Surgery is not a comfortable experience, but there are things you can put in place to streamline the experience and leave little room for last-minute panic prepping. Your plastic surgeon in Manchester has likely informed you of the necessary steps to take for your preparation, but it can be easy to forget when so much information is being thrown at you. In this blog, we will share the essential preparations to have in place at least a week before your surgery. From child care to increasing your comfort at home, take a look at the following things to have ready for a stress-free surgical experience :

Book enough time off work

Depending on what surgery you are having, you need to make sure you are booking enough time off work. Your surgeon will offer you an estimated timeline based on past patients as to when it will be safe to return to work. Keep in mind that this time scale will differ for each person, and this time frame could be shortened or extended. Regardless, you need to make sure there is enough time booked off to invest in rest and recovery. This is especially important if your job is physically demanding. For example, if you have had a breast augmentation in Manchester, you will not be permitted to do any heavy lifting for up to 6 months.

Child care

If you have children, make sure that you have childcare arrangements planned ahead of time. The time for surgery should be spent doing as little running around and picking up as possible. This also applies to driving, for if you usually drive your children to school, you will need to have another adult tasked with getting them there safely whilst you rest.

Support for yourself

You will also struggle to do basic tasks for yourself following surgery, so be sure to have a designated adult there to help you for times when you may struggle to do things alone. For example, if you have a set of stairs, you may need support getting up them after invasive surgery. This could be a partner, or simply a neighbour who can come and check on you every few hours.

Packing an overnight bag

You need to have an overnight bag ready following any invasive procedures. Your surgeon will give an estimated time in which you need to stay within the facility for monitoring, but again this time may be extended with possible complications. Pack all the things you need, including clothes, activities to keep you busy such as books, and also any snacks in case the hospital food is hard to keep down. Having a large water bottle is important as a way to keep you hydrated before and after surgery.

Have supportive sleep cushions

One of the hardest things to navigate following surgery is sleep. You will likely have some restless nights due to discomfort, but there are surgery pillows available depending on the type of surgery you have opted for. For example, if you have had any face procedures, you may consider a head pillow that prevents you from turning in the night and damaging the treated area.

Bottom line

Overall, planning ahead of time prevents any risk of things going wrong. Allow yourself the full amount of time to rest and recover, without feeling pressured to return to work too soon, and make use of support from loved ones during this fragile time.