5 Tips for Staying Healthier During Challenging Situations
As many of you know, recently I spent a few days at the hospital with my husband. He underwent an open craniotomy to remove a large (benign) meningioma from around his brain. The day of surgery was a VERY long day, as we needed to arrive at the hospital two hours before the scheduled surgery time, and the hospital was almost an hour drive away from our house. Surgery time really means the time that he enters the operating room to start getting him into position, start anesthesia, and more. The surgery itself was a 7.5 hour long process, then another 0.5-1 hour waiting in the operating room to be transferred to the PACU for extubation, further close monitoring as he is waking from surgery, and making sure he is stable to move to his room in the ICU for the night. Once he was settled into the ICU, I was able to visit him for a little while, then make the return trip home. I left my house at 4:45 AM and returned home at 9:45 PM - just a mere 17 hours!
On the day after surgery, I wanted to be sure to be back in the hospital room before the doctors made their morning rounds and before the physical therapist and occupational therapist came to visit and check in on how he was doing. In other words, it was another early morning to get back to the hospital.
When your focus shifts to caring for loved ones, it can be very easy to lose sight of caring for yourself. So, I’ll share 5 tips for staying healthy during challenging situations with you all.
WATER, WATER, WATER. Don’t forget to stay hydrated and keep a water bottle handy during a long hospital stay. The nurses were fantastic on checking if I needed anything to drink while I was visiting, and I made sure to pack along a water bottle to keep refilled for myself. Often in the family lounge areas there is always access to free water refilling stations. It sure beats paying upwards of $2 for a bottle of water each time you need to quench your thirst, or falling into the habit of buying sodas or juice from the vending machines!
Sleep. After the first long day at the hospital, I knew that I needed to make my own sleep a priority during my husband’s hospital stay. This might mean asking a friend or family member to take shifts with you at the hospital so you can sneak away for some solid rest. Hospital chairs are not very conducive to guest sleeping!
Meals - during stressful times it is easy to either skip meals altogether, or choose unhealthy fast foods over making healthy choices. Many hospitals have fantastic cafeteria options that generally include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables or salad bars. Remember to make it a priority to keep some fruits and veggies flowing with your meals!
Pack healthy snacks. Rather than packing pre-packaged donuts or cookies as a snack, think about adding some nuts, trail mix, dried fruits, or even a protein bar. When you’ve got something easy and convenient in your bag, you’re much more likely to grab that rather than a candy bar from the vending machine!
Keep moving. It can be easy to fall into the “sit in the chair and wait” mode. Get up and move around the room often, or even take a stroll down the hallway, or outside if the weather is nice - the fresh air can be a game changer! If your loved one is safe and able to move around, suggest taking frequent, short walks together in the hallway (as long as nursing staff is OK with it). Remember, movement is medicine! Not just for you, but also your loved one that is recovering in the hospital.
Now that we have returned back home together, it’s still vitally important to prioritize the points above. We were blessed to have many people provide easy to prepare meals for our family upon our return home. Often these meals are very carb heavy (pastas, potatoes, etc.) so it is important to make a conscious effort to balance out these wonderful foods with some vegetables and additional protein sources as needed. If you’re thinking of providing a meal to a friend or family member in need - think about the importance of having some good fiber in your diet when you’re recovering from surgery, and the importance of protein in your diet for healing. Food is fuel - make sure it’s helping your recovery process!
Written by: Renee Hancock, Co-Owner of SHIFT Physical Therapy and Wellness
