What did you wear in the hospital? What did you wish you had brought with you?

So my surgery is a week from today and I am trying to figure out what clothes to pack. I will be there from Wed till Friday Morning (hopefully)

I don't own pj's....I usually sleep naked, but clearly thats not gonna fly in in hospital.

I don't want to wear a gown when I am taking my laps around the nursing station.

Do you think my workout clothes would work?

Can I bring my own pillow?

Is there anything that you are really grateful you had at the hospital, or somthing you really wish you had brought?

In general, I don't think you need to bring much.

Walking around the halls, I wore two gowns - one frontwards, one backwards.  I did not want anything with elastic - still bugs me now sometimes even.  I did not need to bring my own pillows though they were in the car.

I ended up staying in the hospital an extra three+ days and was terribly bored.  Just be sure you have a plan (partner, pet care etc.) for if something unexpected happens.

I took a lot with me, the only I used was chap stick, that's is the most important thing to take. I wore the hospital gown and then when I was walking I used another to cover up my back side. I did not want anything touching my stomach so PJ's, shorts or jogging suit was out. I did take my own pillow and that was good to have and nice for the ride home if you hit any bumps. I can't believe your day is a week away, good luck!!

Jeff

I wore elastic gym shorts and my funky tie dye t-shirts. The nurses loved them. They said they brightened up the place.

CHANCES ARE YOU WONT BE IN THERE TOO LONG... But, think comfort!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in that little hospital gown most of the time. I was smart enough to pack a pair of boxers just for the modesty factor... With all the tube and monitors you wont be able to ware much.. You will probably loose your sense of modesty though. I swearer that night of surgery I wanted out of that bed so much and I had so may drugs in me I walked around that floor with my ass hanging out of that darn robe and did not care a thing about it. EVERYONE was doing it.

I went to the hospital in a pair of sweats and a tshirt I didnt put them back on till an hour before I was to leave. Keep in mind that you will have to do an upper GI again before they release you and you're in your underwear for that anyway so waring to many cloths presents a problem. I dont know about the pillow I dont think my hospital would have allowed it because of the germs.

bring  chapstick!!!!

I wore the lovely, open-backed olive drab hospital gown.  Hey, I didn't wanna bleed on my own clothes!!!

I took a bunch of crap that I never even used/looked at/read/whatever because I was too doped up on morphine.

Take comfy clothes and a pillow for the trip home and some lip balm.  That's all you need.

I used the johnnys they had in the hospital. I would have killed if I had to have anything tight on my belly.

I second what other have said about a pillow for the ride home and chapstick. Also don't forget breath spray. It helps keep your mouth moist naturally. And an extra pillow in the hospital for coughing is also good.

Slip on slippers you can put on without bending over.  I actually didn't have a problem bending over, but I didn't want to, so having those things around was a load off my mind.

I tend to over-prepare for things...which equals to packing a lot of stuff I didn't need.  However..... I did use my own undies under the gown every day as I didn't want my butt hanging out and it made me feel better.  I wished i had taken my mp3 player...but then someone might have stole it, so if you are a light sleeper, you might want to turn the tv on really low.  I also took socks and actually wore a pair each day (I had help getting them on).  I also took my own soap, toothbrush, and toothpaste.  I also took shorts and tshirts for everyday I "thought" i was going to be there...but didn't end up wearing any of those until the last two days.  The last day I actually wore my shoes too...had to have a nurse help me put them on...but it got done and then I went walking around the hospital in my gown and boots....(in the hospital you really don't care how you look!  LOL).  DEFINATELY want chap stick.  If you LOVE to read, you might want to take a book...but I never got to mine.  I was planning on a 3-4 day stay....I was there 6 days!

OH, and something you might be able to talk the group into is letting you sip on ice water to wash your mouth out...My mouth was pure cotton for the first 24 hours....I promised (had to cross my heart and all) not to SWALLOW the water, and they finally let me swi**** around to wet my mouth a little....so you might be able to strike up a bargin. 

I hope this helps!