Monday, March 15, 2010

What should I wear? Part 2

Today I will write about the importance of staying as healthy as possible in the lead up to surgery.

It is important to stay physically healthy, because the fitter and healthier you are the more likely you are to have a speedy and easier recovery. Personally, I try to stay fit by doing regular light exercise. Even a 10 minute walk is better than nothing, and a great idea the morning of your surgery. You don’t want to over exert yourself, or ware yourself out, but to kick start your body in the morning will help you process and eliminate the drugs from your body quicker.

When I have surgery, I normally catch the tram to the hospital, and the short walk to the tram stop is all that is normally necessary to get the heart and body going. (Note: Don’t plan on going home the same way. Always have someone pick you up.)

It is also important to eat right and drink lots of water. The body works best when it is hydrated and had a proper intake of all the daily nutrients, which will make recovery easier. This should be maintained right up until you are nil by mouth or instructed otherwise by your doctor.

When I first started having kidney stones I used to think that the longer I went without eating the better, and sometimes I would stave myself for more than a day. Until one time an admissions nurse said I should have eaten more to maintain my fluid and mineral balance. So for my next procedure I followed her instructions and I woke up feeling stronger and the feeling of nausea I used to get was not present, and now I only get nauseous if I have a long procedure. You will also find that no matter how hungry you are before surgery, afterwards you won't feel like eating much so get your intake whilst you can.

Next time I will write about knowledge. Making sure you are up to speed on all on exactly what you are about to go through is critical. Until then, stay wellJ

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