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Preparing For Surgery
LDSF Canada Pre-Surgery Prep for Patients and Parents
Jump to:
- Home, Hospital & Travel Set Up
- Work & Finances
- Communication
- Questions & Info Preparation
- Physical & Mental Health
Home, Hospital & Travel Set Up
Post-Surgery Setting (Back at Home)
- Consider any special equipment that might be necessary for post-surgery recovery (things like a cane, a chair for the shower, a hospital bed, etc)
- Will you have any medical help available during recovery (for things like changing dressings) or will that be taken care of by yourself?
- Can the patient complete physical tasks, such as climbing stairs, after surgery?
- Where will the patient spend time after their surgery when they are home? In the TV room? Is there a comfortable chair set up?
- Stress - should try to keep it to a minimum as much as possible in the home environment
- Tidy up before surgery and create a clean environment for the patient and family members
Travel
- If surgery will take place away from home, think through travel arrangements for before and after surgery
Hospital Stay
- Plan out a schedule beforehand of who will sleep at the hospital and when
- Figure out who can bring you meals at the hospital
Child Care
- Organize child care for siblings
Meals
- Arrange for family and friends to bring food to the house after discharge from the hospital
Work & Finances
Workplace
- Arrange time off and tie up loose ends at the office
Financial
- Pay all bills in advance of surgery to free your mind for post-surgery recovery
Communication
Communication
- Hold a family meeting to discuss what's coming up and how everyone can positively impact recovery. Assign roles and responsibilities in helping out
Questions & Info Preparation
Info Review
- Review materials provided by surgeon before the pre-surgery meeting
- Prepare a list of questions for the surgical team
Physical & Mental Health
Nutrition
- Consider better nutritional practices to improve health - either to gain or lose weight as necessary
Exercise
- Consider better exercise programs to improve health - this will help strengthen your body and help with post-op recovery
Mental Health
- Consider seeing a mental health professional in advance to discuss coping strategies, such as a psychologist
Pain Management Strategy
- Work with the surgical team before surgery to determine what is available to you and what the alternatives are if the initial strategy does not work well
Constipation
- Ensure you have a prescription to deal with constipation (such as Colace)
Miscellaneous
- Consider skin treatments for back surgery if you have acne