People don’t often think about preparing for life after surgery. They’re usually so caught up in thinking about the actual surgery itself. Which is pretty understandable! But it’s important that you also give some thought to the post-surgery process. People often find that things change a lot more than they thought they would.
After surgery, you’re probably going to be out of action for a while. Many people find that they’re weakened, more vulnerable, and in frequent discomfort. They find it harder to move. Harder to concentrate on any given task. They may experience negative effects in their mood, even if the surgery was a complete success.
This is a guide for those who are going to have surgery in the near future, or for people who live with someone who is about to have surgery. We’re going to take a quick look at the ways in which you can prepare your home for someone who finds themselves incapacitated after surgery.
Discussing and listing needs
So what do you actually do on a day-to-day basis? Whoever is getting surgery needs to consider their needs before going into surgery. Listing out those needs and attempting to tackle them as soon as possible is critical. Let’s say that you need access to your home office to ensure you can get some work done. Is the home office actually going to be reachable? It may be best to move the items you need from the office to the bedroom, or downstairs.
Considering accessibility
You may find that moving around after surgery is harder than you thought it would be. Serious operations can leave you with difficulty of movement for a surprisingly long time. In the case of operations on the lower half of your body, you could be having trouble for months. So you need to think about the accessibility of your home. You need to keep hallways clear and ensure that rugs and wires are always out of the way. You may even need to look into bathroom pods to ensure that those facilities are always accessible.
Something to do
When you’re out of surgery, you’re probably going to be off work while you recover. And it’s important that you actually have things to do in that time! Allowing yourself to remain undistracted while you sit at home for at least a few weeks isn’t exactly the best way to go about this. You’ll end up focussing on pains and worrying unnecessarily. So whoever has had surgery should have a range of things to distract themselves with. Don’t just assume that basic television is going to be okay – it’s way too passive. It’s not exactly great for your mental health. Consider more active or thought-provoking entertainment. Video games, books, movies, and even creative activities can all help.
Assistance
Last but not least, make sure there are always contact methods available nearby. If medical assistance is needed, contact needs to be made as quick and painless as possible. You’ve also got to consider how easy it is to reach various pain medications. Someone out of surgery is definitely going to need those!