How to Rebound From A Serious Illness

My illness started out like any other intestinal virus, not pleasant but certainly not serious. My symptoms abated around 2 am. Later that morning, I ran a low-grade fever and felt like a wrung-out dishrag, my usual modus operandi after a stomach bug. However, as the day wore on, my fever rose, and the stomach soreness I’d assumed was from heaving all night gravitated to my lower right abdomen. Uh oh. As a former nurse, I knew that could indicate appendicitis. Read on to learn how to rebound from a serious illness like I did. 

“Honey,” I told my husband, “Maybe we’d better go to the emergency room. If nothing else, I’m sure I’m dehydrated.” A little IV fluid would soon set things right. 

But lab work and a CT scan confirmed I did, indeed, have appendicitis. What? I didn’t have time for surgery. My mom required twenty-four-hour care. Even though we had caregivers, I went to her house twice daily to give injections and put her to bed. At the time, she also had a special intravenous line through which she was receiving nutritional supplementation and antibiotics, which I administered. My dad needed me in a myriad of ways, and the caregivers depended on me to do the shopping and coordinate everything. I was indispensable. Wasn’t I?

Surgery revealed a perforated appendix. I was sicker than I realized and spent a week in the hospital, along with several more weeks recuperating. Yes, it was hard to sit still at home when my parents needed me. But friends and family pitched in to help them during my absence. Giving myself time for proper recovery ensured I’d be able to assist them in the long run.

As much as we try to manage our health, serious illness can take us down without warning. How do we rebound, especially when others are depending on us?

Reasonable Exercise

I enjoy taking long walks around the lakes in our subdivision. I don’t mind saying, I was proud of my pre-surgery legs, but by the time I was discharged from the hospital, my calves looked like pancakes. Floppy pancakes.

According to WebMD, as little as two weeks of inactivity can cause a 30 percent loss of muscle strength, even in young people. Although the hospital staff had me up and walking the halls soon after surgery, I was nowhere near ready to resume my usual two-mile-a-day treks at home, much less fitness training. After any surgery, injury, or prolonged illness, we’re wise to approach exercise with caution. Slowly increasing activity while heeding our bodies’ signals to slow down or stop helps us heal without doing further damage, but heaven help us if we do too much.

A friend found that out the hard way. After major abdominal surgery, she followed her doctor’s directive not to bend or lift, but staying on her feet too long during a holiday with family caused bleeding to resume and put her back in bed. When she started walking the second week post-op as instructed, she didn’t realize that meant “around the inside of the house, not half a mile three days in a row with the dog.” Another setback.

ercise is vital for recovExery and prevents serious complications, such as blood clots, but listen to your body. Sleep downstairs, recruit someone else to walk the dog, and leave the Christmas tree up until Easter if you have to.

Recuperative Diet

Healthy eating is part of a healthy lifestyle anytime, but especially when we’re healing. For one thing, our bodies need more protein to repair or replace damaged tissues after surgery or injury. Regardless, our stomachs may not be ready for a juicy steak or blackened salmon right after an illness or surgery. Remember, other sources of protein, such as dairy products, eggs, legumes (dried peas and beans), and nuts and seeds (including quinoa). 

Though carbohydrates have taken a bad rap lately, they are the quickest source of energy and are therefore vital for healing. Many conditions, such as fever, deplete the body of calories, while others require increased calorie intake to promote healing, as is the case with severe burns. Carbohydrates are the best source of those calories. However, simple sugars and refined carbohydrates may cause blood sugar spikes that lead to inflammation. So stick with complex carbs like whole grains. 

Whenever my sisters and I were sick, our grandmother blended a drink made with egg, milk, sugar, and vanilla, her version of a protein smoothie. Though I wouldn’t recommend consuming raw eggs, we never suffered, and we always looked forward to the treat. Poached egg on toast is another old-fashioned remedy and often easy on the stomach. Both combine protein and carbs. 

Getting our nutrition is not always easy during recovery. Nausea can interfere with appetite, and anesthesia may affect the way food tastes. (Ice cream—my comfort food—suddenly tasted like regurgitated baby formula following my surgery.) It helps to consume frequent small meals and stick with bland foods for a while. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water and other healthful liquids and augment nutrition with vitamin and mineral supplements.

Restorative Rest

Rest is imperative to recovery. In the best of times, we need seven to eight hours of sound sleep to maintain health. When we’ve been ill, we need even more. While we sleep, our bodies repair cells, reduce inflammation, and boost the immune system. It sounds like a prescription straight from heaven. 

Unfortunately, many factors following illness interfere with sleep. Pain is one. Sometimes over-the-counter or prescription medications relieve our pain. At other times, we may have to be more resourceful. I know of patients who soak in hot tubs or Epsom salt baths before going to bed, affording them a good night’s sleep. Some find relief with heating/vibration pads. 

Cough or other breathing difficulties can also interrupt sleep. In addition to medications, sleeping in a recliner or on several pillows may alleviate the symptoms enough to allow for sound sleep. And keep the effects of caffeine in mind. If sleep is already elusive, avoid chocolate and carbonated tea, coffee, or sodas.

Melatonin, a sleep aid, is often used to induce a good night’s sleep. Produced naturally by the body during sleep, it is also found in foods that enhance sleep, such as milk, eggs, and nuts. There has even been evidence that melatonin reduces inflammation and some types of pain, increasing its effectiveness as a sleep aid. It’s not a cure all but may be worth investigating, though it can interfere with other medications and is not a good long-term solution.

Reviving Faith

Sudden illness or injury throws our lives out of kilter. One of the most overlooked keys to recovery is spiritual health. Some studies have shown that strong faith combats stress along with its resultant ill effects, including high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and neuro-hormonal changes. Stress not only generates problems of its own but also hinders healing and recovery. Strong religious convictions help mitigate those effects. Even more studies have shown an encouraging correlation between faith and mental health.

Beyond the quantifiable physical and mental benefits, faith produces a peace and hope that doctors and scientists can’t explain. As Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” No amount of medication, treatment, or physical therapy has the healing properties that allow us to rebound from illness, like knowing Jesus does.

Recovering Health

The body has an amazing ability to recover, if we just get out of the way and let it. But we have to remember it’s a process and takes time. Exercise, diet, rest, faith—nothing new to a healthy lifestyle, but in recovery from health challenges, they take on greater significance. When we intentionally apply these four pillars to our lives, we can rebound from serious illness more smoothly and rapidly.

About the Author

Tracy Crump dispenses hope in her multi-award-winning book, Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness. A former ICU nurse and homeschool mom, she cared for her parents and 100-year-old mother-in-law. Tracy has published hundreds of articles, devotions, and short stories and offers caregivers encouragement and practical tips in her new blog, Caregivers Corner. Connect with Tracy at TracyCrump.com.