Hello I get surgery on August 19th. What are some must needs you need in your hospital bad (I know a lot say you don’t need much) and what are a few things you found you need for after surgery and that would be helpful?

I’ll be purchasing things before surgery so I have after.

I do not eat anything with gluten or artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors. Your meal trays will have jello, protein gel, flavored stuff like popsicles. I brought my own protein shakes, gluten free broth, herbal teas. Turned out the hospital did have some GF broth that was tasty, but I supplied the rest of my food.

Did anyone use a abdominal binder for the ride home for comfort? I am just remembering hating the ride home from my gallbladder removal surgery back in November and wished I had some support. Every bump or turn on the road hurt me and I found out about the abdominal binder later on.

On 06/04/2019 at 19:23, Bianca S. said:

Did anyone use a Abdominal binder for the ride home for comfort? I am just remembering hating the ride home from my gallbladder removal surgery back in November and wished I had some support. Every bump or turn on the road hurt me and I found out about the abdominal binder later on.

Haha, I used mine 24/7 for the first month. Loved that thing!!!

For the hospital stay itself I only needed toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and chapstick.

For once I got home I had lots of different liquids to choose from (Gatorade Zero, Crystal Light, Diet Peach Snapple Iced Tea), sugar-free popsicles, sugar-free pudding

I'd just add phone + charger and hairbrush to the list above.

18 hours ago, Bianca S. said:

Hello I get surgery on August 19th. What are some must needs you need in your hospital bad (I know a lot say you don’t need much) and what are a few things you found you need for after surgery and that would be helpful?

I’ll be purchasing things before surgery so I have after.

For my stay in the hospital I put the following into a little travel makeup bag so I could have it in easy reach on the tray table & stuff wouldn't be rolling around:

Toothbrush & Toothpaste (my mouth was so freaking dry & nasty I brushed my teeth at least 4x that first night)
Hand lotion
Face lotion
Eye drops (some people get very dry skin after surgery, figured having these on hand wouldn't hurt)
Chapstick


I had a second bag with all my chargers.

At home:
Sugar free popsicles
Diet Snapple
Protein shakes
Whatever soup you're allowed

Some type of rubber bottomed slippers or other easy to get on but not easy to trip you type of footwear for walking the halls. I loved my short sleeved zip up robe to wear on top of my gown to not show off my butt. I just zipped it up for my walks and zipped it open when I was in bed. Bring a magazine or something to read so you can sit up in a chair and do something if you don't feel like being on your phone. Underwear and pads because a lot of women will start their cycle early after surgery.

I brought:

Pajamas (I was not going to wear a hospital gown with my butt sticking out the whole time)

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Hairbrush

Deodorant

Cellphone charger with 6' cord

Book (which I didn't read because... drugs)

I didn't need an abdominal binder. My gallbladder surgery which I had 2 months post-op was more painful than the bypass surgery. They did give me a Bari-Bear if I needed it.

Edited June 5, 20197 yr by mousecat88

@mousecat88
I’m dying to know what a Bari-Bear is. Is it a giant stuffed pillow bear? That is what I’m imagining.

I was given a firm little pillow, made by hospital volunteers, I remember being really sore in one spot, and holding that little pillow really tight over that area helped a lot. I used it when I coughed, sat up, or repositioned. It was invaluable at home as a prop against my tummy when I slept or had to get up out of bed, out of the recliner, or off the couch. That little friend went every where with me for at least a couple of weeks.

I would ask ahead of time if the hospital has such pillows, They often used them for open heart patients who need to support their chest incisions. If not, take something like that = the size of a travel pillow, but very firm.