What does Home Recovery Look Like?

Service Description

Before you are discharged from the hospital, your doctor and other members of the hospital staff will give you additional self-care instructions for you to follow at home – a list of “dos and don’ts,” which you will be asked to follow for the first 6 to 8 weeks of your home recovery. So, if you are unsure of any of these instructions, ask for clarification. Following these instructions is crucial to your recovery. Nowadays, surgery involves one or more incisions depending on the surgical approach used to perform the operation. Therefore, when you are discharged home you may still have a surgical dressing on your incision(s). Either a nurse will visit your home to change the dressing or a caregiver, such as one of your family members, will be taught to do it for you. It is important that the dressing be changed daily and kept dry. If any signs of infection are observed while changing the dressing, call your doctor. These signs include: - Fever – a body temperature greater than 101°F (38°C) - Drainage from the incision(s) - Opening of the incision(s), and - Redness or warmth around the incision(s). In addition, call your doctor if you experience chills, nausea/vomiting, or suffer any type of trauma (e.g., a fall, automobile accident). During this recovery period, you will also be instructed to keep your incision(s) clean, making sure only to use soap and water to cleanse the area. In general, you should not shower until your doctor has permitted you to do so. In addition to caring for your incision(s), you will also be encouraged to: - Drink plenty of fluids - Maintain a healthy diet (high in protein) - Walk or do deep-breathing exercises, and - Gradually increase your physical activity. Activities to avoid include any heavy lifting, climbing (including stairs), bending, or twisting. You should also avoid the use of skin lotion in the area of the incision(s); you need to keep this area dry until it has had the opportunity to heal well.