Is someone in your family considering liposuction? Here are a few tips and suggestions to help you help your liposuction patient through the recovery process.
While not generally considered a major surgery,
liposuction still requires a good amount of care and attention in order to properly recover. If you have been assigned the task of caring for someone who has had the procedure, you have a grand opportunity to help relieve his or her anxiety while hastening his or her overall recovery period. In this article, we will provide you with a few suggestions and tips to help you help them.
1 – Offer to transport the patient to and from the surgery. Although they will likely be more than capable of driving to the facility on their own, the patient will probably be concerning themselves with the upcoming procedure and therefore, unfocused on the physical road in front of them. Additionally, you can help to ease their nerves by discussing their feelings and showing your support. Everybody likes to see a smiling face when waking up from medical procedure. Bring a book and wait it out until your patient is deemed ready to move on home to the couch.
2 – Your patient will need someone to supervise them throughout the initial recovery period. Simple tasks such as getting up to the bathroom or making a meal can be difficult due to the amount on pain and discomfort they are feeling. If you are able, grab a blanket and a few movies, keeping close watch for any small way in which you can help make their recovery easier.
3 – Keep track of the pain medication and follow the recommended dosage instructions. Set an alarm on your phone or watch and make sure to have your patient take their medication on the schedule specified.
4 – Keep a fresh glass of cold water with one of those fun bendy straws nearby for easy access. It’s easy to become dehydrated during the initial recovery, and this will also make it easier to get medications down when needed. Avoid sugary fluids such as dark colas or mixed coffee drinks.
5 – Take care to help your patient in and out of their compression garments. While most of these items come with hooks and zippers, the patient may be feeling weak, and may require assistance.
6 – During the initial recovery, drainage is a common occurrence. You may be required to change the bed sheets if they become damp from the drainage fluids. Be sure to check the bedding once or twice per day to ensure your patient is comfortable and dry.
7 – Lend a hand with the household chores. Patients should refrain from any heavy lifting, such as laundry or taking out the garbage. If the home requires cleaning, take the time to tidy up while watching a movie.
8 – While your patient will likely sleep quite a bit, it’s important to keep their mind off of the liposuction while they are awake. Keep the conversation rolling, stock up on the movie rentals or read books aloud.
Though it may be time consuming and dull, the gesture to care for someone who is recovering from a liposuction procedure will never go unappreciated. Consider how you might feel in their shoes and be the friend they deserve.
