Knowing the difference between the terms Recovery Rehab and Recuperation and, understanding the ability of your own body, power of your own mind and the role of your environment is going to greatly affect the desired outcome, in this case getting better, becoming pain free and as healthy and independent as you possibly can.

This is the 5th episode of the podcast and I am slowly finding my feet in this world of podcasts. As I read and research and sort through my work experience I find myself getting excited and getting lost just as a child who would love getting lost at a lolly shop. Now you would want to roll your eyes and say really Aruna, but it's true, sometimes I have to really drag myself out of my study to go and do some housework, but here is how you win. Since I do not live doing housework, I do not drag myself too much. But cooking and eating are all together different things.

But you see if we want a better story for our health we will need to do the things we have to do to get the outcome we want to get, in this case a better health.

So let's first look at some definitions and explanations for Recovery, Rehab and Recuperation.

Recovery 

According to learners Dictionary.com

“the act or process of returning to a normal state after a period of difficulty,”

Rehabilitation

To bring (someone or something) back to a normal. Healthy condition after an illness, injury, drug problem, etc.

Or

to bring (someone or something) back to a good condition 

Recuperate

to return to normal health or strength after being sick, injured, etc...

If we really look into it, there is not much is it. But then again, if you look into a hospital scenario, I have not heard the word recuperate since I left India. In western world recuperate is not the word freely used or at least I have not heard it.

When you have a surgery, you come out of the theater; you go into 1st stage recovery, that is you go into a unit where you recover or come out of the anaesthesia. If you are going home, then you are transferred out to the day surgery unit, if you are staying in the ward overnight you are transferred to the ward and if it was a complex surgery or you need specialized care, you go into the Intensive care unit.

This is where the process of your discharge starts, usually if everything is going as expected, you are seen by your doctor, you can go home. This is an uneventful admission. People end up staying longer for many reasons.  Some people will go into rehabilitation. Another thing in recent experience that I have noticed as a reason for admission was reconditioning.

Through all this process, the aim remains to get the patient or client to progress to a stage where they can easily either look after themselves or can be easily looked after by family or careers.

But the thing is, I have noticed how up till date we have been looking after our health, both body and mind, comes into play. Our relationships come into play, our environment comes into play, our faith comes into play, our finances come into play and most of all our mental chatter comes into play when due to unforeseen circumstances we have to stay in hospital longer. They come into play when we don’t really get rid of the problem for which we went into hospital and had surgery. They come into play when we acquire some other problem when we are in hospital.

I remember once I was visiting a loved one in the hospital; I got pulled aside by a family member to see if I would visit her friend who was in the hospital quite sick but refusing treatment as he was unhappy how they treated him. I sympathised of course, and went to see him, we have met before so he was happy to see me. We chatted for a little while and I asked if he was going in for his scan, oh dear he stated “this and then and this and that he went on and on and on.

No one likes the feeling of vulnerability esp when one is aware the consequence of all the testing may not be in one’s favour. It was becoming very hard to put a word in. And of course after some time I have had enough. So in a very very straightforward way I told him something like “how that hospital staff treated you was very wrong, but what you are doing to yourself is not very smart either, because of someone else’s bad manners you are willing to forgo your own treatment, to make yourself suffer then I can say nothing more to you”

I said it then so regretted it, because there is often more to a story than we realize, isn’t it? Oh, please do come and share your thoughts with me when you think you have done this, said something and regretted it. But the outcome of this was great. You see, I had 2 fold fear, one upsetting the said gentleman who was already upset, then setting my relative making her feel bad for bringing me in. When I came out of the room I said nothing, later when I could collect my own emotions and gather my own courage, asked her how he was faring and admitted to not being my best self, she was kind of surprised. She said he was so impressed with me, for being the right thing that he needed just at the right moment.  I told her the story of what had happened, and she said it had the desired effect, he got out of his own way and let the treatment progress.

You see for me recuperation is a journey, it's the day in and day out of everyday life that we change and cope and nourish and flourish in that needs to be done for us to recover our health or close to it. It's the choice of thoughts and actions that contribute to this journey. It has to be a personal initiative. As of now I have not seen any much research in this aspect. I suppose in many ways doctors and nurses and scientists are all people and hospital is not a magician’s hat that you go in as a handkerchief and come out as a rabbit. If you just consider looks, science has advanced enough to make humans look different.

But we also look different when we feel different, when we feel rested, when we feel refreshed, when we are recuperated. Recuperation is more than recovery, recuperation is more than rehabilitation. Recuperation is when you body, mind and your soul is rested, cared for both by you and someone else.

Growing up it was country air, long moments of contemplation, early nights, long deep sleeps, simple healthy food , simple walks and good company. Since I come from a big family I also understand the value and importance of someone telling me what to do. Because they are experienced and invested in your well being. I found a great article for you, it was written in 1892 you will find it in the show notes.

All this takes time and effort. How your recover and rehabilitate  matters to how you recuperate. Remember to attend the online educational on Recovery after Surgery, the details can be found on www.thestoryofyourhealth.com

Recuperation is not for just after surgery, a busy life needs to recuperate too if not sickness soon follows. Our body is amazing, the more I teach the more excited I get, now I tend to find songs that will help my students remember their anatomy lessons better and of course keep them awake too. So I hope you are on our FB group to ask questions and give me your feedback about an episode. Please remember I am new to the world of podcasts you like and share means a lot to me.

I wish you good health. Until next time.

Love

Aruna