There is only so much mental preparation that you can do before surgery. That means immense amounts of Googling, different pins for post-surgery meals, and buying things you'll probably end up not using. It's something you can't fathom unless you've been through it yourself. I thought I was prepared for my ACL surgery because of the in-depth research (or what I thought was in-depth research) that I conducted leading up to the procedure, but I wasn't prepared for the aftermath.
1. Sleeping is rough.
No position ever feels comfortable. I feel like this is an issue if you get surgery on either your arms or legs. I've been having the worst time finding and keeping a comfortable position while sleeping. And of course, I Googled positions that were safe for post-ACL surgery because that's something I didn't remember to ask the nurses while I was at the hospital. Once you do sleep, it becomes really hard to stop.
2. Your appetite won't be the same for a while.
I have barely eaten anything and it's a miracle if I don't get nauseated after doing so. Part of this might be because of the medications the doctor prescribed me, but all I know is that I haven't eaten nearly as much as I was before surgery. So because I don't really have an appetite, I have to remind myself to eat or else I'll go hours upon hours without eating.
3. You're going to need help.
I'm not the type of person to ask for help in general. I've had to overcome whatever "pride" I carried about being independent because, after surgery, you can't be independent even if you want to be. It's hard to carry things if you're using crutches. It's also annoying to do things on your own when you have to crutch back and forth. It took me ten minutes to serve myself a bowl of cereal just because I had to carry the bowl, cereal, and milk individually from the kitchen to the dining room.
4. Makeup is not a priority.
I've had to get over my fear of going out in public without makeup because Lord knows I am not going to spend time putting makeup on when it takes me twice as long to get ready clothing-wise. It's definitely been nice knowing it's not that big of a deal to go without makeup, but for so long I've always done something to make myself feel more comfortable about the way I was presenting myself.
5. People will feel sorry for you in public.
I've been going out to stores after surgery to shop for little things I needed and many people gave me sympathetic looks. One woman even said, "Oh honey, you look miserable. Get better soon." Yes, I may look miserable, but that's because my leg was cut into and now I have to use crutches which slows me down A LOT. This happened pretty often and each time I had no idea what to say. Google doesn't prep you for that one I'm sure.
6. Nausea is your best friend.
It hits you out of nowhere. Especially after surgery, because of the anesthesia and medications, you'll be dizzy and nauseated for a good portion of your stay. It's no fun, but the upside is it passes eventually. Just take deep breaths.
7. You will have some strong emotions.
Every emotion feels amplified whether you're frustrated, sad, or tired. I'm not sure if it's the meds that keep making me cry out of nowhere (or for longer periods of time), but you're going to sit in your emotions longer than before. Frustration hits me most of my day because of the limitations I have faced since the procedure.
The internet and the words of friends can only prepare you so much and can lead to unrealistic expectations. The recovery period is tough. It's as much of a mind game as it is a physical one.
