Katherine McFarthing -Operation Recovery Client

“What is quite amazing is that I followed Mac-Nutrition’s advice & philosphy shortly before my second operation and instead of being bed ridden for a week I was up and walking around my ward within 24 hours. The doctors and nurses were quite shocked. My surgeon and the anesthetist even spoke about how impressed they were with the few supplements I had been advised to take!”

“In August 2008 and December 2010 I had two major upper body skeletal alteration operations in order to correct a condition I had since birth – a severe funnel chest.

I don’t want to write too many gory details (so maybe avoid the following sentence if you are a little squeamish) but the surgery involved extreme bone reconstruction where my sternum was moved about three inches forward which involved removing cartilage connecting my breastbone and ribs, cutting my main pectoral & upper body muscles and having metal inserted – pretty intensive!

Both times post op I was very delicate; as many of my upper body muscles were cut and as my bones were reshapen, I had to relearn how to move and even breathe, cough and sneeze. To put my weakness into perspective 2 whole months after recovery I found lifting anything heavier than 2 pints of milk almost impossible. I had to completely rest my body, consequently losing all upper body strength.

What is quite amazing is that I followed Mac-Nutrition’s advice & philosphy shortly before my second operation and instead of being bed ridden for a week I was up and walking around my ward within 24 hours. The doctors and nurses were quite shocked. My surgeon and the anesthetist even spoke about how impressed they were with the few supplements I had been advised to take!

I was advised on what foods and supplements would aid my body in repairing itself. I was advised to eat foods that were quite high in protein and fat such as nuts, avocado, full fat dairy, olives and steaks with the fat ON and told me to increase my protein by eating more meat and drinking yummy chocolate protein milkshakes… I totally wasn’t complaining with my new food plan!! (I’m still eating these foods a year and notice that I have been getting ‘leaner’!)

I was advised to reduce my carbs (but not remove) as I was pretty sendentry – as I understand it, foods that are high in carbohydrate like bread and pasta don’t have much ‘goodness’ in them that are necessary for proper functioning of the body. As I needed the maximum amount of nutrients in order to repair my body carbs just had to be lowered.

I also asked for and received exercises due to their expertise in Strength & Conditioning. My strength has been gradually building, I still have a long way to go but my chest and arms have never felt so good.

If I compare my recovery times between operations, I definately felt stronger and recovered faster during my second procedure and I put that down to eating & drinking the correct balance of nutrients that my body was evidently requiring.

I am very thankful to Mac-Nutrition for all the help and advice they offered – I really do believe they have changed my life! I’d recommend them to anyone who has an operation looming – Food really should be promoted to patients as a fundamental tool in recovery (not just my words, my surgeon and anesthetist too)! I would love to see Mac-Nutrition changing medical policies on this – I will definitely be a backer!”

Katherine McFarthing, Cambridgeshire