Getting ready for an operation is an important part of your treatment plan. Careful preparation and a clear understanding of your procedure will make your experience more enjoyable.

Beginning Immediately

• Eat a normal, well balanced diet. Crash dieting may hinder your healing and recuperation time.
  
• Continue a reasonable exercise and activity program.
  
• Avoid taking aspirin, or aspirin-containing compounds for approximately 2 weeks before any operation. Use of aspirin may lead to prolonged bleeding and increased bruising. Tylenol products may be taken.
  
• Stop using Advil, Aleve, Motrin, etc. at least 2 weeks prior to surgery.
  
• If you are a smoker, please stop smoking for 1 month before your operation and one month after. Smoking will impair circulation and slow wound healing. If you do not, or cannot, stop smoking it is important to let us know in advance.

Approaching the Time of Your Operation

• Carefully review all written information provided by the office staff.
  
• Be certain you have the suggested supplies on hand and that care arrangements have been made. Have the people helping you to read the information and discuss it.
  
• Please ask us any questions. It is our goal to avoid surprises or misunderstandings.
  
• Before the day of your operation, write down any questions to ensure they are answered in advance.
  
• Please let us know if you are having difficulty sleeping or are very apprehensive about your operation. We will do everything possible to help make this a pleasant experience. Rested and well-prepared patients do the very best.

When You Arrive

• It is natural for you to have some anxiety as you are prepared to go into the operating area. We will be there to help you through the process.
  
• We use the latest equipment and techniques to make your experience safe and to enhance our capabilities.
  
• You may be asked to change into a gown and slippers. The doctor and anesthesia staff will meet you to answer questions, discuss final treatment planning, perform additional imaging or capture photographs, and may draw on your skin as needed.

During Your Operation

• In the operating room, we will do everything possible to make you feel comfortable. The table itself is comfortably padded, and warm blankets are available while you are connected to monitoring equipment.
  
• Your preferences for background music will be met if possible.
  
• An intravenous line may be started in your arm to give you medications that will make you drowsy. This IV will remain in place throughout your stay in the operating facility.
  
• When your surgery is completed and dressings are applied, you will be moved to our recovery area.
  
• You will remain in the recovery area until awake and tolerating liquids. The time in recovery varies, but most often, it is one to two hours.

After Your Operation

• When ready, we will assist you to the patient-loading zone via wheelchair to ensure your comfort and safety.
  
• You should arrange for someone to remain with you for the first night. It is important to ensure you receive needed assistance in getting to the restroom, changing dressings or cleaning surgery sites as well as preparing food. If you cannot arrange for someone to stay with you, we can refer you to caregiver professionals.
  
• Although you may not feel hungry immediately after your operation and anesthesia, it is very important for you to drink adequate liquids and nutrients. These are essential to normal healing and help regain energy.

Recovery

• It is important to closely follow the postoperative instructions to encourage healing and shorten the time of your recovery.
  
• Healing is a gradual process. By following your recovery-care instructions, you will help that process. Not following the doctor’s instructions may delay your recovery or lessen the effectiveness of treatment.
  
• Support from family and friends is helpful after your operation but may also result in some anxiety or confusion. Unintentional looks or comments may be interpreted as disapproval.
  
• It is common to experience a brief letdown or depression following surgery and anesthesia. Questioning your decision to have the operation, feeling agitated about early limitations, feeling tired, loss of appetite, and difficulty sleeping are all normal. As you realize that immediate changes may be slower than you expected, understand that time, and closely following your doctor’s instructions are the best formula for success.
  
• Sometimes patients comment that no one notices the change. People may have noticed changes but cannot exactly pinpoint them or are afraid they may embarrass or upset you. It is often helpful to respond to their questions by explaining what you had done and by letting them know you are excited about the future changes.

YOUR FIRST 24 HOURS: Some procedures require you to stay and recover overnight at the surgery center. If your procedure does not require this, a family member or friend must drive you home because you have been sedated. Someone should stay overnight with you. If you choose to go to a postoperative center, they will provide transportation. If you have any questions about these matters, please contact the surgical consultant.

DRESSING: Keep your dressing as clean and dry as possible. Do not remove them unless
instructed to do so.

ACTIVITY: Take it easy and pamper yourself. Try to avoid any straining. You may go to the bathroom, sit and watch TV, etc. but NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU FEEL, DO NOT CLEAN THE HOUSE, REARRANGE THE ATTIC, ETC.! We do not want you to bleed and cause any more swelling and bruising that is unavoidable.

ICE PACKS: Cold or ice packs help to reduce swelling, bruising, and pain. Use frozen peas in the package or crush ice cubes and put the ice into a zip-lock bag. This should help, not hurt. If the ice feels too uncomfortable, don’t use it as often.

DIET: If you have any postoperative nausea, carbonated sodas and dry crackers may settle your stomach. If nausea is severe, use the suppository. If you feel normal, start with liquids and bland foods, and if those are well tolerated, progress to a regular diet.

SMOKING: Smoking reduces capillary flow in your skin. It also decreases oxygen in the blood flow to promote healing properly. We advise you not to smoke one month prior to surgery and three weeks after surgery.

ALCOHOL: Alcohol dilates the blood vessels and could increase postoperative bleeding. Please do not drink two weeks prior to surgery and two weeks after surgery. DO NOT drink alcohol until you have stopped taking the prescription pain pills, as the combination of pain pills and alcohol can be dangerous.

DRIVING: Please don’t drive for at least 7 days after general anesthesia or intravenous sedation or while taking prescription pain pills. At Dr. Calabria’s discretion you may not be able to drive for up to 2 weeks after your surgery.

POST OPERATIVE APPOINTMENTS: It is very important that you follow the schedule of appointments we establish after surgery.

SUN EXPOSURE: If fresh scars are exposed to the sun, they will tend to become darker and take longer to fade. Sunscreen can help. Take extra care and precautions if the area operated on is slightly numb – you might not “feel” a sunburn developing!

Before Surgery: The night before your surgery, take the “Pre-Op” capsule, which should be duo-colored. Follow the directions on the box under or capsule wrapping.

After Surgery: Continue following the directions on wrap behind the capsules.

Or, the two products below which may be purchased at most homeopathic, health food and/or drug stores.

ARNICA
Is a natural herb used in homeopathic therapy. It is a direct derivative from the plant Arnica-Leaprards Baine and is used to facilitate the healing of bruising and swelling. Arnica comes in many different dosages, we recommend the following:

Before Surgery: Arnica is dispensed in very small 30X white tablets that you do not swallow or touch. 4 tablets are placed under the tongue, 1week prior to surgery four times a day. Do not take any food or water for 15 minutes before and after taking Arnica.

After Surgery: Every hour 1 day post-op. From second day on, 4 tablets are placed under the tongue four times a day until bottle is finished.

BROMELIAN
Is a homeopathic remedy that is derived from a pineapple enzyme and is used to reduce swelling.

Before Surgery: Take 1 tablet 3 times a day 3 days prior to surgery. On empty Stomach.

After Surgery: Take 1 tablet 3 times a day for seven days after on an empty stomach. If Bromelian is taken on a full stomach, it is a digestive aid. If taken on an empty stomach, it reduces swelling and promotes healing.