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THE FOUR PHASES OF SURGICAL RECOVERY
By: Dr. Albert G. Wagoner, Via: Sonoma, CA & Hemet-San Jacinto, CA
Each patient, along with the family, usually goes through four phases of
recovery, following an accident or illness that results in loss of function
of an important part of the body. Only the time required for each phase
varies. Knowledge of the four phases of recovery is essential. They are: The
Shock Phase-The period of psychological impact. Probably, you remember
nothing of this phase after your operation. Nevertheless, it is a phase that
requires a lot of support. The Defensive Retreat Phase-The period in which
you defend yourself against the implication of the crisis. You avoid
reality. Characteristic in this period is wishful thinking or denial, or
repression of your actual condition. For example, an ostomate believes that
his/her entire colon is still there and will be connected later. The Phase
of Acknowledgment-In this period, you face reality. As you give up the
existing old structure, you may enter into a period, at least temporarily,
of depression, apathy, agitation, or bitterness and of high anxiety. You
hate your stoma, yourself, you cry a lot, pity or condemn yourself. You may
not eat, be unable to sleep or want to be left to die. In this phase you
need all the support that can be mustered. The Phase of Adaptation-Now, you
actively cope with the situation in a constructive manner. You adapt, during
a shorter or longer period, the adjustments that are necessary. You begin to
establish new structures and develop a new sense of worth, with the aid of
an Enterostimal therapy nurse and an ostomy visitor, you can learn about
living with an ostomy. Aided by your physician, social workers, ostomy
association and family, you go about rebuilding and altering the life that
brought about the condition. Sound familiar?

Check the link below for the original version of that online newsletter
article:
http://www.ostomy.evansville.net/aprilnews4.htm#THE_FOUR_PHASES_OF_SURGICAL_RECOVERY