How to Plan Your Recovery

Sure, time heals all wounds, but that's not what you want to hear when you're laid up in bed. Listen carefully to all instructions from your doctor before the surgery. Now is also the time to ask for help from family and friends.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Consult your doctor about the best remedies and roads to recovery specific to your situation.
2. Secure all proper medications after a minor surgery. If you share a bed, convince your bedmate that it's a good idea for you to have the bed to yourself while you recover. Keep refreshments stored by the bed, and consider hiring a caretaker if you don't have someone to wait on you.
3. For major surgery, secure all pain medication. It's likely to be much stronger than minor-surgery medicine. You won't be able to drive, and side effects are likely to include drowsiness and constipation. Consult with you doctor about storing some of your own blood or the blood from a designated donor in advance of an elective surgery. Consider the surgical nurse and what role you'd like her to play beyond the minimum. She'll be carrying you though pre-op to recovery, so treat her well--like family. At home, look into renting a hospital bed, if necessary. Otherwise, it's a good idea to sleep alone. You might also want to invest in a walker or wheelchair depending on your situation.