Y’all, I had major surgery on my knee a few years ago. I was playing tag with my kids in the backyard and tweaked something in my leg. I thought it would go away, but the pain only got worse as hours passed by. That night, I went to the doctor and found out I had torn my meniscus. The physician booked the surgery for a few weeks later, and before you know it, I was on bed rest. The time after my surgery was extremely difficult for me. I tried desperately to get back to my normal life, but I knew I had to let my body rest. I thought of a few self-care tips for after surgery while I was stuck in bed. I hope they help you recover quickly.
Take All Your Medications
You must take all your medications after surgery. Please, follow the doctor’s instructions to the letter. Don’t skip doses because you feel better or don’t feel like doing it. The only way your body will fully recover is if you take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Trust me, I know a lot of medications have nasty side effects that no one wants to deal with. The meds I was on post-surgery had me running in and out of the bathroom all day. However, I still took every pill because I knew it was the only way my knee would get better. Sure, things weren’t awesome in the short-term, but my body benefitted in the long-run.
Seek Support
I can’t stress this point enough. Please, seek support if you struggle after you have surgery. It was so hard for me to accept that my life would be different after I recovered. I wanted to get back into my routine, but I couldn’t. My husband was extremely helpful, but he couldn’t truly understand what I was going through. So, like lots of moms these days, I took to the Internet for guidance. I joined online forums full of people facing similar issues. If the Internet isn’t your thing, try doing things in person. For example, if you’re recovering from something more serious, like a mastectomy, tons of breast cancer support groups out there allow you to interact with people who are going through the same thing. The point is, it’s important to remember you aren’t alone in the recovery process. Please, seek support when you need it.
Be Patient with Yourself
Y’all, this was a tough lesson I had to learn post-surgery. I got so frustrated with myself when it took me forever to do the simplest things. I was so mean to myself and constantly questioning why I wasn’t recovering quicker. Once, a few weeks after my operation, I decided I was tired of laying in bed all day. After my husband and kids had left for the day, I tried to take my dog on a walk. I made it about fifty feet from my house before I fell and did even more damage to my knee. Please, don’t repeat my mistakes. Be patient and kind to yourself. Start by doing a little more activity every day. Gradually build things up, rather than push yourself to the limit. I promise this is the best self-care tip for after surgery that I can give you. There’s no need to rush back into things.
