Any tips for a hospital stay?

Nile

Hello Savvy_Sue

Buy a selection of puzzle/crossword books on sale in most supermarkets or newsagents. Take some pencils (with the type with an eraser on the end), pens and a notepad. If you have an Asda supermarket nearby, they sell all these items at very low prices. Treat yourself to a copy of the autobiography of your favourite film star or musician.

We'll all be thinking of you.

Glad

Sofa_Sogood wrote:

Sorry glad, I must have been typing as you were posting.

Your list's far better

That's ok

I was trying to think of things that patients say "oh I wish I'd brought that in"
I mentioned bottled water because hosp water is given out in a plastic jug and although I know on my ward they are cleaned scrupulously, I would rather it from a bottle,
and I know from experience that food in lockers goes off very quickly, having cleaned out lockers after patients have been discharged and found week old lamb sandwiches in the bottom :eek:

Sofa_Sogood

Thanks glad

I've just thought of something that might help, but I don't know if there's a way around it. It's just that I've found that when I have been able to sleep in hospital, the staff wake you up to give you your sleeping tablets if needed!

Without getting off to a bad start Savvy_Sue, I'm wondering if there's a way around this? I know it's just one of those things that can't always be helped, but maybe worth remembering?

Agree about the water too glad, do hospitals still let you leave certain things in their fridges, like milk and do they still provide ice cubes? The water's always warm isn't it? Not that I've asked for these things by the way, just that cold milk or water's quite nice

I suppose taking a flask in might help but it'd be a bit like trying to pack the kitchen sink

And if you're expecting flowers Sue, drop a hint and say you like the ones that come in their own water. Must be a nurses pet hate having to a) find a vase and b) arrange the flowers. I've never asked for that either btw

johannamse

Dont forget a towel. I did (silly me).

Glad

Sofa_Sogood wrote:

Thanks glad

I've just thought of something that might help, but I don't know if there's a way around it. It's just that I've found that when I have been able to sleep in hospital, the staff wake you up to give you your sleeping tablets if needed!

Without getting off to a bad start Savvy_Sue, I'm wondering if there's a way around this? I know it's just one of those things that can't always be helped, but maybe worth remembering?

Agree about the water too glad, do hospitals still let you leave certain things in their fridges, like milk and do they still provide ice cubes? The water's always warm isn't it? Not that I've asked for these things by the way, just that cold milk or water's quite nice

I suppose taking a flask in might help but it'd be a bit like trying to pack the kitchen sink

And if you're expecting flowers Sue, drop a hint and say you like the ones that come in their own water. Must be a nurses pet hate having to a) find a vase and b) arrange the flowers. I've never asked for that either btw

well I happen to work on a ward where the old rules still apply and we try to be all round good nurses, I work nights and I don't wake people just to give them sleeping tabs, but it is a bit of a standing joke the reasoning is that even if woken the sleeping tab will then enable you to then sleep through the night, but I try to use my common sense
and I always go round and put their flowers in vases, I love arranging them.

we do have an ice machine and fill up jugs with iced water at beginning and end of shift, most wards are now stopping patients using hosp fridges due to the high rise in hosp acquired infections, even with sealed foodstuffs germs can still be carried on the packaging, a cool bag may be useful to put drinks etc in.

Curry_Queen

Sofa_Sogood wrote:

And if you're expecting flowers Sue, drop a hint and say you like the ones that come in their own water. Must be a nurses pet hate having to a) find a vase and b) arrange the flowers. I've never asked for that either btw

Some wards don't allow cut flowers, only planted ones, so it's well worth checking with the ward sister first so friends/relatives don't waste their money.

Most things I'd suggest have already been mentioned above, apart from an electric fan, as it can get unbearably hot on the wards and fans are always in short supply. The only problem there is that it would need to be checked by a hospital electrician before you can use it though but if you can arrange that in advance most hospitals don't mind you taking one in.

Can't think of anything else at the moment apart to wish you a speedy recovery and hope all goes well *hugs*

s@sha

I was in for a few days last year for a gallbladder removal, then unexpectedly the week before Christmas 2004 so was literally brought in with nothing but what I was wearing.

Definitely, definitely get the ear plugs. I was by the door & could hear the nurses talking all night at their station, or walking up & down, plus all the other normal hospital sounds. And I couldn't even have anything to help me sleep because I'd just had IVF & didn't know at the time whether I was pregnant. If I could just take one thing, it'd be ear plugs!

Your watch. Such a small thing, but easily forgotten & very much missed if there's no clock in the ward.

If you get to choose from a menu for meals, make sure you opt for starters, main course AND dessert, even if you'd never normally have all 3. The main meals in my hospital were tiny & I'd just about last until the next meal-time if I had all 3...(I know, I'm greedy!). Or keep a supply of snacks, as someone else said.

Can't think of anything else at the mo, other than the usual little comforts already mentioned, like moisturiser, lipsalve etc & whatever reading materials you like...it can get so boring in hospital once you're feeling better, but not quite ready to be discharged.

homealone_2

you have some great tips there already. i have spent about 3 months in total in the last year in hospital so all things listed above will be needed. my lifesaver was a mini tv i dont know if you are able to borrow one. i was lucky enough to be bought one with a dvd but it was my 40th. it was invaluable as if a tv is around you can guarantee that it will either be costly or too far away on a sports channel. a notepad pen was also helpful as a means of listing things i needed to ask hubby to bring in following day as i always forgot when i saw him. a pack of disposable knickers were handy and also some panty liners. hummmmm think that is most of it. basically try and rest as and when you can as night time can be a nightmare in wards. above all take care and heres to a speedy recovery

Sofa_Sogood

Don't forget to remove your nail varnish before you go in Savvy_Sue, it's a waste having to take it all off. And same for make-up, unless it makes you feel better beforehand (and with all the face-wipe suggestions you'll soon whip it off)

Thanks glad, I'd forgotten the water was chilled

Didn't realise about the cut flowers Curry_Queen, but not sure I'd make that mistake, I don't believe in cutting flowers. Handy to know though

Maybe the battery fans might be better visiting presents?

When do you go in Sue?

Savvy_Sue

Thank you so much for all these tips, it's given me the perfect excuse to go and look for the perfect pink holdall, I'm going to need something to put all this lot in! I've been admiring bright pink suitcases, but something that will squash down is probably more practical and less embarrassing for the boys ...

I started wondering about the ear plugs while I waited for bus this morning: just hope I'll be OK to use them in both ears because there'll be a hole behind one of them! I'll start a little list, I know I won't need to buy it all because I've already been describing my hunt for the perfect pink slippers at work, to great amusement, and I'm sure they'll want to treat me before I disappear for 6 weeks!

Fortunately there'll be no waste of nail varnish because I never wear it, and very rarely any make up at all, so no worries there.

Don't have a date yet, but they said it should happen before the end of March, and they will phone me so I don't have to panic about whether a letter's gone astray, and I should get a couple of weeks' notice. It's now the start of March, and I've been down for short notice without hearing anything, so tomorrow (ie now I've re-found the letter telling me I'm awake etc!) I'll phone and check they've got my mobile phone no.

I remember the size of the meals from when I had my first son in hospital! How I was expected to survive on them, never mind feed a baby, I do not know!!! Subsequent stays have been much shorter, basically until I can keep a slice of toast down, so nothing recent to compare them with.

So little housework happens around here that the chances of me banking up credits elsewhere is vanishingly small, but fortunately I have lovely support from church friends who will offer to do whatever's needed while I'm in hospital, home convalescing and then 'off the road'. Also fortunately the boys are all big enough (and ugly enough? - nah, they're gorgeous!) to take care of themselves: they can all cook fish fingers and chips, and the older two can also do roast dinners and a rather good bacon pasta. Their father does a mean spag bog. Eldest boy knows how to use the washing machine and tumble drier, and how to get to the nearest Sainsbury's if the food runs out, and which day the bin men come! All are required to wash up if they want to eat, so they know it doesn't disappear by magic.

So, really all I need to do before leaving is get them each one of those teddy bears onto which you can record a suitable message: "Mummy loves you: please do the washing." "Mummy loves you: please change your clothes." "Mummy loves you: please turn your music down." And for my DH perhaps "I miss you like crazy: no-one snores like you ..."