The Three Things Helping Me Heal After Surgery

Protein, lymphatic support, and rest

There’s something humbling about being the person who needs healing.

As a massage therapist and holistic wellness practitioner, I spend so much of my life helping other people reconnect with their bodies, release tension, and feel more at home in themselves. I talk about the nervous system, the lymphatic system, rest, nourishment, and the body’s incredible ability to repair.

Then I had to practice what I preach.

I recently had major abdominal surgery to repair a sizable hiatal hernia, and recovery has given me a whole new perspective on what it means to listen to your body.

I’ve had some good days, some slower days, and a few hiccups along the way, especially when it came to digestion. I’ve had to remind myself more than once that healing doesn’t happen on a perfectly predictable timeline.

And honestly, that may be one of the biggest lessons I’m taking from this experience.

You can’t rush healing. You can only support it.

For me, three things have made a meaningful difference: protein, lymphatic support, and rest.

1. Protein: Giving My Body What It Needs to Rebuild

One of the simplest things I’ve become much more intentional about is protein.

After surgery, the body has a lot of work to do. It’s repairing tissue, supporting the immune system, rebuilding strength, and adapting to everything it has just experienced. Protein provides amino acids that help support tissue repair, collagen production, and muscle maintenance.

That last part matters, too. When we’re less active during recovery, it’s easy to lose strength and muscle. Giving the body adequate nourishment can help support that rebuilding process.

For me, this has meant being more deliberate about getting enough protein throughout the day, including using protein supplements when regular meals aren’t quite enough.

Not because a supplement is some magic answer.

Sometimes your appetite, digestion, energy, or routine simply aren’t what they normally are. Having an easy way to get additional protein can make nourishment feel a little more manageable.

I’ve started thinking about food differently during this recovery.

I’m not eating to restrict. I’m not eating to change my body.

I’m eating to help my body rebuild.

That shift in perspective has been surprisingly meaningful.

2. Lymphatic Support: Gentle Care When the Body Needs It Most

This part of recovery feels especially personal because lymphatic work is also part of what I do professionally.

The lymphatic system helps move excess fluid and proteins through the body and plays an important role in immune function. After surgery, the body naturally goes through an inflammatory and healing response, and swelling or that general feeling of heaviness can be part of the process.

Manual lymphatic drainage is a very gentle technique designed to support lymphatic fluid movement. It’s completely different from deep tissue massage. The touch is light, rhythmic, and intentional.

As a practitioner, I already understood the value of gentle bodywork.

As a patient, I’ve experienced the importance of it differently.

There’s something very comforting about receiving the kind of intentional care I’ve spent years giving to other people.

At the same time, I’ve become even more aware that postoperative care needs to be individualized. Every surgery and every body is different. Timing matters, and medical clearance matters. Lymphatic work isn’t something I would recommend someone simply jump into without talking with their medical team first.

For me, it has been one piece of a much bigger picture of supporting my body while it does what it already knows how to do.

Heal.

3. Rest: The Part We’re Often Most Tempted to Skip

If there’s one thing I wish we talked about more honestly after surgery, it’s rest.

Real rest.

Not just sleeping at night and then trying to carry on as usual during the day.

Rest means giving your body permission to use its energy for recovery.

We live in a culture that can make productivity feel like proof that we’re doing okay. We want to get back to our routines, get things done, and feel like ourselves again.

But recovery asks something different of us.

Sometimes your body needs you to stop.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing.

I’ve had to remind myself that resting isn’t falling behind. It isn’t being lazy, and it certainly isn’t a failure to be strong.

Rest is part of the work.

And sometimes listening to your body means doing less than your mind thinks you should.

A Little Update From My Recovery

I’ve had a hiccup here and there, especially with digestion, so my recovery hasn’t been perfectly smooth.

That’s okay.

As of my most recent postoperative visit, I’m technically out of the woods and have been cleared to return to work. That feels like a pretty significant milestone.

But I’ve learned not to confuse being cleared with needing to immediately go full speed ahead.

Healing isn’t linear.

Surgery is a significant experience for the body, and that experience can affect the mind and nervous system, too. I’ve become even more aware of how connected our physical and emotional well-being really are.

So I’m taking the next steps slowly.

Take a step. Watch and wait.

See how your body responds before asking it for more.

That has become my recovery rhythm.

And I’ve learned that support matters, too. Emotional support matters. Physical support matters. Having people who can listen, help, check in, or simply remind you that you don’t have to do everything yourself can make a real difference.

Healing Isn’t a Race Back to Who You Were

I started this recovery wanting to get back to normal.

Now I think I’m looking at it a little differently.

I want to feel strong. I want to feel comfortable in my body. I want to have the energy to participate fully in my life and do the work I love.

But I also want to take what I’ve learned with me.

Protein has reminded me that nourishment is foundational.

Lymphatic support has reminded me that sometimes gentle is exactly what the body needs.

Rest has reminded me that I am not a machine.

And recovery has reminded me that listening is just as important as doing.

These aren’t universal instructions for recovering from surgery. Every procedure, medical history, and body is different. Your healthcare team should always be your first resource for your individual recovery.

These are simply the things that have supported me.

And perhaps the biggest lesson of all is this:

Healing doesn’t have to happen quickly to be happening.

Sometimes you take a step forward.

Then you pause.

You listen.

You let your body catch up.

Then you take another step.

That’s still progress.

If You’re Going Through It, Too

If you’re preparing for surgery, recovering from surgery, or supporting someone you love through it, be gentle with yourself.

Give yourself permission to move slowly.

Accept help.

Nourish yourself.

Rest.

Ask questions.

And don’t assume that a slower day means you’re moving backward.

Your body has been through a lot of work. Give it the time and support it needs to do its own work, too.

And if you or someone you love is going through something similar, I’m happy to share the resources that have helped me along the way.

With care,

Tammy Kantor

Founder, Ultra Connected Wellness

Medical note

This is a personal account of my recovery and is not individualized medical advice. Follow your surgeon’s postoperative instructions and speak with your medical team before beginning massage, lymphatic techniques, supplements, exercise, or other supportive therapies during recovery.