Learn about new online resources that help organize and schedule volunteer help after your surgery.
As you are preparing for your breast reconstruction surgery, you will often times hear friends and family offer to help during your recovery. You might hear something to the effect of, “Let me know if you need anything.” People sincerely want to be helpful, but they usually don’t know exactly how to help and don’t want to intrude on the person recovering. Unfortunately, vague offers of help are all too often left unaccepted. Most people dislike asking for help. This is ironic because most people welcome opportunities to be helpful! Let them!
There are resources, best practices and technologies you can employ prior to your breast reconstruction surgery to help organize support in a way that is convenient and accessible to your support system, and most importantly, provides you with the support you’ll need throughout the process. Volunteer organizations such as Visiting Angels can provide assistance for those who may have family and friends that live out of town or for those who want privacy.
Step one is to identify your post breast reconstruction surgery needs. Take a look at your calendar. What do you and your family have going on during that time? Do your kids need rides to activities? Your logistical needs after your surgery may include doctor visits and procurement of prescription medication, are these needs met? Do your pets require any special care ? Once you have a clear view of what your post surgical schedule looks like, get into the specifics of those needs. Do you have certain dietary requirements? What are your mealtimes? What are the start and end times of certain events? Make a comprehensive list.
Step two is to prioritize those needs. You can use online and ‘app’ based services to assist with this task. After you have laid out your needs and the details, it is time to let those needs be known and coordinate assistance.
Letting your post breast reconstruction surgery needs be known is very easy in this digital day and age. There are many web-based systems that can assist in the organization of volunteers. Some recommended sites are Meal Train , Care Calendar and Care Pages. All of these sites are free and very user friendly. They are also advantageous because they can be customized to fit your particular circumstances. These sites are password protected which maintains your privacy and safety by only allowing approved users with access to this information. These applications provide a centralized place to provide updates on your condition, eliminating the need to repeat yourself to each well-wisher when you should be resting.
Volunteers can see your needs and sign up for those that they wish to fulfill. The technology helps remove some of the pressure as well, as volunteers can look at their own schedule and see what works for them. They can also access directions and maps, as well as instructions for each need, thus eliminating any confusion as all the information is centralized. All this can be set up prior to your breast reconstruction surgery which allows you to rest and recover, instead of coordinating details. Being surrounded by a support system is one of the best things you can do to aid your recovery. Don’t be afraid to ask or accept assistance!
Your breast reconstruction recovery and after-care is very important to us. This delicate time is important to your well-being and long-term results. Contact us for more info on breast reconstruction process and recovery. We would love to hear from you and address any concerns or questions you have!
