When you wake up in a rehabilitation ward — the very first thing you notice is how bad you actually feel. Pain, swelling, nausea, constant headaches — everything is just absolutely uncomfortable. While the doctors may give you medication to ease the pain and make sure you receive necessary medical supplies, the only thing they can’t do is speed up the time to boost your recovery. You need to do something to stay distracted from the consequences of your surgery.
What NOT To Do After a Surgery
First things first — let’s discuss the things you should avoid at all costs. These things can slow down your recovery, damage your health, and even cost you lots of money in bills later.
- Do not try to move a lot. You should stay at least two meters from your bed, especially after the first 24 hours. If you feel like you have to go to the toilet, move slowly, and do not walk for more than 10 minutes. Do not try to get up and get out of bed; it will make your pain worse.
- Do not make or take too many work-related phone calls. Getting up out of bed — especially if you are in severe pain — can take hours and even days. Taking up a lot of phone calls can make you feel like you are getting better, and then the doctors will put you back in bed. Your health is more important than your job.
- Do not distract yourself from your recovery by going to social media. The Internet and other devices may be very tempting, but they are also very bad for healing your body. It’s self-care time. If you find something scary and get your stressed mind into even more stress — it’s not going to work well. And if you find something funny and start laughing hysterically… well, your stitches won’t be happy about it.
Best Things To Do After a Surgery
Now — here’s what you actually CAN do to kill some time and boost your recovery (at least the perception of it).
- Read online about your condition;
- Read a nice, deep, thoughtful book you wanted to read for a long time;
- Watch a romantic movie;
- Meditate (and probably sleep);
- Talk to people around you. They may need it.
Read More About Your Condition
You already know why you should take care of your body, why you should eat well and exercise. But how does the condition that brought you to the surgery affect it? Try to learn more about it while there are actual medical professionals around you. They’ll definitely provide their help in case you have any questions.
Watch a Romantic Movie
No comedies and no thrillers — just something romantic and meaningful. If you have a large family that lives nearby and would like to see them soon, you could go watch a movie together. Even if your phone is the only way to watch it (which is, of course, not really good for your eyes, but still better than focusing on pain in the surgical intrusion area).
Make sure you have headphones and can balance the sound of the movie with the sounds of the ward, not to lose any important info.
Do You Want To Read A Nice Book?
Reading is also a great way to take your mind off of your condition. Yes, the books will always be there when you leave the hospital — but why not just give yourself the time and space to do it now? Let’s be honest here.
There’s not exactly a lot of romance in the hospital. Besides being there — and paying attention to your health, you just need to give yourself some free time. And if you want to spend it on books — it will be great!
Do You Ever Meditate?
Meditating is also a good way to relax and focus on your own emotions instead of the sensations of pain and numbness in your body. Once the pain subsides and you are able to pay some attention to yourself, meditation may be a good idea.
It can help you sleep, and it will be the only thing that will make you relax — even if just for an hour.
Talking To People Around You
If you’re on the recovery ward, surrounded by strangers, it may seem like a bad idea to start a conversation with them. However, many of us tend to forget one very important thing; we are all humans. We all need someone to listen to us.
A listener won’t just help you — it will also make them feel much better. Don’t insist, but try to be more open if someone tries to initiate a conversation. You both need it.
Final Word
Everyone has different opinions on what they need to do to recover faster. Some like to spend all their time in the hospital with friends and family, while others prefer going out and doing as much as possible. The truth is everyone needs to do whatever it takes to ease their pain, and spending time with loved ones is an important part of it. Whatever you choose, make sure you are doing what’s right for you.
