Hospital Bag

I have, for a very long time, kept a small bag packed in case of an emergency hospital stay. This includes a few days ostomy supplies, which are no always so available in hospital.

I feel that if I am not so prepared I am actually tempting fate.

Alexa on my mobile phone has a full list of my usual medications, Also, have this list in hardcopy in my diary.

When I went on eighteen months ago, for a small operation, I thought I had everything I needed with me, but found that I should also have taken some cereal bars. Went in early in the morning, not having been allowed to eat from 9 pm the previous night. Felt really peckish by the time I was back in the ward the evening of the op. and just received one very tiny baked potato, with no filling with it, for my main meal.

Even the following morning, as my bed was at the end of the ward round for servings, by the time they got me there was no cereal, and no toast left and I was given just a banana. I was really, really hungry.

Maddy I'm so pleased to hear that you are now at home. I've been thinking of you.
What an ordeal. I bet that you are so pleased to be at home now

maddyone I hope you make a good recovery, it sounds as if your DH will take good care of you

Thank you Liz.

I hope you feel better soon maddyone.

It would never occur to me to have a hospital bag packed. I have lots of nice sleepwear always ironed in a drawer, clean dressing gowns and nothing is difficult to find.
I do have a folder with all my personal papers, documents etc in my husbands file.

I had a bag packed for a while after an overnight hospital stay a couple of years ago. I eventually unpacked it but I reminded DH where my nightclothes were, as well as toiletries, not forgetting phone and charger. Now whether he’ll remember is a different thing...

I’ve just come out of hospital today and I brought everything that’s mine with me. And also a new big bag of drugs. When I went in it was suddenly and I took very little with me. The hospital were able to provide a whole host of stuff I needed, but my husband sent things in each day as I needed them. He even sent in a beautiful high protein salad each afternoon so I could have it for dinner instead of the dried up sawdust sandwich that’s offered at night. The food was pretty appalling just when you need high quality food to repair your ravaged tissues. The dr said eat high quality first class protein including meat. Luckily I’m not vegetarian so it wasn’t difficult to have lots of ham and salami on my salad. Plus hard boiled egg and cheeses. Good food is key to recovery.

Katek we did that last time we were in Australia when the fires were just behind the mountain, very scary.

Interesting Liz46.

A friend has been coordinating donations for an appeal put out by a local hospital for toiletries and new nightwear. They are needed for Covid patients who may have been rushed into hospital without anything and, of course, are not allowed visitors.

My bag has been packed for so long I forgot where I'd put my pyjamas when it was chilly recently.

When I was admitted to hospital last week in my pyjamas, I was immediately put into a gown. My jammies did come home with me, since I was wearing them! DH wasn't allowed into hospital at all. No-one was allowed in.

Nor me farview- would feel as if I was tempting fate! Not a hospital bag, but friends of our who live in the hills just outside LA have to have ‘go bags’ packed for them and their children. These bags contain clothing, medication, food, water and copies of any important legal documents - house deeds etc. They were fortunate last year/year before in that their property wasn’t damaged in those huge forest fires. Of course there’s always the San Andreas fault line as well.........

Anyone who is shielding keeps getting instructions and one of these is to pack a bag.

I dont own any PJs or a nightie ...never crossed my mind to have a bag packed....?‍♀️

yes, I have a bag packed. My son knows where it is and what for. A 'just in case bag'.......

Thank you Fanny. We chatted to my bil while he was in hospital so I had thought of the charger. He said that the food was dreadful so I’ve packed breakfast oat bars and fruit bars.

My DH was in hospital before Christmas. He had pneumonia and suspected Covid, but didn't test positive for it (the whole saga is very odd). The others on his ward had had Covid
He wore his own clothes (of which he didn't have enough) and brought them all home too.
Remember to pack a phone charger.

lemongrove

It does seem sensible but....a bit like tempting fate.

I feel the opposite - if I am prepared, nothing will happen!

OH and I are about the only people in the family who haven't caught it but we have been shielding since last March. We did venture out a couple of times for a meal when we were allowed but having to be so careful took the fun out of it.

Reminds me of the fun I had packing a bag for going in to have the DC, and making sure that I had a couple of good books and some cross stitch, seeing that there was a chance of getting 5 minutes without a toddler to help me. Shirley Jackson, the American writer, reckoned that a woman having a third child was someone who was prepared to do anything to be allowed a week in hospital (this was in the 50s), and that makes sense to me.

On the subject of a possible Covid admission, I haven't packed a bag, but I did buy a new pair of summer pyjamas last year just in case, when I realised what state some of my usual nighties were in.

I've had a bag packed since being admitted to hospital unexpectedly. As I live on my own, my daughter (who was called as my next of kin) didn't know where anything was and had to buy new stuff. There's a list of meds and various instructions too. Details of key holders and contact details are on a card in my handbag.

PS. Maybe have a look on a hospital website. I have a feeling that towels and facecloths aren't allowed for hygiene reasons (but could be wrong).

It does seem sensible but....a bit like tempting fate.

Even if I packed a bag, DH wouldn’t remember where it was, so the chances of it going with me into Hospital are remote.

If you were in hospital with COVID you’d be really ill and would wear hospital gowns to make all the procedures easier to carry out. Towels are disposable or able to be sterilised.

Your own nighties and towels are for when you can look after you own personal needs.

I have always had a hospital bag packed with what I think are necessary 2 x PJs and personal items & towel I take them out every few months and freshen them up,it would not worry me if I was not allowed to take them home as long as I came home .