Any surgery can be daunting. Thankfully, knowing what to expect and how to prepare for your procedure makes it a lot easier to get through. If you are scheduled for hand surgery, it is essential to follow your surgeon’s recommendations to help you get through it as quickly as possible. These recommendations may include the following:
Pick a Convenient Time
Hand surgeries are almost never emergency-type surgeries, meaning they are scheduled in advance. Advance notice gives you plenty of time to get your calendar in order, moving appointments around and taking off work – or whatever you need to do – so you can be fully prepared and ready to spend time at home recuperating from your surgery.
Stock Up On Necessities
While you are recuperating at home, the last thing you need to worry about is taking unnecessary trips to the store for things you could have gotten in advance. Take this worry out of the equation by stocking up on things like OTC medications, toiletries and food now. Prepare meals ahead of time that can easily be heated up. Not having to go to the store or cook later is one less thing to worry about, and it will also give you more time to relax and recover.
Set-Up Support
Everyone needs help after surgery, but when you have an injured hand, even the littlest thing can be almost impossible. Have a support system in place to ensure that you are not going without your basic needs. Even more importantly, make sure this network is able to help in case of a real emergency.
Arrange for Your Pets
When recovering from hand surgery, your pets can actually be quite a burden to you. How are you going to hold Rover’s leash or open a can of food in your recovering state? Make sure the support system mentioned above includes help with your pets so they do not suffer or go neglected during your recovery.
Of course, there’s much more to hand surgery preparation and recovery than what you see here, but a few simple steps done beforehand can make a world of difference. If you need to consult a specialist about your own personal hand injuries, please contact Mid Atlantic Orthopedic Associates today!
