thoughts please
Ps:and those who have pm'd, i will get back to you, but i'm behind as usual and DO very much appreciate the pm's and everyone here , (most) lol.
Hope people are doing better.
I need to pack, tonight is the sleeplab , YAY , finally.
Hurt less, love hard,
Hi Whispered! Nice to see ya, it's been a while. All I know about RA and stairs is this~ when RA all started and I was in my worst flare, my stairs added a lot of pain and difficulty to my life. If you are concerned about having so many, I'd keep looking around for a house you'll be more comfortable in. It doesn't matter how cute your bedroom is if you can't get to it, ya know? You aren't being a baby. You're being smart.If stairs are a problem for you, take linc's advice and keep looking. You live alone, right? You definitely don't want to be restricted in your own house. Do you really need that much space? Perhaps a smaller, one-level apartment or house would be better. No stairs, less space to keep tidy. I don't know about you, but for me personally, my clutter easily expands to fit whatever space is available - which is why my own bedroom is the smallest room in the house.
There was a time when our stairs were so difficult my hubby was considering one of those chair elevator thingies. I'm ok now, but we learned our lesson. We don't know when we will be kicked out of our house by bank... we have a buyer's offer for short-sale but who knows how long... so we are starting to look at apts as research. We are only looking at those at ground floor level with no upper floor inside or those complexes with an elevator. It's bad enough we have to downsize from a house to tiny apt. We certainly do not want to be in trouble if I get bad with stairs again. Good luck to you, I agree with the others here and apparently, your own inner gut... make yourself happy with a one story place.
CathyMarie
I live in a 2-story house and the stairs can be a real problem sometimes. I have learned to plan my day carefully - my bedroom is upstairs and most days I only come down once in the AM (with everything I think I might need from upstairs for the day) and only go back up again at the end of the day to go to bed. I have been known to throw clothes and other unbreakables down the stairs ahead of me, to make the process easier for me. Handrails on both sides of the stairway allow me to take some of the weight off my lower joints. My husband carries the laundry basket up & down for me. All in all, I have managed the stairs with casts, splints and/or crutches when I have had to - it is do-able but NOT a lot of fun. If I had a choice, I would opt for a single level house...but it looks like I'll be in this house indefinitely so I make do the best I can. I bet you can, too.
Mary-Pat
Whispered, the stairs would be a deal breaker for me for sure! Some days, I would be able to handle them. But I know there would be days I could not and the thought of trying to deal with just one of those days would be enough to keep me looking!
Jas is right about the being alone thing, great advice!
we have a gorgeous flight of stairs which by about 4 pm I am literally dragging myself up. If I want to continue on up to my son's room in the attic thats another 12 steps up. I try to have absolutely no reason to go down cellar, thats another 12 steps.
You are absolutely right to consider stairs in your decision, in fact IF we were ever leaving this place that would be the first thing I checked out.
I keep thinking of the nice BIG ranch home my inlaws had.. I can envision our family in it easily..
but we have decided that if/when the time comes we will go with an indoor evevator (not a chair ride up the stairs thingie)
go with your heart and your instincts, whispered.... you are absolutely right to think twice bout that home. I'm sure it's terrific.. but it's not terrific if it gives you fear!
My next home will be one floor living. I know this.
and IF not, it will have the master bedroom on the first floor... My last home did that and it was just enough that I didn't have to go up stairs for bed... This house has 14 steps to my bedroom and there were days when they were insurmountable and I would rather suffer sleeping on the couch than climb them......honestly.
go w/ your heart...... only YOU know what is right for YOU.
Best of luck to you.... I hope you find the home that works best.
My husband and I searched and searched for a home that was large enough for our family (two adults; 4 kids!) that had a master bedroom on the ground floor at least. As things turned out we were able to buy a home that had been taken over by the bank and it was very large and in our price range. One problem: STAIRS! We went ahead and bought it because it was a great deal and we could if we decided to turn one of the garages into a master....but as time goes on I think more and more that we will never go to that expense. I manage the stairs very well (all things considered) and only occationally have problems that make me regret our purchase.
The way we look at it is that this is our "Family Home". Once the kids are grown and moved out we will sale the house and DEFINATELY get a one level home because we do know that as I age things will be more difficult for me. For now though.....we manage.
I do think if you are still in the "looking Stage" keep looking. Stairs are a pain.....and some days they can be a major pain; and if you can avoid that....I would. If the laundry is in the basement.....I'd defiantely cross that one out! Going up and down the stairs with a load of laundry is the biggest problem. I often have to have assistance with that and I can't imagine having to go to the basement with it as well. Alot of these homes with basements have the laundry in the basement.
When we were looking for a house, we looked only at houses with main floor laundry...bedrooms on the main floor...etc. The house we bought has all that...but also has other rooms on a lower level. But none of those rooms are rooms I need to go to regularly. There are days when I just hurt too much to want to go downstairs. I'm glad this house has everything I need on one level. We are fairly certain this will be our last house, so that's why we made sure it would be right for me and any problems I might have with geting around.
I'd really think hard on this house you described..with all those stairs it might just be to hard to get around...but only you know how you'll do with it.
good luck!
DH and I have decided that we'll probably settle down in a house, condo sometime in the next year or so. The gypsy life is just about over. We're looking at places that are on one floor and no outside steps. I won't even consider steps. Have been there, done that and I don't know what the future holds. I don't want to be a prisoner in my own home. If you're gut is telling you this isn't the house then listen. Lindy
I have lived happily for 27 years in the home we built ourselves, into a hill, with my bedroom and laundry room upstairs. Oh If I Had Only Known. My husband carries his own clothes up and takes them down, but I'm up and down the stairs twenty times a day. So far no problems with my knees, but sadly my feet bother me. So at this stage (53) I am managing all right, though I once believed I'd grow old and die in my two story house, but now I am thinking about a nice ranch. It may never happen, but I like to think about it.
[QUOTE=LinB]...no outside steps. I won't even consider steps. Have been there, done that and I don't know what the future holds. I don't want to be a prisoner in my own home. If you're gut is telling you this isn't the house then listen. Lindy[/QUOTE]
I can only echo what others have said. We recently had a raised sidewalk and entrance built to avoid the two steps that provided access to the house.
Steps are my nemesis.
Best wishes, Shug.
Ditto with the crowd. We're pretty sure our next house will be a bungalow or high ranch. We're thinking if the hubby loses his job we may downsize, so might as well go with one that we can stick with for many years. I had my first Remicade infusion last week and am feeling RA-free today, but I know that stairs could become agony again. Not a fun reason to pick your house, I know, but you may be happier to make the choice now because it is a choice, not later because you have no choice.
My brother moved from a two story a few years ago to a high ranch to accommodate his MS. He loves it! And I must say, while I love the old character of our 1930s house, there is soooo much you can do with a bungalow or high ranch to give it your own flavour. I'm already decorating in my mind ....
My sincerest best wishes to you and I understand your frusteration in making this decision,
- Joy
Oh... stairs.... steps... all the same to me! I HATE them! I have to step up/down onto the porch when I go outside, and man some days it is all I can do to just not say screw it and go back in the house. In-laws house they have 3 steps to get up to the front door... man... those 3 steps... make my lower back spasm on my okay days and on my worst days, hubby offers to pick me up and put me on the porch. I always decline, because well... I do not want to hurt his back and I want to make myself do it. They do need a rail there for me... because I almost always fall going down the steps. And falling into the rose bush infront the steps would not be a good thing.
I VOTE NO STAIRS/STEPS!
Whisper... well so far it's 100% agreement here... what are you thinking?
CathyMarie
I'm wondering what you're thinking too, Whispered???
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