Friends are the people you choose to care about. They include people with shared interests and those you enjoy spending time with. Most people share their hopes, fears, and needs with their friends.
There are tens of millions of surgeries performed in the United States each year. Although multiple surgeries occur every day, your friend who needs surgery may be anxious or scared. Even if your friend has a positive outlook, they must prepare for the surgery and go through a recovery period after surgery. They may need assistance for several days or weeks after their surgery. Let’s look at ways you can help your friend who’s facing surgery.
Promote Positive Thinking
A positive outlook can reduce pain after surgery and expedite your friend’s recovery. Consequently, maintaining a positive attitude and promoting positive thinking is an excellent way to help your friend prepare for surgery. This could involve researching statistics and patient outcomes so you can provide anecdotal evidence to allay their fears.
Encourage your friend to think about how their life will improve after their recovery. Suppose they were in a car accident and suffered a spinal injury, impairing their ability to walk independently. They may be encouraged by the prospect of regaining independence and engaging in activities they enjoy, such as hiking or dancing.
Take your friend to physical therapy (PT) appointments. Physical therapists teach patients to manage their pain. Prehab is an excellent way to improve your friend’s condition and equip them with coping mechanisms they’ll need during their recovery period.
Create A Soothing Environment To Promote Their Recovery
Houseplants are plants kept indoors. Some of the best gift plants provide health benefits. Peace lilies, English ivy, aloe, and snake plants help people sleep by increasing oxygen levels and removing airborne toxins. Adding live plants to your friend’s bedroom can help them get the rest they need to prepare for surgery. Many people also find plants promote positive thinking. Looking after plants can alleviate stress, and the Mycobacterium vaccae bacteria found in plant soil prompts the human brain to produce serotonin. Since serotonin helps improve mood, exposure to plants can alleviate your friend’s anxiety and promote positive thinking.
You may need to modify your friend’s living environment to accommodate their post-surgery needs. Suppose your friend has a bedroom with an attached bathroom, but they may have limited mobility after surgery. You could move their bed closer to the bathroom door to make it easier for them to reach the bathroom.
Surprise your friend with items they’ll need during their recovery. A bed tray table makes it possible to eat or use a computer in bed. You could invest in a virtual assistant, such as Alexa, and connect it to your friend’s TV and lights so they can control electronic devices without moving.
Help Them With Their Practical Needs
Your friend may need to attend several medical appointments and undergo tests before their surgery. You can provide practical support by driving them to see experts offering neurosurgery and orthopedics in Wayne, NJ, enabling them to get the medical assessments required to schedule their surgery. If you’re planning to transport your friend to and from their surgery, you may even attend medical appointments with them to ensure you understand what to expect.
Help your friend pack essentials they’ll need in the hospital. Access to an e-reader or computer can help them pass the time while they recover. Set aside blocks of time and visit your friend to keep them from feeling lonely and isolated. You can also drive other friends and family members to the hospital, so your friend receives plenty of support.
Facing surgery can be stressful and frightening. You can help your friend prepare for surgery by promoting positive thinking and preparing their environment. You can also support your friend by helping them with practical needs, such as providing transportation to and from the hospital.
