I wanted to hopefully help others after surgery as having had complications I know how important it is to look after yourself.
So here are my tips for AFTER surgery.
1. You will be sore, be kind to yourself, only walk as much as you can bear. Then rest. Do more when you’re ready.
2. Raise the bed head, use your arms to help pull you up, not your stomach. Try getting up by putting your legs out of the bed, then push yourself up. Less stress on your abdomen means less pain.
3. Ask for help, those first two days you will find it difficult, especially if you have drains in. Even going to the bathroom could be a huge effort if you have nothing close to use to push or pull yourself up from a seater position.
4. You will be given breathing exercises, they are important to do even if you feel you aren’t doing great at them. The breathing exercises help clear your lungs after a general anaesthesia and prevent pneumonia.
5. Talk to your hospital team, tell them about any concerns, pains, problems. They can help and provide you with medications, reassurance or undertake investigations to find out what’s going on inside.
6. Follow your aftercare advice and meal advice but be aware, different surgeries give different advice. The advice you will be given is what your surgeon believes is best for you. Yes it’s a pain another few weeks on liquids or soft foods but it takes 6-8 weeks to heal internally, take the advice.
7. Don’t go to online groups for aftercare advice or concerns! Go straight to your surgery team or doctor. People have different experiences and what’s okay and normal for them, quite possibly could not be for you. So get checked out sooner rather than later.
8. Healing again, 6-8 weeks! Be kind to yourself, ask for help, cleaning can wait, rest and take little walks.
I hope this helps, personally number 7 was what I did wrong. I asked for opinions on a help group on my sickness, I was told I was doing something wrong, over eating, eating too fast, the wrong food. I wasn’t. I knew I wasn’t but in my head I convinced myself it must be me. I had bad scarring internally and needed further surgery. Please listen to yourself and no one else. Seek professional advice.
Stop Walking on Egg Shells 