Self Care After Cancer Surgery

It’s important to take special care of youself after surgery, here are a few simple things you can do to recover and regain a sense of normalcy

Once a cancer patient is released from the hospital after cancer surgery, their recovery is essentially now in their own hands. Healing is as much a mental process as it is physical so it’s important to prepare your body, mind and house for rest and relaxation. Below we will go over some surgery self-care and healing practices that will help alleviate worry or discomfort during recovery from cancer surgery. The more energy and awareness a cancer patient brings into their healing process, the faster and more efficiently the cancer surgery recovery can take place.

Preparing Your Home for Rest and Recovery

The body heals best when it’s comfortable and free from stress, so it’s important to turn your house and headspace into a clean healing environment. Be sure to clean your house of clutter before surgery so there’s nothing to trip over and your mind can be at ease. Additionally, if your bed is upstairs it may be a good idea to bring it downstairs so you don’t have to worry about going up and down stairs to eat or use the bathroom. Don’t forget to keep some healthy snacks, books, games and other low energy entertainment within arms reach.

Focus on Yourself

After cancer surgery, it’s time to slow down and stop worrying about pleasing or taking care of others. You need to fill your cup up before you can start pouring yourself into other things and people.  If there are certain activities that boost your mood such as spa time, massages, facials, nail care, hair cuts or treatment you should take care of them before surgery so that you look and feel your best during your recovery. Take care of everything necessary to clear your schedule for at least a week. Cleaning, gardening, home improvement projects, take care of it all before surgery so you don’t have to worry about any appointments or responsibilities during healing time.

Give Your Body Nutrients

When the body is healing it’s more important than ever to eat a clean healthy diet and to stay away from processed foods. Although it may be tempting to eat quick and easy fast food or frozen meals, these foods tend to contain preservatives and ingredients that can prevent your body from healing properly. Prepare some natural, nutrient-rich meals before surgery and keep them in the fridge and freezer so they’re ready to go when you get home from cancer surgery. Protein helps wounds heal faster, carbohydrates give energy and reduce fatigue, and fiber helps with constipation and the absorption of nutrients.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

With a lowered sense of energy it may be tempting to get back into routines and exercise after surgery but it’s important to give the body some calm downtime to allow it to recuperate and heal. Talk with your doctor about when it’s appropriate to ease into your activity schedule. Healing from surgery demands a lot of energy and it’s important not to overexert yourself so that you body can finish what it needs to do to. Now is the time to ask for help and allow others to take care of small tasks for you as it also helps friends and family to feel less helpless and more involved.  

Build Your Confidence

Relying on others can start to take a toll on your self confidence and sense of purpose. As you begin gaining more energy and feeling like yourself again, give yourself small tasks to rebuild your sense of independence. Focus on low energy tasks, crafts and projects that maybe you’ve been putting off because you were too busy before such as organizing your computer files, scrapbooking, or creative writing such as poetry. Achieving attainable goals brings a sense of reward and completion that helps cancer patients feel they are moving forward in the healing process. Staying busy and engaged helps keep the mind off of any physical discomfort a person may be prone to feeling after cancer surgery.

Healing With Grace and Patience

With the right mentality, recovering from surgery can be a humbling lesson of grace and patience that can enable cancer patients to grow as people. Healing takes time and time tends to pass slowly when we’re less active. Utilize the slowing of time to truly relax. Practice mindfulness and work on easing the tension of a busy mind. Gratitude is also a great way to boost morale and energy levels, look for growth and improvement in the little things every step of the way. The more a cancer patient prepares for treatment and surgery, both mentally and physically, the more efficiently the healing process can take place. Don’t forget to make time for self care after cancer surgery. There are dozens of products that Dr. Shyamali Singhal, General Surgeon, and Oncologist has compiled that are designed specifically to help the body and mind heal during cancer treatment.