As your day of surgery approaches, there are a few things you can do to prepare for a comfortable and speedy recovery.

If you have your post-operative prescriptions, have them filled before your surgery.

Stock up on easy to prepare and easy to digest food. Make sure you have yogurt, applesauce, pudding, or crackers on hand to take with your pain medication.

Prepare your bed, couch, or recliner with extra pillows, magazines, books, DVD’s. Make sure you have access to a phone. Consider buying a body pillow if you don’t have one. They make a very good recovery buddy.

Go through your home and put essential items on the counter or in easy-to-reach lower shelves or cabinets. You won’t want to be stretching or climbing on a step stool.

If you are having surgery that will keep you in the house for a week or two, for example a face-lift, prepare some quiet projects to keep yourself busy.

My list would include updating my photo albums, culling my files and CD’s, finishing War and Peace, cleaning out my junk drawer, writing a letter to Aunt Alma and polishing my grandmother’s silver. My guess is you can come up with a list of your own!

Line up some help. Enlist your spouse or partner and your children to pitch in. You should not have to take care of anyone but yourself for at least a week after most procedures.

Arrange for transportation post-operatively. You should not drive while youare on narcotic pain medication.

Do not plan on attending any important trips or social events until you are fully healed. Often, we are so busy with our day-to-day lives; we try squeezing in other activities while we have time off of work. Resist the urge and don’t push yourself. You will wind up frustrated and sore.

Do not assume you can resume work from a home office right away. You may feel good enough to log onto your computer, but if you are on prescription pain medication, you should not be working!