Urological surgery is a short procedure with a long tail—that is to say, the recovery process is more defining than the procedure itself. Recovering from such surgery can be frustrating, depressing, and full of new challenges. You can overcome these challenges and rebuild your quality of life with these three tips for recovering from urological surgery.
Re-Introduce Activity Gradually
As you recover from your procedure, you may feel one of two ways: you either want to keep as low a profile as possible by staying in bed and cutting out all physical activity, or you want to spring right back into action, throwing caution to the wind and exerting yourself as much as you can. Neither extreme is healthy. Remember that “motion is lotion,” and gradual reimplementation of physical activity is healthy. At the same time, you run the risk of aggravating injuries by trying to do too much, too soon. Be deliberate in this titration of activity. You should begin to start getting up and moving around while you’re still in the hospital, and then receive guidance for staying on your feet as you get yourself back to 100 percent.
Catheter Care
After surgery, you will most likely have an indwelling, or Foley, catheter in place. This catheter placement may be long-term or permanent and will allow you to safely excrete urine following such invasive surgery. While catheter installation does represent a simplification in some respects, you will have to perform some routine maintenance on your catheter in order to prevent bacterial buildup, which can lead to urinary tract infections. Be sure to have all the necessary supplies on hand for keeping your catheter clean and showering with it safely.
Eat and Drink Carefully
The third tip for recovering from urological surgery is to set yourself up for a successful recovery by adhering to a diet that promotes a complication-free recuperation. Trade in big meals for small snacks, stick to foods that are easy to digest, and stay well-hydrated. Avoid acidic drinks, vitamin C notwithstanding, like orange juice and cranberry juice until you’re further along in your recovery. By not getting too ambitious with your diet just yet, you can expedite your journey to normality and get back to living life in full.
