Packing for hospital

Makday

Hi all you lovely people,
I am newly diagnosed 15th Feb invasive lobular cancer, have had all the tests as usual and am due for surgery this Thursday.  I am quiet numb from the diagnosis,  like everyone, this wasn't supposed to happen to me. I didn't have the best year last year, caring for my 24yo daughter who suffers from depression.  Long story short, I appear to now be the 'focus in our family!
Just wondering if there are any tips on things to pack for my 3/4 day hospital stay? I have my pillow from BCN, my bra for later and am getting a surgical bra Monday. Hubby and I will be 2hours from home, I don't want to forget anything! He is staying on site at the hospital, he will be so bored, so any tips for him would be great also.
I look forward to your hints, tips and advice.
Beth

AllyJay

Hi there @Makday..good luck for your upcoming surgery. My essentials for hospital are as follows. Light pashmina or shawl to pur around your shoulders when sitting up (for eating and so on) as the air conditioning is often quite cold in hospital. Especially if your bed is directly under the ceiling outlet. Slippers that have a non slip sole and are put on easily without you having to bend down and use your finger to get the heel on. Button down the front nighties or pyjamas as lifting your arms up to put it on and off will be a bit difficult. Also you'll probably have drains, and having the buttons will make them easier to deal with. Bendy straws so you can sip fluids without having to sit all the way up. Your own tea and coffee as hospital ones are terrible. Hard sweets to suck on, such as mints or Werther's or somesuch. Bickford's Lime cordial as the bottled water given to you at room temperature is a bit average. Face wipes to freshen up. Lip balm as the air conditioning can also dry lips. Kindle, rather than books or magazines as you can hold it far easier with one hand, and can lie on your side and read without glasses pressing into your temple and nose...just enlarge the font. I always take an assortment of knitting as I love to knit. Ear plugs or noise cancelling earphones to block out the buzzers, trolleys, people chatting in the corridor in the wee hours and my personal hate, doors slamming and staff wearing clack clack shoes. Small change for vending machines. Others will, I'm sure add their own must haves.

Makday

Thanks @AllyJay. All helpful tips. 

iserbrown

The list, What to Pack for Hospital, was put together as a result of us forum users and users of the RYC site.  Hopefully you will find it very helpful

https://www.reclaimyourcurves.org.au/information-sheets.html

Best wishes with treatment

Makday

Thank you @iserbrown, great bits of info there

kmakm

Long recharging cords for your devices!

I'm sorry you've had to join us here. We all know that numb feeling. It does eventually pass, though many of us still feel like it's all a bad dream from which we're bound to wake up... There will be some silver linings along the way though. Hang in there. Big hug, K xox

Sister

Great advice already given but if your hospital has a garden, take a dressing gown that you're happy to be seen outside in and some slip on shoes, and ask your doctor for permission to do your walking in the garden after surgery.  They like you to get up and walk and a garden is so much better for the soul than travelling the corridors.

Beryl C.

If you know your hospital ID label everything or use your surname. I also made a list of everything I packed and had that in my overnight bag - gave me a focus prior to admission and avoids those awful moments such as, 'I'm sure I packed my toothbrush'.

Jax1964

I have forgotten my toothbrush on my last two admissions!

Prunes. Start eating prunes two days before surgery and keep going for a week (or two) after. The anaesthetic and other pain killers are cruel to our poor bowels.

Does Hubby do jigsaws? There's several at Casuarina House at Westmead.