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I am recovering from my angioplasty and stent placement earlier this week. I was drugged up pretty much while I was in the hospital so I did not know what was really happening with my own body. And then there was the hospital staff who took care of me pretty good. I was discharged the very next day. Than began my ordeals in handling the simplest things as picking myself up from the bed. As the procedure entrance site was the right femoral artery there was swelling, bruising and pain. Despite my son's help cooking, cleaning and helping me out with getting into bed or getting medicine, there were other things I had to do by myself like brushing my teeth, using the bathroom and showering.
When a person goes through a major procedure like mine they tend to depend on family and friends to help them recover for a few days. I believe in getting up and moving around as soon as I can so that the recovery will be faster. As we lie down and let others do everything for us, we tend to become lazy, since we don't move a muscle our body takes its own time to become active, with that we tend to feel more sick, infections are waiting to happen because of inactivity and not to mention we depend on others for the smallest things for a longer time. By doing simple things by ourselves we are active. The sleeping medicines wear out faster so our mind is alert. We don't depend on others so we get our confidence back to handle things better. We recover faster so we are able to get back to routine faster. Our body becomes healthier soon so we won't become sick. Overall we feel better physically and mentally.
There are however some facts to keep in mind while we are going through the recovery process. Even though we are trying to become independent and healthy faster, we need to watch out for some draw backs for being eager to get in the fast track. Listening to our body is the most important thing to do. We should not over do it and hurt ourselves, there are limitations for every procedure that we go through. For example, if we had a broken arm that is fixed we might not want to raise it too many times or hold weights for a few days. If we went through a hysterectomy, we might want to take it easy on bending, lifting, walking too fast as not to hurt it. If it is a procedure like mine, then rest in between getting up and walking and doing small things like getting a glass of water, fixing cereal, taking medicines and brushing teeth. Do not try to bend down to lift the dog or the vacuum cleaner. Do not get up fast from a sitting position, take the time to get up on the side of the bed.
Try to take all the medicines that you are prescribed. Do not over eat for a few days as it does affect how the tummy holds the food inside. Do not take any alcohol, caffeine or spicy food that might aggravate stomach ulcers. The stomach lining becomes very sensitive with all the drugs that are put into us so be gentle on the stomach. Try to drink plenty of water in order to flush out the medicines that are given during the procedure and post. Drinking water helps move the bowels properly that are dormant since our bed rest. It also helps get rid of any gas from the system so we feel lighter and better to walk or be active. I personally do not eat salads for a few days just because they make me bloated. Try not to overdo the activities and take rest in between while trying to stay active.
Keeping ourselves entertained is also a big part of the whole process. Many people try to read books and end up with headaches. Reading too much not only strains the eyes but also makes our mind tired. Taking a break and reading a small amount of time will help. Watching television moderately while taking short breaks helps. Walking in fifteen minute intervals will help keep you active all day. Eating light foods like fruits, peeled carrots, cucumber, egg whites, little pieces of chicken or turkey, light cereal with skim milk, light bread or pasta every two hours will help digest food. Phone conversations with friends and family should be kept at a minimum but are a great way to kill the time. Block buster became my best friend, so I could watch movies I have been wanting to watch but with breaks. Sitting in the back yard or taking short walks in the front of the house will keep us in touch with the outside world. And last but not least using the computer is another way of keeping busy. I keep myself logged on to facebook, twitter, orkut, hotmail and yahoo at the same time. You never know who will come online to chat.
Every activity in moderation helps the recovery process be less hectic and gets us back on our feet sooner. Right now I am able to walk, take showers, get my meals, and do most of the things I mentioned and I feel lot better already. I am hoping to get out of the house to visit the nearby Barnes and Nobles pretty soon. And oh! please, do keep up with the appointment with your doctor for a followup as recommended. Post procedure recovery doesn't have to be hard on us if we do what we are supposed to do to keep fit because, OUR LIFE MATTERS.
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