At the end of December 2018, I was told that I had a tumor on my pinky finger that needed to be removed. I have had this knot for several years thinking it was some type of weird cyst. It didn’t ever hurt but after having it so long, it seemed to be getting longer and I hated it being there. So on January 7th, 2019 I had this tumor removed but I did some prepping to make the 6 week recovery time go as smooth as possible.
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Now you should always follow the doctor’s orders but here are some other
- Get your support team in place. You need to know who will be able to help you. Think about how your surgery will affect regular everyday tasks like getting up and down, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, getting dressed or brushing your teeth. It all depends on what type of surgery you have, to what type of help you will need and who will be able to help you.
- Make a list of phone numbers. Write down all the numbers that you may need from your work (boss, HR, benefits, insurance company, etc.), your doctor’s office/ healthcare provider, emergency contacts or anyone that will be helping you during this time. Having everything in one place makes it so much easier for you or anyone you have authorized to act on your behalf.
- Get all your medical supplies that you need. If your doctor didn’t give you a list, ask for one. This will help you be better prepared. The list I was given, prior to my surgery by my doctor, included things like getting my prescription filled, peroxide and bandages.
- Get all your clothes washed. Not only will this make you feel better about having the laundry done, it allows you to pick out outfits that are easy to get on and off. For me, I picked out all my stretchy pants because they are the easiest to pull up and down.
- Clean your house. This too will make you feel better before you go because you may be restricted from doing certain activities for awhile. With the counters clean, you can place things out that you will need on a regular basis for easy access. If need be, buy one of those extension
grabbers to make it easier to reach the things you need.
- Decide on entertainment. If you are going to be down and out, what
are you going to do to keep from getting cabin fever? Of course,there is the option of watching TV and social media but you can do so much of that before it becomes boring. I used books, puzzles, journaling (once I could write again), magazines, podcasts and free online courses to expand my knowledge. Not only did this keep me entertained, it kept my mind occupied.only
- Make a meal plan and buy groceries. Make sure you consult with your doctor ahead of time to see if you will be on any type of special, restricted diet after your surgery. Once you know this, you can make a meal plan for at least one week and buy what you need prior to your surgery. If someone is cooking for you, this will make it so much easier on them too.
- On the day before your surgery, shave. Shave all the places that need to be shaved because you don’t know exactly when you will be able to shave them again. I know my husband would’ve helped me shave after the surgery but by shaving the day before, I knew I wasn’t going to look like Chewbacca before I would be able to shave again.
- On the day of surgery, if you have longer hair, braid it or pull it up. This will keep it from getting knots and it makes it so much easier to deal with. Make sure you don’t use any metal clips or bows because you will have to remove them before the surgery. The nurses that watched over me after my surgery told me what a great idea it was to braid my hair.
If you have other any other ideas that would help someone prepare for surgery, leave your idea in the comment section below. If you haven’t signed up for my weekly email, please sign up on the home page and as always have a blessed day!
