If you have an out-patient surgery or are released from the hospital to home care, consider these ideas to create a clean, healing and peaceful space. Of course, not all steps might be possible or will be relevant to your specific surgery.
Clean
Before undergoing surgery, it's important to prepare your home for your recovery period. One of the best things you can do is give your entire house a thorough cleaning. Not only will this help you feel more comfortable and relaxed in your space, but it can also help to lower your stress levels by reducing the risk of secondary infections or illnesses.
Make sure to clean out your refrigerator and pantry, discarding any expired or spoiled food items. Stock up on fresh, healthy foods that will aid in your recovery, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. It's also a good idea to enlist the help of a cleaning service if you'll be recovering for an extended period of time. This can help to ease the burden on your caregivers and ensure that your home stays clean and comfortable throughout your recovery.
Remember, taking the time to prepare your home for your recovery can make a big difference in your overall experience. By creating a clean, comfortable space, you can focus on what's most important - your health and well-being. So take the time to clean and prepare your home before your surgery, and make your recovery period as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Natural Light
If your surgery is on your eyes, follow all doctor’s instructions regarding light and dark.
For surgeries not on the eyes: After surgery, your body will need a lot of rest and healing time. It is completely normal to feel very tired and want to spend most of your time in a dark and cool room. This is because your body is focusing all its energy on healing and shutting out any outside distractions.
However, as your body starts to feel better, it's important to add in some natural light. You can start by opening window shades or sitting outside in the garden for a little while each day. Natural light on your eyes and skin can be a real mood booster and help you connect back with the rhythms of the world.
It's easy to forget that you have been in bed for multiple days with artificial lights on, not seeing much sunlight. Connecting with natural light has been linked to lower levels of depression, faster healing, and feeling more like yourself again. So, make sure to take some time each day to get outside and soak up some natural light. Your body and mind will thank you for it!
Sounds
For surgeries other than the ears: Your body will want to focus on your trauma site, so sounds might be annoying to downright painful. If possible, start your recovery in a quiet area. It is OK to need things to be quiet for a few weeks. Normal life sounds might feel overwhelming, and that is very normal. Your body is trying to keep you safe while it focuses on your surgical site, so sounds you were used to are now too much and signal potential danger. The beep of the microwave might start a headache or the sounds of your kids playing might be too much. This condition does not last forever, and you will return to ‘normal’ when your body is ready.
For surgeries around or including the ears: Your body is also trying to focus on your surgical site, but you may have many more limits on what volume of sound is good for you.
Safety
No matter what kind of surgery you have undergone, it is important to take extra care while recovering to avoid falls. After surgery, you may feel dizzy or lightheaded due to anesthesia or being confined to bed for hours. Additionally, adjusting to a sling or cast can make you more susceptible to falls, which can be painful and slow down the healing process.
To prevent falls, it is recommended that you practice moving around with your movement limitations.
You may want to practice getting in and out of the bathtub, putting on clothes, or carrying things. This can help you get used to your new limitations and prevent accidents.
Before your surgery, make sure you have clear pathways through the rooms and hallways you use most. Remove any obstacles that may cause you to trip or fall. You may want to roll up and store rugs for a few weeks and move furniture to accommodate walking aids.
While at home, wear flat shoes, slippers or grippy socks to help you maintain your balance.
It is also a good idea to put nightlights along your path to the bathroom to help you see where you are going, especially if you need to get up in the middle of the night.
Equipment
After some types of surgery, you'll need to get special gear at home.
Plan ahead if your doctor tells you that you need crutches, elevated toilets, shower seats, supplies to care for your cut, or other items.
Get in touch with your insurance company to see if they're part of your coverage.
Get Creative
For comfort and for autonomy, brainstorm ways that make your life easier and more comfortable. Imagine your recovery bed is an island and place items around you to help you do things for yourself. Here are some of my favorites:
Humidifiers and fans in the room for air control. Breathing through your mouth can make it very dry and uncomfortable after certain surgeries. Some models can even be controlled via smartphone, so no getting up to turn off and on!
Snack food on my nightstand always nearby to eat before taking opioid pain medication. Most opioids must be taken with food, and staying on schedule is important for pain management. Having enough snacks meant I could take my medication on time, even in the middle of the night, and not wait on someone to bring me something. It also means you do not have to take risks like getting out of bed an hobbling to the kitchen for something to eat, where you could fall, strain, trip, etc.
An electric kettle or simple coffee machine bedside to make hot drinks. I am a tea drinker so an assortment of teas, a carafe of water and insulated mug to keep things hot meant I could make this for myself whenever I wanted.
A cooler for cold drinks, food (and extra ice packs for your surgery site if you need those!). If you are on bed rest, getting to the kitchen will not be an option. Bring part of the kitchen to you! The first day my husband went back to work, I forgot to arrange a lunch for myself. I was hungry, stressed, nauseous from my meds, and felt vulnerable. Now I have enough food in the cooler or on my nightstand to make it the entire day.
Pillows. I liked the long king sized pillows (which I don’t normally use) to prop up my leg and the wedge pillow behind my back when I wanted to sit up. Check your own pillows to see if they are good for hours of sitting up in bed. They are likely not meant to support you sitting up as they are meant for sleeping. Your surgery might have special requirements for your sitting up and may require more equipment, such as a spinal surgery.
Of course, entertainment like iPads, TVs, smart phones, books, puzzles, magazines, knitting/crocheting, etc.
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