Preparing a Recovery Area
When patients meet with Dr. Patricia Berbari at her Gatineau, QC plastic surgery centre, they’ll find that she pays close attention to all phases of a surgery. That means surgical planning, the procedure itself, and patient recovery. This is especially important for major surgical procedures, such as body contouring and sculpting surgery to tighten and trim your figure.
Good recovery means proper planning and preparation before the day of surgery. By preparing your home for your surgical recovery, you’ll have an opportunity to focus on rest and your wellness. There will be less stress and a better overall opportunity to get the most out of healing. The team at Centre Chirurgical De La Capitale would like to share some tips on preparing your home and living space for your surgical recovery.
Stock Up on Groceries
Before the day of your surgery, be sure to stock up on groceries so you have something ready to eat as you are healing. Consider pre-made meals and prepared foods that are simple to ingest. Having these foods at the ready will allow you to be nourished and recover fully.
Purchase Medical Supplies and Fill Prescriptions
In addition to groceries, be sure to purchase any necessary medical supplies and to fill prescriptions for pain medications. Having gauze, bandages, and surgical compression garments at the ready will avoid the need to run additional errands after surgery; and having your pain medication set when you get home means you can begin taking it as needed once the sedation and local anesthetic wear off.
Clean Up, Do Laundry, and Wash Linens
We keep our Gatineau surgical suite sanitary and sterile to prevent infection. The same should be true of your home for recovery. Be sure to clean around your room and any other parts of the home you’ll spend a lot of time in as you heal. Doing laundry means you’ll have clean sheets as you rest in bed, and lots of clean, loose-fitting clothes as well.
Pillows and Other Comfort Items as You Rest
When resting after surgery, you will usually be told to prop up your body with pillows so you are not flat on your back. Be sure to have some soft pillows and any other comfort items that will make your time in bed easier for you to tolerate.
Have Entertainment Ready
Just because you’re recovering from surgery doesn’t mean you have to be sleeping all day. You can set aside a book, have some podcasts downloaded, or add some shows and movies to your watch list so you can enjoy yourself as much as possible while resting.
Have a Loved One with You as You Heal
It’s important that plastic surgery patients arrange for a loved one to be present as they are healing. This will offer emotional support during the early days when side effects are most pronounced. Your loved one can also assist you with fetching meals, making sure you’re hydrated, making sure you can make it to the bathroom, and performing necessary tasks around the home.
Discuss Further Pre-op Advice with Our Team
As we noted above, we focus on all aspects of plastic surgery at our Gatineau practice. We can discuss these matters in more detail at Centre Chirurgical De La Capitale. Be sure to contact a skilled cosmetic plastic surgeon for additional information. You can reach us by phone at (819) 243-7667.
