Hearing the words, “You need to have an operation,” can be one of the most frightening things a person can experience while talking to their doctor. In fact, it is perfectly normal for feelings of anxiety and fear to surface.
For those that live alone, having surgery can be a particularly vulnerable time.
Your Surgery Coach can assist you on how to best prepare for surgery. Your Surgery Coach was founded by Maggie Sergio, an Aberdeen resident who first began her work as a surgery coach several years ago while living in California. Her inspiration to help others prepare for surgery was her own experience with undergoing two total hip replacements within six months.
Maggie recalls her “aha moment” one afternoon in 2009 while receiving an acupuncture treatment. She had been using acupuncture to manage her own hip pain due to osteoarthritis. Maggie told her acupuncturist that after doing research, she had found a surgeon she felt good about and was going to have her left hip replaced.
The response from her acupuncturist was extremely positive. Her response was “Great, now that you’ve made the decision to have your hip replaced, I am going to change your acupuncture treatments. Moving forward, your treatments will be geared towards strengthening you, and getting you in the best possible shape for your upcoming surgery.”
What dawned on Maggie was the significance of her acupuncturist’s words. She thought about the major trauma that was about to be inflicted upon her body, and the need to have both her body and mind fully prepared and relaxed.
In addition to her acupuncture treatments, Maggie undertook her own “surgery readiness plan” which included visualizations, hypnotherapy and reiki.
She was amazed at how quickly she healed from her first hip replacement. After leaving the hospital, she did not require any pain medication. Her orthopedic surgeon and support team she had in place was stunned at her progress, and when she had her other hip replaced six months later, her healing was even faster.
After she was completely recovered from her second hip replacement, Maggie sat down with her surgeon to discuss the preparation she undertook, and they talked about the concept of an integrated health approach – one that combines the best of allopathic and holistic therapies. Maggie shared with him her plans to launch Your Surgery Coach, and he was fully supportive of anything that helps a patient to reduce anxiety prior to surgery. He was also surprised that it hasn’t been done before.
Maggie is a certified hypnotherapist, and she has been trained and certified by psychotherapist and author, Peggy Huddleston to deliver the Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster™ workshop.
If you want to learn more about how Maggie can help you prepare for your upcoming surgery, she offers a free, 20-minute phone consultation. You can contact Maggie through her website, Your Surgery Coach.
