Creeping with crutches and other helpful hints #1

12 days post op: 8 days since discharge from hospital

Another hot gorgeous Kapiti day. I have walked to the end of the street (with my crutches) for the first time and I have also had a shower standing up (as opposed to sitting on a hospital stool in the shower). So I am feeling perky. Yesterday I met my new neighbour for the first time. Turns out he is at home recovering from a hip replacement which he had one week before I had my operation. We shared stories about using crutches and having difficulties sleeping - (I was reassured to hear that he also craves being able to sleep on his side).

With some of these shared observations, I thought I would put together a list of the  various handy hints and items that have been useful in my first week out of hospital.

1. Crutches

The hospital hires the crutches to patients and they are fitted by a Physio who shows you how to use them. The ones I have grip my arm and provide a leaning post for my hands. It has been quite tricky to manoeuvre around with crutches. It is very hard to go around corners and to back up. 

They are great for sitting down as they take the weight off the sore knee and allow me to lever myself up. However, it is a bit hard to co- ordinate lowering oneself onto the toilet  and then propping up the sticks so you can go "hands-free".

The crutches are quite bulky so I have resorted to finding all sorts of places to tuck them away so that we don't trip over them.

They are also surprisingly noisy. They have a dull clomp and rattle which make it a bit difficult when I "sneak" around the house multiple times at night to either go to the toilet or to go and get my ice pack out of the freezer. However I am getting quite good at stealthy creeping around the house at 2am. The biggest hazard is Lewis! 

It has been so hot in the evenings and Lewis tends to sprawl across the hallway and the kitchen entrance way so he can get some breeze from the Windows. When he hears me approach he lies completely passively and waits for me to clomp around or over him. He is completely inert and doesn't make any sudden movements while I am walking over him.

2  Ice packs

The nurses in hospital provided me with these ice packs which they used in my leg from day 1. They are fantastic and they cool the swelling and discomfort. 

I wish I had a leg sized one the covered the front and back of my leg. They are so wonderfully comforting I use them at night to get to sleep. I have two pads and they only remain cold for about twenty minutes so I tend to rotate them every hour or so throughout the day and about three times during the night. I just stuff the cold pack into a pillow case so it doesn't burn my skin and then it starts the soothing.

3 A rolled up towel

This sounds a bit weird - but I now either carry a towel with me round the house - or else I locate towels in the different parts of the house. 

The towel is a really handy way of moving my leg. I can use the towel to haul my leg off the floor onto the bed or chair, I can use it to increase the bend in my leg as part of my exercises and I can also use it to bend my leg to get into the car.

4 A shoulder bag

This strong, lightweight bag can fit a towel, an ice pad, an iPad, and a bottle of water and can be worn by someone sneaking around the house on crutches at night. It is really hard to hold things in your hands while using crutches so this is the perfect accessory....especially when navigating your way around a silver fox who won't move!