Curative
Downtime:
Restorative Measures to Enhance the Healing
Process
*Set
aside non-essentials and make practical preparations. Organize
your life today by anticipating your needs and that of your
family's during those first post-surgery weeks.
*Plan on extended downtime. Every woman is unique in strength,
health, and resilience; accept a reasonable timeframe given
your particular level of health.
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*Factor
in pain as a partner to eventual physical wholeness. Purpose
to view pain as productive...expect it, work with it, and
understand its function in your body.
*Understand that emotions will fluctuate day-by-day, sometimes
hour-by-hour. If you've never undergone surgery before, there
is no accurate way to gauge how your body will respond to
anesthesia or to pain medications.
*Take the medication prescribed faithfully and seek special
help for ongoing struggles. Remember, the body heals most
effectively when it is not fighting against raging pain.
*Realize that lack of sleep can precipitate short-term depression-like
symptoms. If you experience weepiness, emotional highs/lows,
lack of energy, or hopelessness, consider yourself normal...for
a sleep-deprived individual.
*Cultivate a "being" rather than "doing"
mentality. Redefine purposeful activity and achievement as
the ability to rest productively...knowing that the body has
undergone tremendous stress and needs time to rejuvenate.
About
the Author:
Michele
Howe is a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly, FaithfulReader.com,
Aspiring Retail and has published over 900 articles/reviews.
She works as a manuscript critique editor for the Christian
Communicator and writes on women's health issues for the Toledo
Free Press, Monroe Journal, CBN.com, SingleMom.com, ParentSuperSite.com,
CatholicMom.com, and Radiant among other publications. Howe
has also published eight books for women including: Going
It Alone: Meeting the Challenges of Being a Single Mom ,
Prayers
for Homeschool Moms,
Prayers
for New and Expecting Moms,
Prayers
of Comfort and Strength,
Prayers
to Nourish a Woman's Heart,
Successful
Single Moms,
and Pilgrim
Prayers for Single Mothers.
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