Your quest to end your spine pain doesn’t end once the surgeon closes up the final stitch, in fact, your journey is still in its infancy. In order to have a great recovery after spine surgery and get past your pain, you have to have a plan in place for how your daily life will progress once you’ve returned home after your stay in the hospital. Below, we share some tips for making a great transition from the hospital to your home after spine surgery.
Life After Surgery Begins Begins Before Surgery
In order to make the best transition to life at home after spine surgery, you have to make some preparations around the house before you go in for spine surgery. You’re going to want to focus on household tasks that may not be easy to perform once you’re back home, recovering from the trauma of surgery. Here are some examples of things you’ll want to take care of in the days leading up to surgery:
- Pick up tripping hazards, like clothes, dog toys, shoes, etc.
- Make some healthy, easy to reheat meals. It will be easy to order a pizza or eat unhealthy when you don’t want to cook after surgery, so plan ahead and make some healthy options that will be easy to reheat even after surgery.
- Collect any schoolwork, or connect with your boss to see if there is any work you can do from home if you’re worried about falling behind.
- Stock up on entertainment options, like movies, books or crossword puzzles.
- Arrange ride sharing options for your children to school, practices or other activities if you won’t be able to drive for a while after surgery.
These tips can help you be best prepared for home life after spine surgery, but they are only part of the equation. You also have to take an active role in your recovery, which we’ll talk about in the next section.
Transitioning Home After Spine Surgery
You’ve read about how to be prepared for life after spine surgery, but being prepared is only half the battle. You also have to commit to your rehab plan. Committing to your rehab plan begins by asking questions of your surgeon during your pre-surgical consultation to ensure you understand what is going to be asked of you during recovery. We’ve found that individuals who ask questions and have a good idea of the expectations we have for our patients after surgery are more likely to follow through with their rehab and see great results.
Once you have an understanding of what to expect during the recovery stage, it’s time to go to work once you’re back home after surgery. Listen to your doctor’s instructions when it comes to keeping your surgical site clean, and follow through with your daily and weekly physical therapy sessions. These sessions are going to make the difference between having a good and great recovery after surgery, so don’t sell yourself short.
Finally, if you run into any trouble during the recovery stage, don’t be afraid to reach out to your surgical team with questions. They’ll be more than happy to provide you with instructions or direction to ensure your rehabilitation stays on track.
For more tips on making a smooth transition from hospital to home, reach out to Dr. Chang today.