When you are disabled, sometimes you may need to have multiple surgeries to maintain good health. Some people with Spina Bifida have had a lot of surgeries, but not everyone with Spina Bifida needs multiple surgeries, and it depends on what form you have, because milder forms will need fewer surgeries than severe forms. I have the most severe form of Spina Bifida and have needed multiple surgeries, but not everyone with the same form as me has had as many surgeries. No one ever wants to have to go through any kind of surgery, but sometimes it’s the only way to have less pain. Surgery is frustrating, but with every surgery, you learn something new because even if you have the same surgery twice, not every experience is going to be exactly the same. I have had dozens of surgeries throughout my lifetime, and with every hospital stay, I learned something new. What lessons can multiple surgeries teach you? In this post, I am sharing a few things I have learned from having multiple surgeries and hospital stays.
Always anticipate a longer recovery- Before you have surgery, doctors will tell you how long they think you will be down. Sometimes they are spot on with the recovery time, but in my experience, most times they are not because doctors don’t know everything. Recoveries sometimes take longer than your doctor said they would because some people heal slower and I always anticipate being down twice as long as my doctor says I will be. When I had hip replacement surgery, my doctor said I would have a full recovery in one year, and that could not have been wrong, and I am still struggling with mobility five years later. If I am having a minor procedure that will not require an incision, my doctor is usually correct with the recovery time, but often underestimates it for anything major. Doctors don’t know everything, and you should always plan for a longer recovery because sometimes they don’t tell you important details and you deal with things you weren’t expecting.
Don’t rush recovery- Surgery recoveries are boring because lying in bed marathoning your favorite TV shows is not what it’s cracked up to be. Most people want to get back to life as soon as possible and sometimes get impatient and push themselves too hard. Recovery takes time, and it is so important that you don’t rush your recovery because forcing yourself to do things you aren’t ready to do causes injuries. Everyone recovers at different rates, and young, active people without any health issues are going to recover faster than older adults who never exercise. It is so important that you listen to your body and don’t rush your recovery because healing takes time, and it is okay if you aren’t healing fast.
Move at your own pace– When I am in the hospital after a major surgery, physical therapy often will come in to get me moving because they are required to. Physical therapists sometimes will give me good advice that I will listen but a lot of the time therapists don’t understand my limitations, and I don’t take their advice. After surgery, it can be difficult to move because you are sore, but if your doctor tells you that you need to exercise, it’s so important that you do. Move at your own pace because no one knows your limitations better than you do. It is okay if you aren’t moving as quickly as your therapist says you should be or are doing things in a slightly different way, because the most important thing is that you are doing a little more each day.
Real healing happens when you come home from the hospital- When I am in the hospital, I try to limit my time there because hospitals are filled with germs, and you don’t get much sleep because nurses bother you every hour or two. Real healing doesn’t happen until you are home in your own bed and can get good quality sleep that will aid in your recovery. You will recover a lot faster when you are at home in a more relaxed environment than you ever will lying in a hospital bed.
Make sure you advocate for yourself– When you are disabled, sometimes it can be difficult to get doctors and nurses to take you seriously because it is often believed that disabled people are unable to speak for themselves. It is so important to advocate for yourself, especially after surgery, because you won’t get everything you need and may be taken advantage of if you don’t advocate for yourself. As a physically disabled person, I have had many medical professionals not understand my limitations and recommend that I do transfers in a specific way because that is how most people would do them. If I didn’t advocate for myself and take the time to educate medical professionals, I could be doing things in a way that can be dangerous. It is so important to advocate for yourself because it’s the only way you will get proper pain management and do things in a way that is safe. If you struggle with advocating for yourself, bring someone with you to your appointments because it’s so important to advocate for yourself to get the best care possible.
Stay on top of pain as best you can- After I have surgery, I don’t usually like to take a lot of pain medications because sometimes they can cause constipation and make me more miserable, but I am not completely against it. If I am in a lot of pain after surgery, I try to get it controlled as soon as possible because if you wait until your pain is unbearable, it could be hours or even days before it’s controlled. Don’t wait until your pain is a ten before you start treating it, because medications take time to kick in and often will not give you immediate relief, especially if you can barely tolerate your pain. There are a lot of ways you can manage pain without medication, and the sooner you start treating, the better you will feel. I sometimes will take strong pain killers, often surgery, but sometimes I don’t have to if I start treating it sooner rather than later.
Some disabled people have a lot of surgeries, but not everyone does because not all disabilities have surgeries that can improve their lives. As a disabled person, I have had many surgeries, some that were optional while others were life-saving, and I didn’t really have a choice. Everyone recovers at different rates, and even though your friend recovered from hip replacement surgery in a year, that doesn’t mean you will have the same experience. Healing takes time and may take longer if you’re disabled, so don’t rush it because doing too much too soon will do more harm than good. Do things at your pace because you will have better outcomes when you take your time. What lessons have you learned from having multiple surgeries? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
Subscribe For Weekly Updates
My Rockin Disabled Life 