Things they don't mention before surgery

Congrats on your date! I stayed in the hospital for 6 days. I brought and needed my robe, cell phone, Ipod, lotion, and a note pad and pen. (some care givers can be a trip, I was taking down names)   But like Nikki, I slept most of the time. Good luck!     

I was thinking about my Ipod...I just brought a touch so I can put on some sade or play monopoly (lmao) if it gets too noisy!!

congrads I was in and out overnight so I can't tell you what to take other than underwear and something to do your hair or a scarf. You will soon be on the losers bench we have a spot for you.

You won't need a lot of stuff in the hospital.  Travel light. 

If you can get your post op prescriptions filled before you go into the hospital, that would be helpful.

Put everything in your house that you use a lot at waist-level or higher.  Slip on shoes were a life saver for me.   It hurts to bend over after surgery.


Unless you absolutely have to, don't go to the hospital by yourself.  Have somebody there with you who is assertive and that you trust to look out for you just in case something should happen. 

Here's a link to some Patient Safety brochures from Joint Commission:
http://www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Speak+Up/

Thanks for the advice...I didnt think about the bending aspect

Don't take anything you can't afford to have stolen. 

I took underwear and a firm pillow for the ride home.  That's it.  I wore home the clothes I wore in.  The hospital provided MORE than enough toiletries and slipper socks (with the grips on the bottom).  I had a private room so I wasn't too concerned with having a robe.  And I took sponge baths (no shower in my room).  I did have my kid bring my cell phone & charger after surgery, but I slept with the phone tight in my grasp.  When I wasn't sleeping, I was high as a kite & couldn't have focused on reading if my life depended on it.

IMHO, less is best.

Honestly, I say don't bother buying a robe.  My hospital actually furnished one for us, but far as I'm concerned I coulda thrown a gown on as a robe to walk the halls.  The only thing I truly, truly, truly needed was my carmex.  Everything else was extra.  The first day all I wanted to do was sleep, the second day I was better and jus****ched a little TV, the next morning I was discharged and had enough energy to take a quick shower so I was glad I had my own soap and lotion, but otherwise I really could have checked in with nothing (except carmex) and been just fine. 

Hey,
I am not sure if we are just talking about things to take but one thing no one told that i wish they would have is that I would have a gravy cannon on my A$$ for a few days.  I did not expect that at all but like i was told AFTERWARD water in water out.  It is not cute so i thought i would warn you.  But mind that I had RNY.

I dont have a post about what you need,, but for ME,,, this was the case.


They didnt tell me that my nurses would be SO DAMN LOUD!!! They in and out your room, prodding you all nite(which I expected) but damn,,, JUST cuz they are wide awake at 413am, doesnt mean everybody has to be.

THAT is what I wish I had known before surgery. And I was there just ONE night!!!!



Que

I just brought a robe( because I'm always cold), slippers because I hate my hospital's socks, my suduko book, chapstick, underwear and pads because like my luck would have it, I started my period the next day after surgery.  I also brought a pillow and that thing was a life saver in the hospital and the car ride home.  Oh yeah I forgot I also brought a camera.