About This Blog:
- After spine surgery, the last thing you’ll want to do is come home to a messy, potentially hazardous living environment.
- You may want to consider making a few modifications to your home before your spine surgery to ensure a safe return home and recovery.
- In this blog, Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine provides patients with tips for modifying their home for a safe post-procedural environment.
There are a number of things you can do to ensure a smooth, post-surgical recovery. One of the most notable things includes making modifications to your home environment. Not cleaning or preparing your home before having spine surgery can make your recovery that much more difficult, and don’t just take it from us!
Many of our patients have described their post-operative experiences with us as pleasant and exceptional. After returning home, some of their feelings change. This is largely due to the messy and uncoordinated living environment they’re being forced to heal in because they didn’t make the necessary pre-operative preparations.
Fortunately, Dr. Mark Giovanini recognizes many of his patients who are having spine surgery for the first time may not consider these life-tips before or during the process. Therefore, he likes to provide patients with some suggestions to help them better understand what the recovery process might look like for them. Below are some modifications to your home you may want to consider before undergoing surgery:
1. Arrange For Someone To Care For You
It’s dangerous to try to heal on your own after surgery, and quite frankly, we strongly advise against it. If you live alone, please have a family member or friend take care of you during the first few days and weeks into your recovery. If no one is available, talk to Dr. Mark Giovanini about coordinating home health care services during vulnerable parts of your recovery.
2. Place Highly-Used Items Within Reach
This is incredibly important because you will likely have very limited mobility and range of motion during your recovery. Keep toiletry items, kitchen utensils, and disposable cutlery available in easy-to-reach areas to ensure you are not bending or lifting more than you should.
3. Re-Arrange Furniture To Avoid Falls
Regardless of how big or small your living quarters are, you’ll want to take some time to re-arrange furniture that may eventually pose a threat to your health. Also, if you live in a two-story house or building, consider staying with a friend who has a single-story house, or think about moving your bed downstairs in a living room area to avoid having to go up flights of stairs.
4. Prepare Your Meals Ahead Of Time
This may sound ridiculous, but prepping your meals before surgery and freezing them can save you a bunch of time, money, and pain. You should make meals in bulk and section them off into individual containers to eat as individuals meals.
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.