Many patients prepare extensively for the procedure itself — but recovery preparation often gets overlooked.

Healing increases demand for nutrients involved in tissue repair, immune support, collagen production, and recovery. HealFast was designed specifically to support the body before and after surgery with physician-formulated nutritional support created for the recovery process.

Instead of scrambling afterward, many patients now prepare for recovery before surgery even happens.

Because supporting recovery starts long before the procedure is over.

Prepare to Heal

Read time: 3 minutes

Good morning, 66.1ers.

On Wednesday, a patient showed up to our scheduled Zoom call 15 minutes early. Had already written a page about what she’s currently doing to manage pain, how it’s working, what new pain management strategies she’s willing (and not willing) to try while we work together. Wants to feel strong enough to walk 30 min/day.

If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice a few patterns here:

1.    She’s on time. Most providers are tight on time already. Show up late and you’re not going to get your full appointment time, or you’re going to make the provider late for every patient after you for the rest of the day.

2.    She has data. In this context, we’re working on pain. And we ask all patients to keep a “pain log” to monitor any changes to their pain, anything that made it better? Worse? How’s the new physical therapy program working? That sort of thing. The doctor in charge says it’s like monitoring your blood pressure. Hard to know if we’re helping if we don’t have data.

3.    She knows where she’s going. Walking 30 minutes/day. Lives near a pond, loves the birds. Walking works your full body in a way that a home exercise program just can’t. Not to mention the effects on mental health. And, “once I get moving more, I have more energy.” A very clear Wellness Vision is rocket fuel for your health journey!

My guess is she’ll be a successful patient!

Played in a softball game on Tuesday night. Chatting after the game, one guy has 2 relatives with cancer, not going that well for the one with breast cancer. Mastectomy, lumpectomy. Should’ve been a double mastectomy because the lumpectomy didn’t get all the cancer. Now it’s a double mastectomy. Means 2 separate recoveries from breast removal surgery. Means the cancer spread for months while they thought they’d gotten rid of it.

Angelina Jolie made the prophylactic double mastectomy famous, turns out breast cancer affects the humble folks of Montana, too. Now, my teammate’s family is angry at the doctors, trust is gone. I wonder if the doctor knows this? Knows how to repair the trust? Or is it too late?

Made me wonder why the doctor suggested this route when there was a less “risky” route available? Would anything have been different if she had sought a second opinion? What would be the doctor’s version of this story?

Another friend told me of their friend who was just diagnosed with cancer, doesn’t like the idea of all the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, isn’t there something more holistic/naturopathic? 

May I offer a suggestion? Do your own research. Use ChatGPT/Claude to help. Get on Reddit, Facebook, everywhere people who have been through what you’re going through spend time online. Ask your MD about the naturopathic stuff, ask your naturopath about the allopathic (“traditional”) stuff. Record all the conversations, synthesize the notes into a doc. Talk it through with friends and family. Take a glance at this handbook.

BTW, what did your doctor say when you asked how urgently you need to decide what you’re going to do? No sense in rushing a decision if you don’t need to.

Have a friend/loved one who’s navigating a new diagnosis? Maybe you want to forward this to them?

Have fun out there.

Marcus

PS what would you ask your doctor if nothing was holding you back?
Send a reply here if you want, I reply here to every email.

PPS as always, none of this is medical advice!