Getting back your
get up and go
Recovering from illness or operations can
be a long old process. Even when you
get to the stage where you’ve more-orless recovered, you might not have that
same sense of wellbeing. So how do you
recapture your old get up and go?
Easy does it!
You can’t rush it. The first thing you have
to do is accept the fact that your body is
going to take time to recover. So have as
much rest as you need – don’t fight it. Sleep
is often the best form of medicine.
You’ll have to take the effects of any
medication into account too. Painkillers
can dull your energy levels as well as your
discomfort. You might be off your food –
and that’s not going to help. No wonder
you don’t feel like getting out and about or
getting a little exercise.
Post-op lethargy isn’t the only issue: you
may find that bouts of illness hit you
harder. Winter colds can take a little longer
to get over. Dealing with sickness is a whole
new ball game with a whole new set of
rules. Get as much advice as you can, and
be prepared. You can of course contact
Countrywide to stock up on supplies so
that you’re ready for anything. And talk to
your GP or support group friends for more
advice.
Remember, your body has had to endure a
lot of pain and discomfort. But it’s not just
the physical responses that make it hard
to bounce back out of bed. Psychologically
too, you’ve had an awful lot to deal with.
14 THE VOICE | Autumn 2011
Practical tip
If you’re finding it hard to
communicate with friends and
family, get online. Email is a
great way to really express
yourself and keep the lines
of communication open
with the people who matter
most. Alternatively, why not
buy yourself some nice new
writing paper and revive the
lost art of letter writing?
Any form of invasive surgery is a taxing
experience, so getting to the point where
you start to feel better ‘in yourself’ is at least
as important as getting to the point where
you’re ready to start getting active again.
One of the best ways of getting to grips
with it all is talking about it. Post-op that’s
going to be quite hard – but you’ll probably
find it a lot easier in a support group – full
of people who know just what you’re going
through.
Fighting fit in three easy steps
One of the hardest things for anyone
recovering from illness is adapting to the
fact that you can’t do quite as much as
you used to. Not in the beginning at least.
Fitness levels drop quickly when you’re laid
up. They start dropping the moment you
stop your everyday activities and exercise.
Discouraging isn’t it?
Don’t worry. We’ve got a few ideas for you.
(And if you’ve got any more, we’d love to
hear them.)