Am I moving in to the castle?

I was just wondering how big of a bag everyone brought to the hospital with them. I am going in on Thursday for my radical TAH and will be in for 5-7 days at least, according to my gyn/onc.

I have found such wonderful suggestions on this site that I think I may have overdone it a little when I started packing my bag today. lol. I was trying to decide between a large and small duffel bag, but I can hardly close the large duffel bag (and there are even a few things I was still planning on picking up). I really thought I was keeping it to a minimum, but I don't want to embarrass myself walking into the hospital with a huge piece of luggage if that isn't normal.

Are there any suggestions from those that have been there on the size of the bag and how to scale down to only the most essential items? For example, I think I remember the hospital supplying a toothbrush and maybee some personal items when I had my children, but I am not sure if all hospitals are the same. I would sure hate to find out the hard way!

I brought a very small duffle (about the size of a bookpack), but I was only going to be staying for 3 days. I didn't bring many changes of clothes--a tank top (2 would have been good), a very lightweight robe (the hospital gown would have been fine), a light fleece sweater, a couple pairs of my husband's boxer shorts, a novel, a mini-DVD player and a few DVDs, an ipod, some lip gloss, a travel pack of facial wipes (which I didn't use), travel-sized shampoo, an eye mask for sleeping, some ginger tea bags, a toothbrush. The best thing I brought was the ipod, by far, and next best was the eye mask.

Do you need to take your own bath towels in American hospitals?

I brought things to the castle that I really didn't need because I was unsure when I packed. I only found Hystersisters after my surgery.

I did use my robe, slippers, toiletries and something loose fitting for the ride home. I brought a word search book and magazines.

I don't recommend bringing anything of value. You should probably leave your electronics and your wallet at home. Your family can always bring in and leave with those items as they visit. Also, your hospital may have restrictions on items like cell phones.

I found it most easy to keep my "lovely" hospital gown on. The dr and nurses kept checking my incision and my PJs would have been harder on everyone.

Whatever you decide, I hope it works for you.

All the best.

Don't take any makeup.You probably won't feel up to it.All I took was 1 pair of pj's,slippers,1 bra,2 pairs of panties,1 pair of socks.Hairbrush.Sample size shampoo,conditioner,deodor,tootpaste.I did bring my own toothbrush.Don't forget to pack your own pads.The hospital ones are big and bulky.I also took chap stick,pond's wipes for face,and wipes for body.I did take a book but was unable to read.I took a pillow for stomach.I didn't need it since I had a tvh,but I did use it on the way home to sit.I left curling iron and hair dryer home.By the time you take a shower you won't feel up to messing with your hair.That's all I can think of.Hope it helps.Good luck with surgery..

The best thing I took was my Brush Ups, the finger toothbrushes. They were great to have. When I couldn't get out of bed, but wanted "fresh breath" they were great. No water needed.

Here is what I felt was essential: my own hystersister night shirt, eye mask and ear plugs, stuffed animal, robe, brand new slippers, comfort blanket (my mother crocheted for me when I was a teenager), ipod ipod ipod, little bag to attach to the hospital bed so I could reach my ipod and earplugs etc when no one was there, my special brand of lip balm (blistex daily conditioning treatment in a tub), cell phone, my own pillow with a brand new colorful pillow case. Yes, I moved in. The nurses kidded me when I walked in that I was going to a slumber party.

On taking reading material --
I am a HUGE reader. But I found that for several days after my LSH (even with no big incision and little heavy-duty pain meds) I could not read. I couldn't concentrate. I had my partner get me a trashy mag -- I thought that would be good -- but for the first couple days I couldn't hold it up. It was too tiring to raise it up and my abdomen was too tender to balance it on. So don't pack lots of reading!

Also, I was so out of it, I never unpacked my own robe (just used the hospital's), socks, pads, you name it. I just used whatever was handed to me. Two things I couldn't have lived without -- my own pillow, and a small stuffed animal I found comforting.

Good luck!

I forgot--I loved having my cell phone with me, and also my slippers. And a little note book and pen to jot down questions for the nurses and doctors, since I couldn't remember a single thing. That helped a lot.

The hospital provides towels, pads, toothbrush and paste and soap and shampoo and socks and heating pad and ice pack and extra pillows if you don't want to bother with bringing yours.

I wish I had brought a really tempting, bland snack, since the hospital food was incredibly disgusting, and I really needed to eat something but I couldn't bear their food. Reeses cups would have been a great comfort! My hospital wanted to keep track of what I was eating, but it would have been fine with them if I wanted to eat my own food.

Thanks for all of the great advice. One thing I think that might be bulking up my bag-I haven't actually taken anything that I bought out of the packaging that it came in. I think I will do that before I leave to slim things down and also I may not be up to it after the surgery.
Tiva, thanks for mentioning the snacks. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere on this website and was considering bringing some, but was wondering if I would even have an appetite. I bought chocolate M&M Kudos bars thinking those would do nicely for me and anyone who came to visit me, and I wasn't sure if I was even going to bring them.
I had a hard time finding those brush-ups. I had to order myself in a whole box of 12 from work. Anyone who needs a pack of 12, send me an e-mail because I have 12 packs of 12 and I hope my mouth won't be that stale! I'm sure I will have extras that I can mail (each pack is fairly small).
As for wearables, I packed 2 PJs, a lightweight robe, a pair a slippers, and 3 "granny panties". I brought some travel personal items in a small bag-toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, mousse, hand sanitizer, contact solution/case, deodorant, hairspray, face wipes. I have pads with wings (those stay on better), Oral-B brush-ups, lotion, a hair pick, scrunchie/barette, razor, lip balm, always feminine wipes (2 days without a shower-ugh!), hard candy/mints, thank-you cards, small pad of paper/pen, magazines/book, phone card, handheld electronic game, cell phone/charger, pictures of my kids/husband, small pillow, the Kudos bars, and some Dove chocolates.
I think I am moving in. I do wish I had a small radio or ipod. We recently moved, and we can't seem to locate the portable CD player. I wish my hair didn't need so much TLC-it is waist length and naturally curly. It tends to get really frizzy when I lay on it, and I can't just wash it and leave it without styling products or it is really scary. (I am not complaining about it really; I do love it when I have taken the time to make it look nice.)
Keep the suggestions coming! I appreciate them all. I think I will leave the book at home. Everyone seems to have the same to say about that.