Wounds need a lot of energy to heal well. Since energy can only come from food, it is vital that patients eat as healthily as possible especially before and after surgery. Crucial nutrients for wound healing include protein, zinc and the vitamins A and C.
So what are the best things to eat? Meats, nuts, beans and dairy products are great sources of protein. Carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach and apricots are great sources of vitamin A. Citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables are great sources of Vitamin C. Yogurt, green peas, beef, oysters, black beans and crab are great sources of zinc.
Patients must also stay well hydrated before and after surgery by drinking enough water. Dehydration causes the skin and soft tissues to lose moisture and become dry. Dry wounds do not heal well. A good goal is to drink eight (8 oz) glasses of water a day. Caffeinated products should also be avoided because caffeine can cause dehydration.
The importance of healthy nutrition is really emphasized by the link between obesity (Body Mass Index [BMI] over 30) and complication rates after surgery. Obese patients have much higher rates of infection, wound healing problems (breakdown of wounds), hematomas (blood collections), and seromas (fluid collections) compared to non-obese patients.
Obese patients also have a thicker subcutaneous adipose layer with a poorer blood supply. Blood flow to the healing tissues is therefore less robust and the amount of vital nutrients and oxygen reaching these tissues are far less than in non-obese patients. This poor blood flow compounds the negative effects of poor nutrition. If possible, losing weight before surgery will only decrease the risk of complications.
Smoking can also really impact healing. The nicotine in cigarette smoke causes blood vessels to shrink, so again tissues do not receive enough of the nutrients and oxygen required for healing. At best, this can cause the wound healing process to take much longer. At worst, smoking can cause wounds to breakdown. Unfortunately, many smoking-cessation products will also increase the risk of healing problems because of the nicotine they contain!
Cigarette smoke also contains carbon monoxide. This combines with your blood cells preventing them from carrying oxygen and effectively lowering the level of oxygen in the blood. Since oxygen is vital for healing, it is crucial to quit smoking before and after surgery to decrease the risk of healing complications.
Another good thing to do?... Exercise. Regular aerobic exercise improves healing after surgery and boosts the immune system. Start with walking and progressively build up to more of a sweat once given the "all-clear" by your surgeon.
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Dr Chrysopoulo is a board certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast cancer reconstruction. On Facebook?.... Connect with Dr C and breast cancer patients in our FB Breast Cancer Reconstruction Community. You can also follow Dr C on Twitter!
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Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
the jointed brace
i saw the orthopod today and he was pleased enough at the way my elbow is healing that the nurse removed the splint and i got to scratch my skin for the first time in two weeks.
just removing the splint felt weird. my arm felt so naked! i had to place my left arm on a pillow and, supporting it with my right hand, walk to the xray room. then after the doc's exam, he had me lose the pillow and support just the hand while we walked over to the therapy room.
my arm hurt a bit and ached a bit more, like when you bang your funny bone and the "echoes" continue. i felt very fragile, especially when dr w told the therapist that my elbow was still unstable.
dr w assures me my edema doesn't seem to be any worse than anyone else's with the same injury. the therapist placed a stretchy tube of material over my arm. it provides minimal compression but seems to be a good first step. then she helped me put on my glove so that any edema didn't back into my hand. she helped me back into my zip-front top and then put this contraption on over it.
she told me the four buckles lock into place like ski boots do. since i don't ski, that meant nothing, but rik recognized the idea. there are two buckles above my elbow and two below, locking my arm into a 90 degree angle. in two weeks i will return for a checkup and to hopefully have the angle increased from 90 degrees to a wider angle. thus, incrementally over the next 4-6 weeks, my arm will be allowed to straighten out to its full length.
i will wear the brace 24 hours a day for the first week, even in the shower. (we'll continue to put a plastic garbage bag over it to keep it from getting wet.) i will be able to wash my arm gently with a cloth and put lotion on, an important part of lymphedema skin care. after a week, dr w wants me to try sitting on a bath bench and cradling my naked arm against my belly while showering. i am so thankful we re-did the bathroom last summer! the walk-in shower, second, hand-held shower head and teak bench have all made this unpleasant experience a bit easier.
i will wear the glove during the day and bandage at night to maintain compression in my hand.
from the doc we went to costco. look, when you need toilet paper, you need toilet paper! we also picked up fresh mushrooms, dried cherries, maple syrup, smoked salmon, tissues, vanilla, salty marcona almonds, dishwasher AND dishwashing liquid soap, "he" perfume and dye free laundry detergent, gassed up the car and each had a hot dog for lunch. i also found a cute purple cotton jacket-y thing that buttons up the front so i will have a third clothing option for the next six weeks.
because the brace weirded me out for the first few hours. i felt a bit like dr frankenstein's monster. after all this i did a little sleep therapy (i.e. took a long nap) and woke up more in touch with everything. by the end of the day i was able to wrap my brain around the concept. and of course rik has been very patient with me as i adapt to each new change.
tomorrow it's off to the dermatologist to have the bumps on my head biopsied. these days when asked what i do for a living, i answer: "i'm in health care management -- my own!"
just removing the splint felt weird. my arm felt so naked! i had to place my left arm on a pillow and, supporting it with my right hand, walk to the xray room. then after the doc's exam, he had me lose the pillow and support just the hand while we walked over to the therapy room.
my arm hurt a bit and ached a bit more, like when you bang your funny bone and the "echoes" continue. i felt very fragile, especially when dr w told the therapist that my elbow was still unstable.
dr w assures me my edema doesn't seem to be any worse than anyone else's with the same injury. the therapist placed a stretchy tube of material over my arm. it provides minimal compression but seems to be a good first step. then she helped me put on my glove so that any edema didn't back into my hand. she helped me back into my zip-front top and then put this contraption on over it.
she told me the four buckles lock into place like ski boots do. since i don't ski, that meant nothing, but rik recognized the idea. there are two buckles above my elbow and two below, locking my arm into a 90 degree angle. in two weeks i will return for a checkup and to hopefully have the angle increased from 90 degrees to a wider angle. thus, incrementally over the next 4-6 weeks, my arm will be allowed to straighten out to its full length.
i will wear the brace 24 hours a day for the first week, even in the shower. (we'll continue to put a plastic garbage bag over it to keep it from getting wet.) i will be able to wash my arm gently with a cloth and put lotion on, an important part of lymphedema skin care. after a week, dr w wants me to try sitting on a bath bench and cradling my naked arm against my belly while showering. i am so thankful we re-did the bathroom last summer! the walk-in shower, second, hand-held shower head and teak bench have all made this unpleasant experience a bit easier.
i will wear the glove during the day and bandage at night to maintain compression in my hand.
from the doc we went to costco. look, when you need toilet paper, you need toilet paper! we also picked up fresh mushrooms, dried cherries, maple syrup, smoked salmon, tissues, vanilla, salty marcona almonds, dishwasher AND dishwashing liquid soap, "he" perfume and dye free laundry detergent, gassed up the car and each had a hot dog for lunch. i also found a cute purple cotton jacket-y thing that buttons up the front so i will have a third clothing option for the next six weeks.
because the brace weirded me out for the first few hours. i felt a bit like dr frankenstein's monster. after all this i did a little sleep therapy (i.e. took a long nap) and woke up more in touch with everything. by the end of the day i was able to wrap my brain around the concept. and of course rik has been very patient with me as i adapt to each new change.
tomorrow it's off to the dermatologist to have the bumps on my head biopsied. these days when asked what i do for a living, i answer: "i'm in health care management -- my own!"
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Harmony Hill
There is a great article about Harmony Hill in today's Seattle Times. A few years ago I attended a free retreat for people living with cancer. We ate yummy vegetarian food, talked, did yoga, made arts and crafts, talked some more, practiced reflexology on each other, ate, talked and did more yoga. It was a powerful experience. I wish Rik had been there to share it with me. Other friends have gone and found the same wonderful experience as I did.
For those of you looking for a place to help you deal with your cancer, this is it.
For those of you looking for a place to help you deal with your cancer, this is it.
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