Peruvian Health Tips

I just got back from tending to my Grandmother following her shoulder surgery.  I know many of you out there tend to your ailing senior parents and other family members on a daily basis, and to all of you I say BRAVO.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Gram – the smell of her Elizabeth Arden face lotion, more episodes of COPS then I care to count, and the sound of my name being called…over and over.

Was I being summoned to take care of an oozing wound?  Did I need to find a needle from the sewing basket in A Stitch-Popping Emergency?  Nope.  I had to reset the clock on the VCR.  And change the numbers on the speed dial of her phone.  And rub her sore…shoulders?  Not a chance.  It’s the FEET that need rubbing.  Those are pretty far from the shoulders, Gram, but any increase in circulation is a good thing, so we’ll let that slide…all three times.

And I did it all happily, as this woman had hand-made my clothes growing up,  cooked us weekly dinners, and best of all, let us one-at-a-time spend Friday nights at her house, get a DONUT, and go Garage Sale-ing Saturday morning.  I totally owed her.

The result of this weekend was a very happy lady, a glimpse of my inevitable role to come, and some tips for any of you who may be going through a similar surgery.  Shoulder surgery, especially rotator cuff repair, can be a fairly simple out-patient procedure.  The most difficult part is the recovery, or really, the one-armed living habits you must cultivate while your tissues are healing.  Only using one arm is DIFFICULT!  (Next time you are in the loo, try pulling your pants down and then back up with one hand.  It can’t be done, I tell you!!!)

If you or someone your care for is getting ready for shoulder, breast, or hand surgery, send them these tips:

1.  Shirts are pretty much out of the question just after shoulder surgery.  Going topless is also equally out of the question An excellent compromise:  Purchase one yard of fleece and make a poncho!  Just fold in half and cut a neck hole (you can also make a 6-8″ vertical cut down the front to prevent throat/neck aggravation) and viola!  You have full coverage and warmth with no buttons, zippers, or sleeves to deal with.

2.  Ask for any braces or slings ahead of time and practice putting them on beforehand.  My grandmother’s sling was very complicated, and even with my engineering background, I may have put it on backwards.  I suggest putting it on with the help of your Dr.’s office and have them label which Velcro straps go where (a Sharpie works great.)

3.  But a set of inexpensive underwear one size larger than you normally wear.  This makes bathroom-ing an easier task for the single-armed.

4.  Pain medication can wreak havoc on your stomach and upper intestine.  For most, medication is a necessary part of healing, but you need to make better dietary choices during this time.  Avoid “acidic foods” such as decaf and regular coffee (that’s a food, right?), sodas, chili and seasoning peppers, and limit tomatoes, citrus juices, and fried foods – especially if they upset your stomach or cause heartburn.  Focus on a whole-food (no processed foods), higher fiber diet during this time.  Your body is trying to heal a surgical wound – a wound you chose to inflict because of your overwhelming desire TO FEEL BETTER! Choose well.

Finally, find multiple people to tend to you.  Try not to depend solely on one person for the entire duration.  This will keep everyone fresh and reduce some of the inevitable irritation that comes with the slow healing process.  And find someone to rub your feet.  Especially one that, as they say, owes you big time.