I'm pretty sure none of us would volunteer to go under the surgeon's knife, unless it's for cosmetic surgery, of course. Unfortunately, surgery is a necessity for some of us if we want to stay in good health. Very often, it's not the operation that's a difficult experience but what comes after it. Unless you're undergoing a relatively minor procedure, recovery is a pretty slow and sometimes painful process. But if you follow the rehab program your doctors map out for you religiously, there's no reason why you shouldn't be on the road to normalcy soon enough. If you've just undergone a surgery or know someone who has, here are a few tips for a successful and speedy recovery:

1. Thinking makes it happen: It may sound magical, but it's true; it's all in your mind. So if you think you feel better, you actually will feel better. You must stay in a positive frame of mind and think about recovering step by step rather than worrying and obsessing over the aches and pains that are sure to be a part and parcel of the aftermath of a surgery. It's a natural healing process, one that is necessary for you to get better. Rather than thinking of the pain, real or imagined, try and focus your mind on other activities. Watch television, read a book, (unless you've had eye surgery), play a board game or cards with friends and family members, work on puzzles, and if you're able to get out of bed, keep yourself busy with something or the other, activities that don't tax your weak body any more than is necessary.

2.Rehabilitation is necessary: Almost all surgeries come with their own rehab programs. You must follow them religiously if you want to get better in the fastest possible time. Yes, some exercises and routines may cause discomfort and even a little pain, but as long as your doctor says it's normal, you must keep up with the therapy for as long as necessary. Remember though, not to overdo things in your eagerness to get back to normal

3. Following instructions is important: If you need to take medication, do so; if you have to go to the hospital for regular check ups, do so; if you're not supposed to lift heavy things, don't; if you're supposed to follow a certain diet, do so; in short, do all that your doctor says you must and stay away from all that you're not supposed to do. It's extremely important to follow post-surgical instructions if you want to avoid complications and recover in the fastest possible time.

4. Going a step further: If you've undergone heart surgery, once you're back to normal, it's best you adopt a lifestyle that's suitable to the kind of illness you've suffered and the type of surgery you've had. So you need to stay fit with a mild form of exercise, eat the right kinds of foods, and avoid strain on your heart. Similarly, for an orthopedic surgery that involves joints, you need to keep up with your physiotherapy even though you don't feel any pain because your muscles must be strong enough to prevent similar injuries in the future. You goal after a major surgery must be to prevent similar situations from arising again, which is why you need to take steps and follow a lifestyle that keeps you as far away from the hospital as possible.

By-line: This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of online surgical technologist schools at her blog iScrub.