When you're diagnosed with cancer, most likely you will receive some kind of surgery. Usually, your physician has a list of care instructions for you to prepare before surgery.
What about after-surgery preparations? When you return home it can really make you feel better if you are well prepared. You'll thank yourself for the steps you take beforehand while you're recuperating.
Seven ways to prepare for after surgery:
- Take care of any pressing issues so you won't have to deal with them when you come home from the hospital. For example, pay bills that are due. You also might want to pay some bills that are due at a later date, or just get them ready to mail out.
- Go to the grocery store and stock up on food. Hopefully someone will be catering to your every need but its always good to have a plan B.
- Get prescriptions filled ahead of time that will be needed after surgery. Sometimes you only get the prescriptions after the surgery is over, but you can ask you doctor to give you what you need ahead of time. You don't want to be waiting in line for your drugs when you're in pain and just out of the hospital.
- Treat yourself to some special things that you like. Examples: Aromatherapy candles, soothing music or videotapes/DVD's to watch.
- If you like to read, buy some books to give you something to do when you're less active. If you have another hobby that you enjoy, stock up on that too.
- Catch up on household chores so you won't feel stressed out and can relax when you return home.
- Accept help that others offer. Plan to rest as you need and don't push yourself.
Preparing for what is ahead when diagnosed with cancer is overwhelming because it is at a time when you will feel scared, helpless, and overwhelmed. The first step to preparation for what is ahead is building that trusting relationship with your doctor. No question is a dumb question so don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about the concerns you have and what is on your mind. Write down your questions ahead of time so when you are with your doctor you can remember to go over everything while you have your appointment. You may even want to ask your doctor if you can take notes or bring a tape recorder with you during your appointments. You will have a lot of information to go over and at a time when your mental clarity may be pushed due to trauma, so writing down questions or concerns in advance as you think of them will help you stay focused and being able to have a reference list after your appointments with answers is the best way to remember the important details. I also suggest building a relationship with your local health food store manager or staff as they can help guide you on healthy diets and extra nutrients that you will need to add to your diet. Be sure to discuss any supplements you are considering taking with your doctor.
I'm not much of a cook -- I don't like to cook, I don't cook well, and I am never really enticed to spend any amount of time in the kitchen preparing food. So my husband picks up my slack much of the time. Tonight he made turkey meatballs with rice and green peppers -- and some other veggie side dishes too -- and he cooks pasta and grills chicken and can successfully feed our family of four without hesitation or frustration. For me, cooking, hesitation, and frustration all roll into one. And that's why I avoid anything of the culinary persuasion and thank my lucky stars for a husband who doesn't mind cooking endeavors. But sometimes, I am forced to enter the kitchen -- I have two growing boys who need to eat, after all, and I am the one mostly at home catering to their every need. So I do okay -- I try to maintain a healthily family menu and I can handle the basics and no one is really complaining so I guess I'm holding my own. But I'd like to find more pleasure in cooking -- and more variety and more creativity too. Perhaps free weekly recipes sent to my e-mail inbox would be a push in the right direction. 
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