Packing hospital bag

Would like some suggestions.  Aside from the sweats, laptop, phone/charger and maybe some pillows.  I would love to know if there's anything else I could really use while in the hospital...

Thanks!

Chapstick and mouth wash. That first day you can't have NOTHING ...but they do let you rinse your mouth with mouth wash, and the use the chapstick for dry lips before and after surgery.

My GF never even opened her laptop. I didn't bring mine. If you aren't sleeping they will have you up and walking. I was allowed to shower so you might want to bring that stuff. Right after I showered I was in my sweats and walking the hospital floor - then get back to my room and crash.

Chapstick or something for your lips...I wouldn't take pillows, they will give you what you need and you don't want to bring 'hospital germs' home. I took my ipod and listened to healing music. Something comfy for your feet to stay warm. I took a robe. You don't want alot on your stomach. I wanted to get up and walk...wow, it was such a long time ago...I was pretty much recouperating while I was there and trying to get home as fast as I could. Take a friend or loved one...to help you out.

Maybe some newer post ops would remember more....

Best of luck to you...I love my WLS....

deb366

yeah... i agree with the ladies... chapstick & ipod are the essentials.  A robe is good too because they will have you walking around as much as possible and you might be cold.  I was given a sponge bath daily while in the hospital from the nurse.  Not fun, but it did the trick.  You wont have much energy at all. So a laptop will prolly just catch dust there.  You will be pretty horizontal in bed most of the time and you absolutely won't be able to have the laptop on your belly.  I brought my phone, but never even looked at it.  I just kept hitting that magic pain meds button and off to stonerville I went.

Maybe some fuzzy warm socks with the rubber grippies on the bottom.  I was given some at the hospital but they kept falling down - crappy quality.  If you do bring warm fuzzy socks they really do need to have the rubber grippies on the bottom so you dont slip.  The nurses probably wont let you walk in them if they don't have the rubber grippies.

Chapstick is a must. I also took a robe and was very glad I did. They didn't have one my size.

While sweats are great for the bottom, I'd suggest an old, very loose button-up shirt for the top. It would have been hard pulling something over my head and raising my arms. A button-up was much more practical.

I suggest old stuff because my drainage tube leaked (even after it was removed). When I arrived at home my shirt had a terrible blood stain.

I agree with everyone on the chapstick. They had me up and walking the same day I had the surgery. I was given a sponge bath, well they let my ex do it for me which was enough to make me feel sort of clean. I wouldn't bother with the laptop. My hopsital had computers available for personal use, you just had to walk to them, I walked over but was more concerned with getting my walks in and then resting so I never logged on. If I wasn't walking I was resting and I did read a little and wrote in my journal a little. GOOD LUCK!!!! Ohhh I brought my good luck golf ball too...corny I know but that's me.

Wow, thanks!  It's pretty dry here in CO, so the chapstick is a given.  I use mouthwash made for people with dry mouth, so I'll bring it too.  My robe got lost in my move from Texas (not happy about that)...I guess I'll have to get one somewhere.  I actually don't really have any button down shirts, since I am too big for what I did have (so I gave everything to Goodwill before I got into the surgeon).  I'll figure something out.  I have slippers already....I could just bring those!