Undergoing a surgery is no small thing — and doctors perform between 40 million and 50 million surgeries each year in the United States, so you’re definitely in good company.
While your surgeon has you covered on the medical side of things, there are plenty of steps that you can take to make the journey go more smoothly. You can even potentially improve your outcome and recovery.
In this month’s blog, the experienced team of general surgeons at Rockwall Surgical Specialists — in Rockwall, Rowlett, Greenville, Terrell, and Forney, Texas — outline these steps to help you get ready for your upcoming surgery.
Because we perform a wide range of surgeries, from hernia repairs to colon surgery, we can confidently present best practices for improving your surgical journey through advanced preparations. Let’s take a look.
Think of your surgery prep as a boot camp for boosting your health. Whether your upcoming surgery is in two weeks or two months, any steps that you take now to improve your health ahead of time are very much worth your while, including efforts to:
Taking these steps now can give your health a little boost, which helps your body better navigate the surgery and recovery afterward. Plus, they help you set the stage for healthier living after your procedure.
We provide all patients with presurgical instructions that may include everything from which medications to take or avoid to whether you need a pre-op check-up with your primary care provider. They also outline when to stop eating and drinking before your surgery.
These instructions are designed with your safety and health in mind, so please follow them carefully.
If you know that you’re going to incapacitated for a little while after your surgery, get everything at home ready ahead of time. Prepare your recovery station, cook meals in advance, and get your bathroom set up for bathing — for example, you might need a shower chair or grab bars for stability.
Review a typical day around your house, and figure out where you might run into some issues after your surgery. When you realize what you might need, you can resolve those issues in advance.
You should bathe on the day of your surgery, but please avoid putting on makeup, lotions, and other products. Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes, and leave your jewelry and watches at home.
If you wear contact lenses, please leave those at home, too, and wear glasses instead.
You’ll likely need some help, especially the day of surgery and during early recovery. It’s a great practice to have your help lined up in advance so you’ve covered all of the bases and you can just concentrate on healing.
You’ll also need to arrange for someone to drive you to and from the hospital, so make sure that’s in place, too.
If you have additional questions about preparing for a specific surgery, we’re happy to go over them with you. To get in touch with a team member, please call us at 972-412-7700 or connect with us online.
