May not sound much but today my husband climbed 3 stairs and down again! Out of the blue I just suggested we give it a try for the first time. He looked doubtful but I did my best Mrs Doyle impression ….. “go on, go on, go on.” 
luckily the banister is on the left as his right arm doesn’t work at all. I stood behind and he did step one. I said we could add a step each day but he decided to do another and a third.
Bearing in mind he is in a wheelchair mostly and uses a quadstick for short walks in the house we were very excited!
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This is amazing and heartwarming at the same time, congratulations to you both on this achievement for you both. Maybe it seems like a few wee steps but felt like a marathon, wishing you as the coach and your husband all the very best. Never give up hope.
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That is amazing Mrs. Doyle 
Well done and keep going. Just doing a little each day goes a long way.
Do keep us posted.
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Brilliant, and steps are not easy either. Well done to you both, did coach Doyle then go fix a cuppa?
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Talk with an OT you could get a banister rail for each side.
That will improve safety both up and down.
Well done to both of you. That is a great achievement.
I’m in my fourth year post stroke and have been through the climbing stairs thing myself. After using two banister rails for a while there was a noticeable improvement to my disabled right arm as well.
Keep on keepin on
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This is amazing, a really great achievement!
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Brilliant achievement, well done both of you 
. Hopefully this will the first of many great achievements to come.
Keep on Keeping on
Regards Sue
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Wonderful news. I agree that you should ask for a handrail. I wasn’t allowed home until one was fitted!
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Fantastic @Trisha2 that’s not a small achievement at all. Well done to your husband for giving it a go & to youn for supporting him.
I agree about getting a rail fitted both sides as this will make coming down staira forwards much easier.
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Excellent reminder about the handrail
@Trisha2- Bobbi is right and you should get in touch with the OT to discuss the needs and also get reviews done when improvements happen as there are things that can be done to further improve and aid “promoting independence”. The handrail would be a good start, but also think of other things you do that could benefit from what may appear to be small tweaks but could be hugely beneficial to your husband.
Keep going
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Well done and steps can be a real challenge. We arranged for a local carpenter to fix an extra hand rail before I left hospital and I assure you it gives you a great deal of confidence especially coming down stairs. Keep up the good work. Bob3
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I love a good celebration and that one is well worth it
Stairs are our second biggest challenge, walking being the first. It’s a huge accomplishment, I know because I’ve had to do three times in the past ten years. And coming down is the worst part 
But it’s also a the best place to strengthen the legs. People even pay good money to climb stairs at the gyms or buy them for at home 
A little but important thing about our stroke brain is to never settle and just accept our current limits. You need to frequently test your limits because what you can’t do today, you may very well be able to do next week, next month or next year even. You have to remember or be reminded to keep on testing your limits, because we all have such poor memory now🙄 And you will never know otherwise so don’t become complacent😉 And here endeth the sermon😄 Onwards and upwards🥳
Lorraine
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This is fantastic news! You must feel so proud of him and his achievement.
Baby steps and onward is what I say to my husband and myself too!
As it with your love and support and encouragement that helps him through each step he takes. Well done keep going.
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This is wonderful to read! Gives hope to the rest of us. Thank you for sharing. My husband is still at the quad stick/pivot stage. You must both be thrilled xxxx
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@Trisha2 your post has brought back so many memories. I remember clearly getting up and down the 3 step staircase at rehab for the first time. As a lifelong carpenter, i was less than impressed with its construction. Nevertheless, 4 years later and stairs still require my full attention. However, they rarely pohibit me from getting somewhere if I really want to get there. You have great reason to celebrate.
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Thanks. He cannot use his right arm/hand at all so I don’t think an extra banister would help.
It’s very slow getting up each step but I stand behind him.
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I insist that you get an OT to come and have a look at the situation.
They have know how, experience and can provide all sorts of assistance.
I came home from hospital bed bound unable to stand , walk or do anything with my right side. Arm, foot, hand, leg were paralysed.
Over three years I have progressed slowly, slowly to a much improved state. Some of this was due to my own efforts but I also received help.
Sometimes it seemed progress was impossible, difficulties were too great to overcome. There have been ups and downs but I am progressing and I am sure you and your husband have better days ahead of you.
Hands and arms can begin to work again. You are doing well and will get ahead with this.
best wishes and
keep on keepin on
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But he’ll need the bannister in place for the day he does. Otherwise you are just going to hold up progress. And bannisters have also have their uses in other ways. His brain needs the repetatiness of triggers to jog the memory and to start sending signals down the arm for that action. Stroke is about reawakening the brain, retraining, building new pathways for signalling to the arm/hand/leg/foot/or whatever. So if a bannister is not their, he never going to deveope a natural instinct to reach for one or trigger the muscle for using one.
You do the same thing with cups or pens or books or clothes. All these things have triggers, to jog the memory to get that signalling system working again or to develope new pathways for it to perform these tasks. And To touch and to feel are the very first part of memory for the action of using the bannister or holding a cup or eating a biscuit or putting a coat on.
He’s never going to reach for a bannister that isn’t there. And it would also benefit you too! You are doing a lot more for your husband now. You get tired and weary, so that added safety of an additional rail will reduces the risk of any accidents on the stairs for you. In my book that makes it no brainer really😉
Lorraine
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@Trisha2 , both @Bobbi and @EmeraldEyes speak wisely.
I agree with both of them and really would recommend (I cannot be as passionate as Bobbi ) that you get the banister put in.
The OT visit / assessment will help, but the banister is needed for now and for future. By having it installed now, your husband is getting both support and encouragement to push himself.
The banister will help psychologically - if it’s there your husband will see it and use it.
Take care.
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With only one hand there is a need for a banister on one side going up and another on the other side when coming down.
It does all fit together.
An OT can also supply perching stools, walking frames and grab rails along with very relevant advice.
Best wishes to you both.
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