How to Prepare for Your Oncology Surgery

How to Prepare for Your Oncology Surgery

Preparing for oncology surgery can be quite a formidable process. Be it colon cancer treatment, pancreatic cancer treatment, stomach cancer treatment, or thyroid cancer treatment, preparation must be given to ensure that it will be very successful.

This article will take you through some steps that you need to take to better prepare for your oncology surgery. For additional information regarding our services, please refer to our following pages: oncology surgery, colon cancer treatment, pancreatic cancer treatment, stomach cancer treatment and thyroid cancer treatment.

Meet with Your Surgeon

Your first preparation for oncology surgery will be to talk with your surgeon in depth. You'll want to get as much information from them as possible regarding the nature of your surgery, how long your recovery time will be, and possible complications or risks involved. This is also a good time to go over current medications you are taking and which of these might need to be stopped or adjusted ahead of time before your surgery.

Knowing what to expect and having your questions answered can help you feel less anxious and make you at least partially feel in control. If something is not making sense to you, ask for an explanation. Your surgeon is there to explain and prepare you for surgery.

Follow Pre-Surgery Instructions

Your surgeon will have particular instructions to help you prepare for your surgery, which might include restrictions on diet, medications, or pre-operative testing and consults. It is very important that you follow these instructions in order to best prepare your body for surgery.

For example, you may be asked to starve for some time before the surgery or avoid certain kinds of foods and fluids before the procedure. Make sure such preparations are clear and you follow it to the latter, so that possibilities of any complication during and post-procedure can be minimum.

Prepare Your Home for Recovery

Prepare your home for a comfortable recovery. Prepare a rest area in a quiet room where you can spend the first day or two recovering, and where you can easily access medications, water, and other necessary items, such as soap, toilet paper, and medication. If possible, arrange for family or friends to help out for the first few days following surgery.

Have on hand comfortable clothes, extra pillows to prop yourself up with, and food that is easy to fix. This can ease your recovery time and reduce some of the stress associated with it.

Line Up Transportation

Following surgery, you will not be able to drive home and should have someone available to take you home. Schedule for a family or friend to be able to take you to and from the hospital. Let them know about your surgery schedule and any specific instructions your health team may give you.

Having a dependable person to assist you with transportation ensures you get home safely and can initiate recovery without any added stress.

Arrange for Post-Surgery Care

Care after surgery is an integral part of recovery. From your surgeon, obtain information regarding wound care, limitations of activities, and subsequent appointments to be attended. Knowing what to expect also provides a chance to properly plan and ensure support is available to you.

It is also useful to note telephone numbers of persons to contact in case of an emergency and a list of dos and don'ts if some complication sets in. This way, you may be free to attend to your healing and recovery from the surgery.

Conclusion

Preparation for oncology surgery will include some important steps: everything from an office visit with your surgeon to any necessary pre-surgical preparation, to get your home ready and to line up assistance after discharge from the hospital. Each of these steps is crucial to ensure you are in the best possible condition for surgery and your recovery is as smooth and stress-free as possible.

To learn more about our oncology surgery services and treatments, visit the pages listed below: oncology surgery, colon cancer treatment, pancreatic cancer treatment, stomach cancer treatment, thyroid cancer treatment.