What did you wish you had brought with you to he hospital for surgery that you didn't? Bypass scheduled for 10/24

Or what one thing did you wish you knew before you had to learn it for yourself??

TIA!!

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There was nothing I missed. Remember that tons of people are forced into hospitals every single day with no advance warning and hospitals have on hand what is needed for all patients, whether they come with a neatly packed hospital bag or not.

Here's what I took: extra underwear, lip balm, tooth brush & tooth paste, deodorant, comb, extra long charger cord for my phone, soft cotton bra that fastens in front, no underwire.

You don't need pajama bottoms or a robe or anything like that. The hospital provides gowns, just put an extra one on facing backwards when you go out walking. Hospital gowns are built to accommodate things like drains and IV lines, your own clothes are not. Plus, whose clothes would you rather get wound ooze and IV fluid on, yours or the hospital's?

Wear comfy, loose fitting clothes to the hospital (I wore an empire waist cotton dress, it was perfect) so you can wear the same clothes home.

The hospital will provide no-slip socks for walking.

You won't need a lot of stuff to entertain yourself like books or a laptop or anything. You'll be too out of it.

Don't pack a bunch of OTC meds like gas-x -- many hospitals won't allow outside medications (plus gas-x works on intestinal gas, not surgical gas floating around outside your digestive tract).

Make sure whoever takes you home brings a pillow for you to place between the seat belt and your abdomen.

Good luck!

Edited October 3, 20169 yr by Bufflehead

I packed a bunch of stuff and used none of it-didn't feel well enough to need entertainment. I did being a robe to drape over myself to walk around the floor, toothbrush and toothpaste. I also brought an extra set of clothes to wear home-very loose and easy to pull on/off.

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My iPhone and a remote charger (Anker brand from Amazon works great and is cheap). The remote charger has enough on it to completely recharge my phone 3 times. Much easier than trying to access a wall plug.

Earbuds, too.

I'd loaded some iBooks on there as well as music and movies.

Some comfortable gym clothes.

Make sure your driver home brings a pillow as well as your pain medication. Take a dose whether you need it or not and use the pillow to hold against your abdomen during the ride home.

Use pillows to stay propped up in bed...

Get up every couple hours and walk.

Go on longer walks outdoors a couple times a day.

Long charging cord, my own nightgown and robe. I was SO happy I brought my own. If I had oozed on them (I didn't), so what - it's just a nightgown lol. I was happy I was comfortable in my own nightgown and not one of those uncomfortable, scratchy hospital gowns.

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I took my pillow and an extra soft snuggly blanket, phone, iPad and chargers for both plus a headset. Didn't use anything else I took. Found I slept most of the time.

Good luch!