Nonmedical Essentials to Help You Recover from Back Surgery

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve shared lists of essential items to have on hand following back surgery. First, we discussed nutritional and medical items to help your body heal itself. Then, we shared items to make getting around your home and performing everyday tasks easier after surgery.

In this final post of this blog series, we’ll discuss some essential items you may not have thought of. While not as important as pain medication and having healthy food on-hand, gathering entertainment and support to help comfort you as you heal, is an important part of your pre-surgery plan.

To help keep you entertained while you are taking it easy, plan to have these essentials nearby:

Books and magazines: Make a trip to the library and check out some books you’ve been wanting to read. (You should be able to renew them online or by phone.) Or, download some fun reads to your Kindle or other e-reading device. Treat yourself to a few new magazines from the bookstore or other shop that has a magazine stand. Indulge yourself with magazines focused on your favorite hobby, sport, or other interest.

Movies and TV series:  Consider buying a Netflix or Hulu subscription so you can watch movies and back-episodes of your favorite TV shows. Even if you don’t have a TV in the bedroom, you can enjoy these shows on a laptop or tablet.

Digital pastimes:  If you aren’t on Facebook yet, now is the time to set up an account and catch up with friends, old and new. You can also enjoy plenty of games within the Facebook platform, or you can download game apps for your tablet or smartphone. Another option for digital entertainment is to join Spotify or Pandora to access all your favorite music and discover new artists, too.

To keep you connected in real-life, and to give you support, be sure to line up a few close pals or family members:

Someone to check on you: If you live alone, make sure you have a trusted companion who can check in on you in the early days after surgery.

Long-distance friends and family: People who live far away can lend their support via phone or text, so if you have a cousin or friend in another state, give them a heads-up that you might be in touch soon!

Nearby friends and family: Of course, nothing can replace in-person visits, so try to plan for company so that you will have a steady stream of visitors in the weeks following your surgery. For example, invite some people to drop by a week or so afterwards, when some of the visiting may start to slow down.

A helping hand: This role will probably be reserved for your closest family and friends. You’ll want to have someone who can help around the house, as well as offer a ride to appointments post-surgery.

What other entertainment and supportive must-haves do you have to share? Please let us know in the comments section.