Upcoming hysterectomy 3/17: Packing for surgery

What did you pack for the hospital stay?
My doctor told me I might have to stay at least 3 days.

Books, a notebook and pens. I brought a range of reading material from a flower bulb catalog (pretty pictures) to a couple of short story collections to a denser collection of geological essays. The first day after surgery, I was completely stoned. The ceiling was fascinating. By the second day I was much more alert and would have gone bonkers without anything to read. I blasted through all the lighter fare and got started on the essays.

My roomie had a large collection of puzzle books to keep herself busy.

Don't bring any electronics (or anything else) that you'll be really annoyed if they get stolen. Also don't assume that your room will have a free electric socket to plug in a charger. Mine didn't. The bed and my two IV pumps took up all the sockets.

I did two laps around the ward the first day after surgery, many, many more the second and third days. I wore croc wannabes in lieu of slippers for walking - they were nice and secure. I'm tall and hospital gowns are short on me, so I enjoyed having a longish, lightweight bathrobe for walking. Also, the bathrobe had long sleeves, and my long, skinny arms were chilled in the hospital AC. Other than the crocs and the robe, I wore the gowns and underwear provided by the hospital. Let someone else do the laundry!

My hospital provided a basin of water, a bar of soap, a facecloth and a nurse to do my back. I was glad to have brought toothpaste, a toothbrush and a hairbrush. Brushing my hair made me feel more human, esp. as I didn't have the opportunity to wash it.

Hospital air is dry. Bring chapstick and hand lotion. Hard candies in case your throat is sore. A pack of tissues.

Hospitals can be noisy at night and they're never truly dark. Bring ear plugs and a sleep mask.

If you wear glasses, bring a hard case to park them in during surgery. Bring a watch or small clock if you want one at your bedside for easy reference.

I brought a bright coloured cloth bag to hold various small items that I wanted at my bedside. It was easy to find even with my glasses off.

If there's one small item that will really cheer you up, bring it. Could be a religious or spiritual item, a family photo, etc. I brought a pet rock. (No, I'm not kidding. It's one billion year old marble and represents endurance.)

Wow, that's a long stay! What are you having done? I would pack as minimally as possible if you have someone available that can bring you something else if you find you want it. Phone/tablet, book, throat lozenges, maybe a robe. Wear in an outfit that will be god for wearing out will help you minimize. Also toiletries if you prefer to use your own

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Originally Posted by SurprisedInNB Books, a notebook and pens. I brought a range of reading material from a flower bulb catalog (pretty pictures) to a couple of short story collections to a denser collection of geological essays. The first day after surgery, I was completely stoned. The ceiling was fascinating. By the second day I was much more alert and would have gone bonkers without anything to read. I blasted through all the lighter fare and got started on the essays. My roomie had a large collection of puzzle books to keep herself busy. Don't bring any electronics (or anything else) that you'll be really annoyed if they get stolen. Also don't assume that your room will have a free electric socket to plug in a charger. Mine didn't. The bed and my two IV pumps took up all the sockets. I did two laps around the ward the first day after surgery, many, many more the second and third days. I wore croc wannabes in lieu of slippers for walking - they were nice and secure. I'm tall and hospital gowns are short on me, so I enjoyed having a longish, lightweight bathrobe for walking. Also, the bathrobe had long sleeves, and my long, skinny arms were chilled in the hospital AC. Other than the crocs and the robe, I wore the gowns and underwear provided by the hospital. Let someone else do the laundry! My hospital provided a basin of water, a bar of soap, a facecloth and a nurse to do my back. I was glad to have brought toothpaste, a toothbrush and a hairbrush. Brushing my hair made me feel more human, esp. as I didn't have the opportunity to wash it. Hospital air is dry. Bring chapstick and hand lotion. Hard candies in case your throat is sore. A pack of tissues. Hospitals can be noisy at night and they're never truly dark. Bring ear plugs and a sleep mask. If you wear glasses, bring a hard case to park them in during surgery. Bring a watch or small clock if you want one at your bedside for easy reference. I brought a bright coloured cloth bag to hold various small items that I wanted at my bedside. It was easy to find even with my glasses off. If there's one small item that will really cheer you up, bring it. Could be a religious or spiritual item, a family photo, etc. I brought a pet rock. (No, I'm not kidding. It's one billion year old marble and represents endurance.)

SurprisedInNB thank you so much for all of this. I'm on the right track because as I read your post I was saying check because I have all these items except for books and puzzles. I'm not a reader of books I always depends on my phone for that.
Didn't think about the connection in the room as far as charging my phone. When I went for preop this past week they told me all the rooms are private since it's a newer hospital. Glad for that because hubby will be staying with me.

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Originally Posted by coughy16 Wow, that's a long stay! What are you having done? I would pack as minimally as possible if you have someone available that can bring you something else if you find you want it. Phone/tablet, book, throat lozenges, maybe a robe. Wear in an outfit that will be god for wearing out will help you minimize. Also toiletries if you prefer to use your own

I'm having the LAVH if no complications and if he do not have to cut on my stomach. Going in Friday and provider said discharge on Sunday. I hope no complications and I go home on Saturday.

If it's a newer hospital they may have built in more outlets. :-) I loved my hospital and got great care there, but the building was built in 1975 and expanded in 1991!

Also, is the hospital near enough to where you live that you can send your husband to pick up odds and ends? My hospital was a two-hour bus ride away from where I live, so I brought everything I thought I would need.

Be aware that by the time you leave, you're likely to be swollen with retained fluid. I'd suggest wearing something loose around the waist for the trip to the hospital so that it will still fit afterwards. I also found I couldn't jam my swollen feet back into my sneakers for the ride home, so I wore my crocs.

Everyone has great suggestions already.
I'd also bring:

Earplugs
Sleep mask
Some candy-just as a treat
Healthy snacks- you may be starving and the cafeteria is closed.
Your own pillow- wish I had mine.
Something to keep busy...book, puzzles etc...
Lotion, shampoo, bath soap, toothbrush etc.

I had to stay an extra night and only had ear plugs and toothbrush/paste. I didn't expect to be there 2 nights. I so badly needed fave soap and shampoo to atlas wash my bangs.

I also wasn't aware there was a patient's lounge on my floor...it would have been nice to get out of my room for a bit. So ask about a lounge, I had one nurse who I adored! Probably because he was the nicest and I got to know him, the others made me feel like an inconvenience.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by UniqueLaugh ...I also wasn't aware there was a patient's lounge on my floor...it would have been nice to get out of my room for a bit. So ask about a lounge, I had one nurse who I adored! Probably because he was the nicest and I got to know him, the others made me feel like an inconvenience. Good luck!

I was told that I had to stay on the ward (because I had an epidural catheter hooked up to a bag of narcotics) but I certainly didn't have to stay in my room. Then nurses encouraged me to get up and walk laps around the ward. Not thrilling, but the walking was good for me and it made for a change.

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Originally Posted by SurprisedInNB I was told that I had to stay on the ward (because I had an epidural catheter hooked up to a bag of narcotics) but I certainly didn't have to stay in my room. Then nurses encouraged me to get up and walk laps around the ward. Not thrilling, but the walking was good for me and it made for a change.

By ward do you mean your room? Or is the ward, the entire floor?? The patients lounge was on my floor but when I arrived after recovery, no one was expecting me.

I had high blood pressure and high heart rate so I didn't get to go to the baby floor for recovery because they had to monitor me and the baby floor wasn't equipped for the monitoring I needed.

So, the day time nurses weren't very welcoming, they were trying to get my room set up after I arrived in there, they were "discussing" and "arguing" with other nurses how busy they were and how no one knew why I was there. It did not give me a good impression. I didn't even have dinner because I wasn't told dinner ended at 7! I was wheeled into the room and left for about 1 1/2 hours.

Luckily, the nurse change happened at 7:30 pm and I got the best male nurse! He was a lifesaver! I was so thankful to have him on the night shift. The first night I was hooked to a blood pressure machine, I had the massaging boots on...so I only got up for the restroom.

The daytime nurses didn't encourage me to walk the halls the next day, it wasn't until 2 hours before discharge that I walked the hall with a nurse and saw it. I was walking in my room though and right outside my room. My room was huge, it actually had another bed in there that they ended up removing so maybe it was a double room. But it would have been nice to know the lounge was there, I may have even invited visitors if I knew.