If you find out that a friend or family member recently needed to have emergency foot surgery, your first thoughts are probably something along the lines of “I hope they are ok, and I wonder if there’s anything I can do to help?” While every situation is unique, there are usually a number of things you can do to help a friend or loved one who recently underwent emergency foot surgery. In today’s blog, we share some ways that you can help someone who recently had emergency foot surgery.
Helping After Foot Surgery
Every situation will be unique, so this won’t be a perfect guide for every type of emergency foot surgery, but one thing that all emergency surgeries have in common is that the patient doesn’t have much time to prepare for the operation or their recovery. Knowing this, you can take a few steps to help them in the wake of their procedure.
1. Offer Rides – Your friend may not need a ride home from the surgical center, but there’s a good chance their ability to get around or drive will be hindered for a while. Reach out and see if you can give them a ride if they need to get somewhere in the coming weeks.
2. Bring A Meal – Cooking may also be a little difficult on one foot, so offer to bring over a healthy meal. They won’t be able to be as active as normal while they are recovering from foot surgery, so bring over a healthier option to help prevent weight gain while they are recovering from surgery.
3. Gift Card – You can also send your loved one a gift card to let them know that you are thinking of them. Don’t know what type of gift card to get? Just keep the two above topics in mind. Get them a gift card to a restaurant that delivers or buy them an Uber gift card so that they can hail a ride when needed.
4. Pet Help – If they will be in the hospital for a little bit, offer to pet sit if they have any pets at home that need care. If they have a dog that loves walks, let them know that you’d be willing to come over and help their furry friend get some exercise since they won’t be able to walk as easily while they recover from emergency surgery.
5. Run Errands – Ask your friend or loved one if there are any errands you can help with while they are recovering from foot surgery. See if you can pick up their groceries from the store or shuttle their kids to and from soccer practice for the week.
6. Give Them A Call – Once the stress of the first couple have days have subsided, send your friend a text or give them a call to let them know that you are thinking of them. Sometimes all they need is to know that others are concerned for their health.
7. Help With Schoolwork – Finally, if your friend is in high school or college, consider bringing them their homework or taking notes for them if they have to miss a couple days of class. Nobody wants to fall behind in school because of a health issue, so see if you can assist with their school needs.
If you do even just one of these things, your loved one will be grateful for the help. And if you or someone you know needs help with a foot or ankle issue, consider getting in contact with Dr. Silverman and the team at Silverman Ankle & Foot today at (952) 224-8500.
