What should I pack for my hospital stay :)
gsbanks1
Posts: 69 Member
My Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass surgery is scheduled for Aug, 2, but I was just contemplating what to pack for my hospital stay. What items were you thankful for packing and what items did you wish you would have packed? I don’t want to be stuck at the last minute scrambling packing my bag. Thanks 
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Replies
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ipod for doing laps
tablet with netflix & headphones - most hospitals have free wifi
Your own pillow
Slippers
Bathrobe
Shower stuff
Chapstick
Lotion
Magazines but not books- you won't be reading anything!
Comfy clothes for when you go home
Hand Sanitizer
Good Hair Ties
Face Wash
If I think of anything else I brought I will post it but I think thats it! Don't bring too much because you won't need it!0 -
Only other things I have to add are:
Slip on shoes
cell phone for texting and/or calling family and friends (I didn't want to talk to anyone, but I did text some just to let them know how I was doing)0 -
Haha honestly I packed a ton of stuff and didn't use half. My go-to's were:
A pillow from home
Ipod
a Puzzle book-- I'm a sudoku and word puzzle nerd
sandals
chapstick (you will desperately want this haha)
comfy clothes--we're talking baggy pants and loose t-shirts
hair ties/bands/whatever you use
Cell phone0 -
I took my own pillow...I hate hospital pillows.
a small flat pillow to use to brace my belly when I was sitting up or coughing
very loose fitting pjs ( I am not a fan of hospital gowns)
slippers
something to read
toothpaste
lip balm
shampoo and shower soap (that first shower felt soooooo good)
toothbrush
mouthwash ( i had breath from hell as soon as I woke up)
hair scrunchies
a can of dry shampoo to use until you can get in the shower (its awesome...just srpay it in your hair and brush...instant touch up)
my cell phone and the charger
something very loose fitting to wear home. You will be sore and your belly will be swollen...nothing tight0 -
I brought my computer and watched Netflix for 4 days and had about 4 months of Vogue magazine to look at.. The pillow for coughing or adjusting is a good idea but I had a port on my left side and the other one right in the center so I probably couldn't have used it anyhow. My doc went the distance w/ precautions.
Just don't bring too much you'll regret it when you are trying to get out of there. At one point you are just going to want to go home! ;o)0 -
Pillow, very loose clothing, books, robe. I didn't really watch anything, just read. I was in a fair amount of discomfort, so I didn't do much else. I thought it was nausea, so they gave me tons of nausea meds and blew out my vein. It was really pain, and I felt so much better after I could drink down some vicodin.
Oh, I used the pillow for the trip home. I had a long ride, so it helped cushion my belly from all the jiggling during the rough ride. A high vehicle is good too -- you don't want to have to crouch down to get into a car. Stepping up into a truck is actually easier, if you have the option.0 -
Awesome. Thanks everyone for the responses. I am thinking I should just bring the bare minimum. The hospital is literally threee minutes from my house, so if necessary anything I forgot at home could just be dropped off. Im so excited I ready to begin the rest of my life 0
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I packed a full bag of everything I THOUGHT I would need or use... I never opened the bag) The hospital supplied everything I would need as in clothing and toiletries... I didn't feel like opening the books I brought, and I was in a private room, so no need for headphones for the tv... and didn't even care that it was on really Spent most of my time walking the halls, talking to the staff. 0
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Awesome. Thanks everyone for the responses. I am thinking I should just bring the bare minimum. The hospital is literally threee minutes from my house, so if necessary anything I forgot at home could just be dropped off. Im so excited I ready to begin the rest of my life
You've got the right idea.
I'm not sure how the surgery goes for other people, but for both of mine I was drugged out of my mind most of the time. The PCA pump was my friend. I did laps in the hallway with two nurses and slumped over my IV pole most of the time :P
A hairbrush and hair ties were the number one things I used while I was there! If you have long hair like me, conditioner would be good too. I didn't like the hospital provided shampoo. Also, CHAPSTICK. You will really want that. Oh, and I had someone bring me slippers because I couldn't bend over with my incisions at first to put my socks on/take them off. I can't sleep with socks on, so this was really helpful.
Good luck! Aug 2 is right around the corner!0 -
I only packed a few items to shower, my ipod, phone + charger, and my going home clothes. I spent most of my time sleeping or being dazed from the pain killers for the first two days and just left the TV on sometimes even though I wasn't really watching it. On day 3 I thought I was doing good and tried to listen to a book I had on my ipod but turned out I wasn't ready to focus on anything for that long yet even if I was awake. I guess I've just always packed light.0
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They only kept me overnight! Did I get the bum's rush, or was it because my RNY was done laproscopically?0
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Mine was a lapro RNY, I'm glad they didn't kick me out in a day I seriously might have hurt myself at home. I was up and walking end of day one and mostly getting to the bathroom on my own but I think those were the only two things I was awake for.0
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I can thank my dear mother who came and managed the household, so I could just rest and take my meds.
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Chapstick, a book, and a my phone.0
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I just had my surgery July 30th. My favorite things in the hospital were:
1. Ask for glycerin swabs!!!! They are amazing for a dry mouth, especially since you can only drink a little at a time. Get them from your nurse right away after surgery. Trust me.
2. Crocs. A lot easier than socks, nonslip for walking, something I could slip on and off without bending over. Also, they look a lot less dorky when compared to the hospital gown and IV pole.
3. Baby wipes. Nice for cleaning up, wiping my face, feeling fresh.
4. Toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick, hairbrush, hair ties, deodorant, obviously. You might want to bring those wisps, the little toothbrushes on-the-go that don't require water.
5. Phone, headphones, and charger. I couldn't make calls or text, but I had some audiobooks loaded that got me through the long boring nights.
6. A TV guide. What else are you going to do?
7. A nice pair of underwear. When you can put them on again, it will feel so much better and make those frequent -pull-up-your-gown-and-show-me-you-stomach examinations so much easier. I just used the ones I wore in.
8. I wish I'd had a handheld fan. The hospital was quite stuffy. Not that I can complain if that was the extent of my discomfort.
I stayed in the hospital gown for the 3 days I was there. They gave me a new one each day. I didn't use the pillow or blanket I brought with me. I was mostly awake but uninterested in books or magazines. Most of my time was spent with the TV trying to drink my liquids.0
