top 3 things I would suggest to take to the hospital

chapstick--mine was a delicious gingerbread flavor from avon, YUM! ear plugs-the beeping, the nurses coming in and out...your snoring roommate--trust me! tank top of light t shirt to wear under you binder. I got one yesterday--(surgery was monday) and it was great. It would have been a hassle to put on any sooner, since I had an IV and all kinds of other stuff connected to me... but thrusday was shower day---and I gladly put that tank top on and it felt so good! The binder is still a pain in the ass, it rolls up, rolls down, binds, pinches, itches, etc... but you will reduce the rash/chafing if you have some protection under it. as for books and magazines, people broguth em to me at the hospital but I could barely read. Even on the last days.. I was jsut not with it or it made me sleepy. Headphones, I brought those, but I had too many wires already to deal with that. I put them on this morning before I left and that last about 5 minutes. I wanted peace and quiet. By the way, we had had enough of the noisy nurses, cleaning people, nursing students, who all seem to jsut stand RIGHT outside your door and talk away! So we asked the nurse to close out door. THat was the best move we made! We actully got some good sleep on thrusday and we did well on thrusdya night too. We wolk up eveyr few hours and went walking, but most of our sleep was uninterrupted and it was darka nd quiet in there!

Some very good ideas. Thanks.

Hi, Kristen... I agree on the chapstick...who says we have to have plain jane lip balm??? Mine was (and still is) Tootsie Roll scented/flavored. Those closest to me wrinkle their nose up and say, "Ewwww" when they smell it but, of course, THEY just finished off a real Chocolate Snickers bar. I think it smells WONDERFULLY like chocolate and it definitely lifts my spirits. I didn't have to wear a binder...this is put on day three after surgery to 'hold' everything together? How long do u have to wear it? I agree with reading books or mags...brought 'em...but they stayed right in the bag. Had absolutely no inclination to read. The last day I watched about 1/2 hr of T.V. and then THAT got annoying, too. By the time it was the third morning rolled around and Dr Wynn came in around 6:00 AM and said they were springing me that morning, I was packed, bathed, dressed, and ready to go by noon. The last 1/2 hr drip of nausea meds they put in the I.V. (no, wait the last one was anti-biotic..anybody know what these meds were called???) took FOREVER. So did the wheelchair...but I really think I was just be plain impatient at this point. Thank-god I didn't voice any of this...they would have read me the riot act. I was so ready to leave and come home...not because my stay was unpleasant (well... u know) but I was just so restless and wanted to come home. Thanks for posting, Kristen! -Karen

Geeez, sorry about all the typos!!! I meant to go over it and fix everything, but I just click submit!! how embarrassing!