Recovering from surgery can be difficult, and it can be hard to devote time to your recovery and not rush back into everyday life. It can take a long time, as explained by Weiss & Paarz, with a simply appendectomy taking up to a month and a spinal surgery taking up to six months. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make sure that your recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
Accept Help When It's Offered
Family and friends will probably want to help you after your surgery, and although accepting and asking for help can be difficult, having a little assistance can really help your recovery. Think about what would be helpful and what you need. For example, you might want help with household tasks, especially physically demanding ones like vacuuming or with cooking and making food. Maybe you need someone to walk the dog, clean the cat's litter tray or pick up the kids from school. If people ask you what they can do to help, don't be afraid to suggest things — if they didn't want to help, they wouldn't have asked.
Eat A Healthy, Nourishing Diet
Eating a healthy diet= is an essential part of your recovery as food makes such a difference to your everyday health. Very Well Health explains what you should be eating after surgery and that you should focus on getting enough lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables and high-fibre foods. Some of these help your body to heal by giving you the nutrients you need, while some help to prevent constipation, which is often an unintended consequence of surgery. If you aren't sure what to eat, you can ask your doctor for advice and, as mentioned above, don't be afraid to ask for help with cooking.
Listen To Your Doctor's Advice
Your doctor will be able to give you the best advice on how to recover and when you will be able to resume certain activities. It's very important to take this advice and not rush into doing things too soon. For example, as the NHS explains, you will not be able to drive immediately following your surgery, and the type of surgery determines how soon it will be safe to drive. They will also be able to let you know what you need to do about changing your dressings and about any checkups you will need to attend. Finally, they can give you practical advice about your recovery, such as advice about diet and safe exercise. If you don't follow their advice, it will make your recovery more difficult.
By taking care of your body with nutritious food as well as taking all the personal and professional help that's offered, you can make sure your recovery from a surgery goes as smoothly as possible.
Share