Tips for after surgery

A helpful list of items and tips to make surgery recovery smoother and easier compiled by seasoned Meddies.

Items to have on hand:

• Lots of soft pillows - you will need to sleep propped up
• Lots of great soft foods, soups, etc. Also nectars will help with swallowing.
• Heating pad, back can get a little sore after surgery and that helps to relax the muscles.
• Ice pack for your incision
• Ice chips to soothe your throat
• Ibuprofen and ice to keep swelling down. (Consult with your doctor first)
• 45° foam wedge pillow is a great benefit for about 3 weeks.
• Horseshoe shaped neck pillow
• Lots of scrambled eggs. Bread was hard for awhile
• Some carbonated beverages. They are easier to swallow than water.
• Straws are a big help
• Mederma or Serica afterwards to try to reduce scarring.
• Sunscreen on the scar to help prevent darkening
• Vera from the plant itself until it healed, then vitamin E oil
• Post-surgery Physical Therapy guide

Tips and tricks

• Crushing up pain pills and mixing the powder into apple sauce may help swallowing
• Ask for something other than water to try as the first thing you swallow. If your vocal cords are paralyzed, water is the easiest thing to aspirate *because the density is less.
• Avoiding certain foods that might be dry or rougher in consistency(meat) and smaller bites may help. Cereal and milk can be hard because of choking on *the mixture of the two “solid/liquid.” May not have that issue with soup, likely due to the thicker consistency of the broth. Can start with things *like apple sauce, jello, and foods with gravy or sauce like stews mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken stew or cacciatore.