Encourage the patient to continually stretch to new distances, times, or whatever they are working on. Encouragement is an amazing way to get a patient to walk around the halls one more time, sit up just a little bit longer, or to eat a little more food.

I didn’t even want to move after surgery, but it is important to start moving as soon as possible.  Having my family right there pushing just enough was amazing.  Of course, I wasn’t all that appreciative at the time. . .

I didn’t want to eat.  Food tasted strange.  I felt nauseous.  However, food was important.  I didn’t even know what I liked or wanted.  My family figured out what I liked and what would stay down best.  They talked to the nutritionist to get those things onto my tray.

Walking in the corridor took awhile.  At first I could only walk a couple steps.  Then I could walk to the door.  And then a few steps in the hallway.  Initially, I was surrounded by family and nursing staff.  That allowed me to build my strength and confidence knowing that they were always there to catch me.