Bungalow Legs
Just over a year ago, on Saturday 31st March, I had a chest clinic appointment with a new consultant. It was the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, an odd day for an outpatient appointment. I think they must have been putting on extra clinics to clear the backlog.
I'd been struggling with increased breathless all year, and several months later I went onto 24 hour oxygen support which has made my life so much easier. Now I just adjust the flow rate between 1 l/m for sitting and relaxing, 2 or 3 l/m for playing the piano, wrestling with tax returns and other stressful paperwork, 4 or 5 for cooking or moving around, up to 6 or 7 for walking and exercising.
Back in March last year this consultant impressed upon us the necessity for either moving to a bungalow or putting in a stair lift if a move wasn't imminent. Going up the stairs to the bathroom was becoming detrimental to my health, because of the savage effect the exertion was having on my heart and lungs.
So we had a stair lift installed within days, and I hadn't used the stairs since.
That is until I read the comment on Ang's post about bungalow legs. I thought it was a joke about growing older, but it really is a problem! Avoiding stairs has a stark effect on your health and mobility
And presumably I am in danger of developing 'stair lift' legs!
I did some careful trials working out the oxygen flow rate I needed and using an oximeter to monitor oxygen levels (I've been told to stay above 87%) and pulse rate (I'm not supposed to exceed 100bpm).
Using a flow rate of 5 I've found I can manage the stairs if I take it steadily and rest for a minute or so when I get to the top. If I'm feeling a bit tired I take a breather halfway. I've been making a point of going upstairs three or four times a day for the past few days - today has been a bit tougher as I had my covid vaccination yesterday and it has rather sapped my energy levels today.
I guess my message is if you are living in a bungalow or a flat then watch out you too aren't in danger of developing bungalow legs!
Music
This little Winnie-the-Pooh song fits the bill.
I have been endeavouring to find stairs to practise, but it's really hard! I have climbed the ladder into the loft most days this past week. Does that count?
ReplyDeleteDoes that mean you should be doing leg strengthening exercises instead? But I'm sure the loft ladder should count for something!
DeleteI love the little poem. Well done for attempting the stairs! Bungalow legs! I've never heard of that. I have too many stairs in my house. Good thing I can still manage them. Not sure what I'm going to do when I can't!
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed you'll keep going for a long long time yet!
DeleteI can so relate. I live in a single-story home. Even though I do not have any heart or lung issues, at 84 years old I am no athlete. I have no access to stairs except an occasional visit to a friend's home or to my daughter's home where the only bathroom is upstairs. It is extremely difficult to get up those steps without wheezing and puffing. , while hanging onto the railing.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! There are exercises 'for seniors' on YouTube to strengthen leg muscles. I do some of them a couple of times a week and it seems to help (I'm 68). I reckon it really is a 'use it or lose it' sort of thing. They ran chairexercise classes where my father lived and he used to go for a while and it made quite a difference to his balance and mobility.
DeleteI use one of those folding step-stools to do step-ups but a couple of old telephone directories would do just as well. Or the Wolf Hall trilogy side by side.
DeleteThose are excellent ideas 💡
DeleteI hadn't heard of bungalow legs either, so looked it up. It seems that climbing the stairs just once a day should be sufficient to prevent the problem arising.
ReplyDeleteWhatever next?
Aha! So if I'm doing the stairs a couple of times a day I'm exceeding requirements! Good to know.
DeleteLovely poem and illustration. You have a very nice blog 😊 Warm greetings from a 68 year old lady living in Montreal, Canada 🇨🇦 😀
ReplyDeleteThank you - good luck with your new blog
Delete