Stay well read for optimal well-being

Knowledge is a valuable commodity at any time, but when it comes to dealing with a challenging medical procedure and the need to maximise one’s recovery, it is positively invaluable. So, time spent poring over a good book may well be the best few hours you will ever spend.

Director of The Clavadel, Charles Geoghegan and Head of Nursing, Emma Alcott have taken the time to compile the following short list of recommended reading for those about to undergo surgery. Whether you become engrossed in a chosen publication or simply dip in at your leisure, there will be something to benefit everyone here:

  1. In the Sunday Times bestseller Recovery: The Lost Art of Convalescence by Gavin Francis, the author expounds on his view of medicine as an ‘alliance of science and kindness’. With deft prose, Francis reveals how, and why, we get better, and that – when it comes to illness – the end is sometimes merely the beginning. Full of hope, Recovery is a short but uplifting book concerning the transformative nature of healing.
  2. Hip Expectations: How to get through a hip replacement by someone who should know better is a practical and humorous guide for those embarking on a hip replacement or about to care for someone on their return home, post-op. Written by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Jonathan Hull MD FRCS (ORTH), Hip Expectations’ down-to-earth approach reflects the experiences of someone who, after many years of performing such operations, suddenly found himself to be the patient.
  3. As hip surgeon Jonathan Hull languished on a surgery waiting list, he took the opportunity to offer a patient’s perspective in Waiting for a New Hip? Tips to make your wait easier. A handy companion to Hip Expectations by the same author, it is packed with useful advice, including exercises, medication options, and tips to make the waiting process more bearable.
  4. Following his excellent insight into hip replacement comes Jonathan Hull’s reflections on knee surgery. In partnership with patient Alexandra Dewar, the co-authors present Knee Expectations: How to recover well from a knee replacement, in which they describe the journey before, during, and after knee replacement. By explaining the reasons knees break down in the first place, this comprehensive book answers the questions that prospective patients are afraid to ask while managing to stay thoughtful and, at times, amusing.

As you can see, there is a wealth of knowledge within easy reach to help you prepare yourself for the pathway back to health. All the books listed are reasonably priced and available on Amazon.