In yesterday’s blog we offered a few tips for avoiding spine surgery anxiety. One piece of advice we gave in that article was to ask a friend or relative to help you during the recovery process. Today we are going to look at the flip side of that coin and talk about the patient’s recovery process from that friend or relative’s point of view. So here are some tips for a relative or friend of a person who is going into spine surgery.

Educate Yourself

Get to know a little bit about the specific surgery that your friend or family member is having. No need to become an expert on the topic, just familiarize yourself with the basic procedure, and what to expect during the recovery process. 

Talk to the Patient

Communicate clearly and effectively with the patient. Make sure you are both on the same page as far as when and where you are dropping them off and picking them up for the procedure. Setting expectations for after the procedure is important too. If you can only be around in the mornings and evenings, tell that to the patient so they do not expect you to sit with them all day.

Regulate Medications

Depending on the surgery performed and the patient’s level of pain, they may be prescribed strong opioid painkillers. These meds need to be highly regulated to avoid a potential addiction. Keep an eye out to make sure the patient is not over-indulging in these medications.

Make the Patient Comfortable

Do your best to provide a comfortable environment for the patient while they recover. Grab some books, movies, games, or something else for them to pass the time and make sure they have everything they need to recover as quickly as possible.

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