It’s one thing to brace yourself to go under the knife for a plastic surgery procedure, but it’s a whole other thing to brace yourself for the caretaking responsibilities involved with caring for a loved one who is recovering from plastic surgery. If your loved one has a surgery schedule and you are a little nervous about caring for them, read on to learn more about techniques.
- Chauffeur
Yes, you might not have a driving cap to accompany your new title as “chauffeur”, but this is one of your most important caretaking responsibilities. Directly after surgery, your loved one will need a ride home from the hospital or clinic. Depending on the types of painkillers their surgeon puts them on during recovery, you may also have to chauffeur them around town for a few days or even weeks following surgery, because many pain medications won’t allow you to drive after taking them.
- Cook
Whether you like it or not, cooking is one of the biggest components to any caretaking job. Making sure that your loved one is staying hydrated and receiving the proper nutrition after their surgery will help to ensure they get a speedy recovery. Depending on what type of surgery your loved one underwent, will depend on whether or not they were given restrictions on what they can eat. For instance, if they had a tummy tuck, they may be required to only have liquids for a day or two after the surgery. Whereas a breast implant procedure shouldn’t have any sort of food restrictions. Make sure that you also read any medication labels to see if they are supposed to eat with their medications— this will help save them from any unnecessary nausea or vomiting.
- Babysitter
As one of the worst hats to wear as a caretaker, it’s important to be a babysitter for your loved one. Because many people are stubborn and think they can do it all after surgery, it’s important to be the voice of reason and ensure that your loved one doesn’t do anything that will cause added harm to their body or surgical site. For instance, if they’re supposed to avoid any sort of lifting motion, make sure that they don’t attempt to lift anything.
By following these three tips, you can help your loved one have a speedy recovery and take care of them to the best of your ability.
To learn more about plastic surgery or plastic surgery recovery, contact our office today!
