My recommendations on what to take to the castle

Hi All,

I had a TAH on May 8 and was discharged late day on May 11. This is a composite of all the previous hints I reviewed and what I actually took to the castle (and used):

* lightweight cotton knit robe (used over the hospital gown when walking the halls so that I didn't have to flash folks)
* footie socks with rubber tread on the bottom (purchased at TJMaxx, didn't want to wear the hospital ones the day after surgery)
* rubberized Okabashi scuffs to walk the halls (I didn't want to put dirty socks back in the sheets on the bed.
eyeglasses (I left my contacts at home)
* plastic basket (from the Dollar Tree store. Perfect for all the stuff one needs in bed, without everything rolling off or falling on the floor)
* cough drops (not sugar free, don't need the added gastrointestinal distress problems)
* chapstick
* pen
* notepad (needed to write down name of guests/gifts, nursing staff to compliment hospital about)
* butterscotch disks, cinnamon disks, bucket of puffy peppermints (put them in the bucket and advised all hospital staff to take some candy as they exited after each visit. They loved it! Maybe they were a little nicer and more timely??)
* hairbrush
* hair clip (I didn't care what my hair looked like, but needed to put it up and get it off my face and neck)
* cell phone (started making calls to family four hours after getting to regular room from recovery)
* iPad (so helpful to answer email and read in bed)
* cell phone/iPad charger
* extension cord (needed to get the iPad and cell phone to the bed and didn't know where the nearest outlet would be.)
* ear buds (to listen to videos on iPad when dh was sleeping)
* pillow pet
* black eye shade (purchased from Bed Bath and Beyond), great to wear when sleeping or napping b/c someone is always coming in and turning on the light!!!)
* A-Line tee shirt dress (purchased from Woman Within to wear home from hospital. Was lightweight and didn't press against incision)
* flip flops (wasn't going to wear tennis shoes...couldn't bend over to tie anyway LOL!)

What I didn't need:

* contact lenses
* hand lotion (didn't care about it)
* nightgown (easier to wear the hospital gown and the lightweight robe over it)
* magazine (had no attention span)

Best purchase upon going home:

Arnica Gel (purchased at vitamin store or health food store) this is a gel in a small tube and I used it twice a day on my bruises! I was receiving heparin shots twice a day in my arm (had choice of stomach) to prevent blood clots. By the time I got home, my arms looked like I had been in a serious battle. The gel was about $6.99, and totally worth every penny!!!