How does anyone navigate healing? When you are sent home after surgery there is a feeling that you have been set adrift upon unknown waters. As I mentioned in my last few posts I am eternally grateful for the visiting nurse and the many check-ins from the hospital, but still, you are generally left wondering if you are doing what you should in order to fully return to your productive self. Now that I am just about one month on my recovery journey, I have discovered a few helpful tips, which I hope will help anyone who is convalescing after surgery or is on the road back from an injury, and these I will share.

So fixated on getting past surgery I hadn’t thought too far into rehab, but now that is where we are. Now that I understand its importance, there are simple exercises woven into my day, each one firing up muscles who thought perhaps they had been dismissed, but in fact are still essential. Shout out to Points North Physical Therapy for my start down that recovery road this morning. That’s my first recommendation– do everything your therapist tells you to do, daily. Listening to your body for just how far to go too.

Secondly, get your blood pumping through your whole body as this is essential to heal. With my dear spouse at the elbow I attempted the stationary bike despite still being in my pj’s. Turns out gentle biking was indeed something I could do once again and now is part of my daily routine. Out my window brave winter birds flock to our feeders: a wonderful distraction as I pedal. I suppose that’s another point: distractions are good.

In truth, I have spent plenty of hours on the couch reading,(rest is also key to healing!). Two novels I rediscovered, left only half read on my nightstand, so I quickly finished those off. Three more were laying around somewhere in our book piles. Seriously, it doesn’t matter what novel you read, all the stories will take you to faraway places and different time periods and fateful mishaps and undeniable delight. Thankfully another book recently arrived from a dear friend who is a more clever reader than me; for the remainder of my couch days, I will indulge in traveling far while staying put with book in hand. I can’t emphasize the value of reading to distract yourself from discomfort or boredom. Yesterday I read a brilliant line that sums it all, “There is a world inside the world.” The moment you enter a novel you can feel that truth. As you lie about, keep your mind moving forward: another gem of rehab.

The power of scent has long been established as essential in our home. Of course this is even more important when padding about inside most of your day, so we spike up the air with blends guaranteed to produce healthy emotions. While joy may seem beyond the four walls, a few drops of jasmine, tangerine and grapefruit brings the sensation front and center. Lunaroma is our go-to for everything aromatic with healing in mind. Most of what you need is only a click away, so find your own packaged avenue to good cheer.

Of course I am quite lucky that the grand outdoors is as easy as stepping out my door, which I have been doing on the daily. But just this week, I have ventured off-road, into the woods and fields, for brief forays, emphasis on brief. Grateful that my industrious neighbors have marked paths which I can follow easily. I fill my lungs with the fresh mountain air and know for sure that true healing comes from this atmospheric medicine. Even if you can only sit outside, do so every day. The big sky alone will lift you.

Perhaps even more potent, is hearing the laughter from this little guy, who is quite fond of his mamma’s tickles. I’m forever grateful for FaceTime or any technology that defies distance. He has discovered bananas and singing and of course more loving each day. What is more reason to push through than getting strong enough to bounce this boy again? Reach out to family and friends during your long days or even those long nights. Trust me, you will make it back to your former self, and that will be oh so wonderful.

Hope my suggestions help. Let me know if you have other remedies for healthy journeys back to your former activities, I’d love to add to my list! xxoo