home from Hospital went in the back door to avoid the big stair cases! After about 3-4 days started tackling the stairs but had to go slow on them. You should be fine as long as you don't try speed records on them!
    I stayed on one level (kitchen, bedroom living room) for the first few days and sat in the recliner in living room lots.


    Also a couple hints....when you get up or down from a flat position such as in bed...hold a pillow over your lower abdomen. It helps for some extra support there!

    Get yourself a waterproof pad to put on the bed...just in case.

    Also get a bucket or small trash can to set the catheter bag in at nighttime. The hoses can come loose and it avoids having to clean up the carpet or wood floor, etc.

    My hose came loose one time but luckily was in the bathroom on vinyl floor.

    Good luck to you! My surgery was 8-15-2009.

    Larry
  • jminnj
    jminnj Member Posts: 129 Member
    #3
    Stairs
    Had my surgery January 21st. Came home on the 22nd and while I did try to minimize the number of trips up and down, I did go upstairs for the first time the evening I came home. Took it slow, but the doc gave me no restrictions on the stairs.

    Joe
  • griff 1
    griff 1 Member Posts: 114
    #4
    stairs
    ejn, you should be fine i have 2 stairs in my home and if you just go slow you will be alright. ha ha the old saying one step at a time. i had alot of anxiety also waiting for my surgery, just read or get out so you won,t think about it. what will your surgery be laser or what? let me know goodluck griff
  • ejn
    ejn Member Posts: 64
    #5
    griff 1 said:

    stairs
    ejn, you should be fine i have 2 stairs in my home and if you just go slow you will be alright. ha ha the old saying one step at a time. i had alot of anxiety also waiting for my surgery, just read or get out so you won,t think about it. what will your surgery be laser or what? let me know goodluck griff

    Griff
    I am having DaVinci. Just got back from vacation so that is not an option. I did let it go for a couple of days during vacation but I did catch myself checking in on the forums from time to time. I have plenty of work to get done before I take the time off so that will help pass the time. I also do alot of camping and dirt bike riding now which I will have to take a break from after surgery. Actually I am a very busy guy and sitting at the house will probably drive me as crazy as waiting for the surgery. Sometimes ya just cant win. Thanks all

    Ed
  • 142
    142 Member Posts: 169
    #6
    Stairs
    I live one flight up from parking, so faced stairs when I got home from the hospital. I did make it up them, but my neighbor walked up with me just in case. Took at least ten minutes, and I felt like I had climbed a mountain. I avoided them when possible the first week. By the second week, and with catheter out, it was easier, but still very slow.
    My biggest issue was losing balance - had sharp perineal/abdominal pains from surgery that would catch me off guard, so you want to have a hand on the rail at all times. Often in the first couple of months had to stop half way, even after getting back to a mile a day walking on level terrain.
  • ProfWagstaff
    ProfWagstaff Member Posts: 105 Member
    #7
    Not a Problem
    I can only speak for my own experience, but I had to do stairs the day after DaVinci. I was discharged from hospital within 24 hours and went home to my split-level. By necessity, I had to climb a half flight of stairs whenever I went to the bathroom to change or drain the leg bag on the cath. I walked everywhere - especially the stairs - VERY slowly while the cath was in. I was terrified that it would "grab" even though I kept it very well lubed. Take your cue from the hospital. They had me up and walking hours after surgery and they expected me to do likewise when I got home. Stairs were slow, but manageable. I also managed to get out of the house and just amble around the patio or the driveway for a few minutes. Sunshine feels great after a stay in the hospital. You'll be surprised how much more mobile you'll feel when the cath is removed. Best of luck and let us know how it went. I laid in a supply of Marx Brothers DVDs to help me pass the time during recovery. That's whre I got my alias. it's the character Groucho played in Horse Feathers.
  • ejn
    ejn Member Posts: 64
    #8
    ProfWagstaff said:

    Not a Problem
    I can only speak for my own experience, but I had to do stairs the day after DaVinci. I was discharged from hospital within 24 hours and went home to my split-level. By necessity, I had to climb a half flight of stairs whenever I went to the bathroom to change or drain the leg bag on the cath. I walked everywhere - especially the stairs - VERY slowly while the cath was in. I was terrified that it would "grab" even though I kept it very well lubed. Take your cue from the hospital. They had me up and walking hours after surgery and they expected me to do likewise when I got home. Stairs were slow, but manageable. I also managed to get out of the house and just amble around the patio or the driveway for a few minutes. Sunshine feels great after a stay in the hospital. You'll be surprised how much more mobile you'll feel when the cath is removed. Best of luck and let us know how it went. I laid in a supply of Marx Brothers DVDs to help me pass the time during recovery. That's whre I got my alias. it's the character Groucho played in Horse Feathers.

    Thanks everyone, I guess I
    Thanks everyone, I guess I will see how it goes when I get home. The other factor I forgot to mention is that I only have one leg. I have a right leg below knee amputation so when the Prof mentioned balance it rang a bell for me. I suppose I could get my wife to carry me downstairs...hmm...hope she doesnt read this :)

    Thanks again,
    Ed
  • randy_in_indy
    randy_in_indy Member Posts: 496 Member
    #9
    ejn said:

    Thanks everyone, I guess I
    Thanks everyone, I guess I will see how it goes when I get home. The other factor I forgot to mention is that I only have one leg. I have a right leg below knee amputation so when the Prof mentioned balance it rang a bell for me. I suppose I could get my wife to carry me downstairs...hmm...hope she doesnt read this :)

    Thanks again,
    Ed

    Ejn
    I took stairs on my first day home without much problem...slow of course but I actually started walking from the basement up two flights in the house to get more walking in due to the snow on the ground when I returned home...didn't want to slip and fall just after surgery...stairs are good! just use the handrail and go slow.

    Randy

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