How to Adjust When Plans Change – Prepping for Surgery

This post, How to Adjust When Plans Change, is part of a 31 day writing challenge, and the theme for SimpleStepsForLivingLife’s daily series is

Prepping for Surgery.

Please note: all articles are written on SimpleStepsForLivingLife are ONLY my opinions and should not replace that of a medical professional.  This series of posts are about what I have learned from having surgery and being about to have surgery again.  I am not a medical professional at all, please consult with your doctor or a medical professional when it comes to anything to do with your health.

Hello my sweet readers!

Have you been wondering where in the world I have been?It’s been a week since I’ve posted anything because I got a bit overwhelmed with some health issues.  Remember my series Prepping for Surgery?  I’m still writing it.  Ironically, it has been written while my surgery date was scheduled for November 8th.Then my mammogram happened the Friday before last.

The next week, they notified me they found something suspicious.  Ugh.  This has happened before when I’ve had ultrasounds done because of little knots being found.  I went back this past Friday for a thorough ultrasound to check the spot from the mammogram.  Then they found another one not caught on the mammogram.  Don’t worry though!  According to the radiologist, there’s a 99% chance that these are benign also.  WHEW!  Big sigh of relief!!!

The spots will have to be checked at the 6 month mark, 1 year, and 2 years.  Most likely the doctor believes there is nothing to worry about; these are just follow ups to verify that.  Another option is just to go ahead and biopsy them.  NO THANKS!  If the doctor is 99% sure that these are just more benign growths, I have no desire to go through the Total Recall esque way of retrieval method that is used to grab these little masses out of the yabbas.  At least that’s what it seemed like they did 7 years ago for my last biopsy.  It was crazy painful!  And that’s saying a lot from a klutz that has drilled a hole in my thumbnail and didn’t feel much pain from it.

Now here’s the bummer in all of this…  my elective surgery has to be postponed.

I could take the “calculated risk” as my plastic surgeon called it and go ahead with the procedure, but she was not supportive of this idea and preferred to wait until after the 6 month check.  So, the muscle repair, hernia repair, tummy tuck, and lifting/perking up the girls are on delay.  I was so pumped up about the surgery.  I was excited about being able to put on a pair of jeans without a skin flap hanging over it.  I was looking forward to my back not hurting if I put pants on that fit over the skin.  I was ready for the day that while I’m bloated I couldn’t put my hand on my belly and literally feel gas or food stuff moving through my digestive tract since my muscles are so separated.  Sigh.

Ok, enough whining already!  Now it’s time to adapt and overcome as the soldier say.

1.  Stick with all your healthy new habits.  Prepping for this surgery has included many healthy changes in my lifestyle.  Did your doctor suggest giving up caffeine, alcohol, and definitely smoking before having surgery?  Well, if your surgery is moving several months out then why go back to your unhealthy lifestyle?  Why not be as healthy as you can in your health situation?  Keep eating healthy.  Keep losing or gaining weight according to your health needs.  Continue exercising as it is recommended by your doctor.  Continue praying for the upcoming surgery just like you have been already.
2. Be better prepared financially.  Have you already started saving money to help pay for any out of pocket costs?  Keep saving!  Are there supplies you will need for the recovery period like bandages, a raised toilet seat, specific types of soap?  Check to see if these ever go on sale and purchase them while waiting for surgery.
3. Be prepared legally.  Another  aspect of surgery, and really life in general, is making sure your house is in order like how to pay for bills, who will help you manage this if you need help, and preparing a will.  Eek.  I said it.  You need a will or a trust set up and a power of attorney.  That’s not to scare you in any way.  It is just important to have the legal documentation for a just in case regardless if you are having surgery or not.
4. Be better prepared mentally.  Leading up to what I thought would be my surgery, I’ve been slowly getting anxious about it.  I didn’t realize this was happening until one day I was frantically trying to put away boxes from our recent move and broke down crying like a baby.  My husband asked, “What’s wrong with you?!”  And I told him I was trying to fix everything in our house just in case something really bad happened during surgery so things wouldn’t be hard on him and the kids.  He look bewildered, hugged me, and said, “The house being messy would be the least of our worries!!!”  The thought of my family missing me and not what I could do for them was not what was on my mind in all my cleaning and organizing. This was something I really hadn’t mentally prepared for.  There might be things for you that you will want to be more mentally prepared for and think through before your surgery.
5. Be better prepared spiritually.  In my beliefs, prayer is amazing.  If you pray, then you’ve probably already started praying for your surgery way ahead of time.  If your surgery date has been moved back, then you have the added benefit of getting to pray more about all aspects of it – the surgery, recovery, the medical staff, your family and friends, financial side of things, and more.  Remember the parable of the woman who wanted justice from the crooked judge?  She kept pestering and pestering him. Finally, he relented and she got justice.  How much more will a righteous God hear your cries and answer your prayers!

I hope these ideas help you while having to wait for a new surgery date. Thankfully, this extra time will allow me to save money for the surgery and pray more.  I’m also sticking with the healthy habits(ok maybe a Dr. Pepper every once in a while) and finishing up getting my will in order.   It might still be stressful but maybe having more time is actually a blessing in disguise.

For more helpful Prepping for Surgery series articles, click here.  For a FREE printable of questions to ask during your preOperation appointment, please leave your email address in the box below.