Hospital Bag

I was amazed to see your post ggmarion because I have been thinking exactly the same thing lately, although not for myself, but for my DH. Hopefully it will never be needed, but he does have a long term condition, and as he never wears anything to bed at home that may not go down too well in the Hospital .

I thought to pack PJ's,underwear, some light slippers, soap, flannel, hand towel,light dressing gown toothpaste and brush, a couple of books, a little bag of small change. That would be a good start I think. Phone, medication and anything else could be thrown in at the last minute.
I have not mentioned this to him as I know if I suggest it, or come home with a pair of PJ's he will say I am being morbid. I will just tell him to think how he would feel if he was packed off and all he had to wear was a Hospital Gown!

I have done that already. I fell down 3 stairs in 2009, broke my ankle and the ambulance man had to find my drugs etc and he packed wash gear but a friend brought in night attire, knickers etc a couple of days later after I had had surgery. I live on my own so I thought that it was sensible.

Aren't you all a practical lot. This would never have occurred to me.

mine lives in the hall cupboard, also has a bag of coins in it(£1 coins, 50ps 20ps and 10ps. A list for the nursing staff with next of kins details a list of friends details.I also have a book and a puzzle book

Need a number of clean nightwear, as living in them 24/7 means you will need to change daily.

What a brilliant idea - especially the coins. I'm going into hospital soon, so will be pinching a few of your suggestions and adding one of my own - slippers, for use on the cold hospital floors!

This might sound like a strange question, but are there plugs to charge things (phone and Kindle specifically) in hospitals? I imagine all the plugs being taken up by Important Equipment. Thanks.

Hildie - yes there are plugs to charge phone and kindle.
It depends on your local hospital whether money is useful - the one I was in earlier this year didn't have a trolley coming round with snacks, drinks or newspapers.
I would pack small bottles/cans of water and juice. I was very dry after my op and the jugs of water provided aren't very nice, not always topped up and also too heavy to lift after surgery. It hadn't occurred to me to take drinks. I would also take mints and other snacks. You may not have visitors to send to the shop for things.
I used to keep a bag packed when my father was very ill in case we had to visit and stay there at short notice, which did happen.

Hildie, I am sure you could unplug someones life support for a hour or so whilst you charge up your phone ...... Lol, I am joking although this did happen once, a cleaner unplugged someones equipment to plug in the floor polisher, if I remember right, the patients recordings always showed a dip each morning around a certain time, it was eventually noted what the cleaner was doing....although I might have made all this up.....

oh dear!! What was that cleaner thinking! Good to know re the plugs, thank you. Not essential of course, but nice to know i'll still be able to keep in touch with the world

My mum has just been in hospital and we thought we should get a bag ready for next time/just in case. To include a list of people to inform eg hairdresser and cleaner. It got me thinking about myself and OH. I think I could pack a bag ok for him but not so sure if he could for me.

I might buy myself a set of "holiday" toiletries including dry shampoo. Also small radio with earphones.

Good idea GGMarion, I have thought the same as you my OH would have no idea what to pack, I might pack some older stuff that I won'tmiss. I have a holiday toiletries bag that is usually up to take.

I have had a bag packed for years! On top of the contents of the first drawer in my bedroom lives a laminated A4 sheet stating, in bold large type, where it can be found and what other items to add if not with me. I hope it will never be used but find it reassuring that I could direct an ambulance driver or family member to the bag.

This is a brilliant idea GGMarion. I have something similar only because last year I shot off to DDs home at literally a moments notice. ( New baby wasn't sleeping, just went up to offer her support). I threw stuff in my overnight bag, forgetting some vital things like reading glasses. Since then I keep my bag packed and ready except for a couple of last minute bits like book and iPad.

Not for myself, but have just bought new pj's for DH as it's a possibility he may have a hospital stay in near future.

Thank you for all your useful suggestions. I have added underwear (couldn't be seen without a bra) and spare reading glasses. Good idea about the holiday miniature toiletries and I hadn't thought about a bag of coins.

What a good idea, on the same sort of subject my husband does all the finance stuff because he's so much more organised than me, things like gas, electric etc., i know whats going on and whats being spent but half the time I have know idea who we are insured with, who supples our power and where our investments are. So he has to keep me uptodated with a list and pass words for getting on all the sites etc. And Its all hidden away in the loft in case anything should anything happen to him. My son will have to get it down as there are spiders up there!

I am a Community First Responder and frequently ask a patient's relative to pack a bag of essentials for a stay in hospital. For a man I would add shaving foam and a razor.

For any diabetic person put a note in the bag to take some insulin with you as getting insulin from a hospital pharmacy can take a while to organize.

You may also find a clearly written list of relatives and friends phone numbers useful.

This is such a good idea ggmarion and be assured that it is indeed highly practical!
I did this for DH as I had to ring for an ambulance for him so often. The ambulance arrived so fast that I always felt that it was a race against time to get everything ready for him to take to hospital with him. It was so much less stressful when I had a bag packed ready with the basic essentials for him and then only had to ensure that the extras on my list were added.
DH is stable again now and having moved further away from the ambulance station it probably wouldn't feel like I was doing an 'Anneka Rice' as the ambulance crew would take longer to get to this house. I still keep a few things in a bag though!

Now I'm going to stress about this!

Will tomorrow morning be soon enough or must I get out of bed and do it RIGHT NOW? And will I worry all night if I don't?

wish I'd never logged in

When I have notice, ie a planned admission, I take grapes as they are good (for me) when I waken after a GA and do not always fancy their manky warm water.

Aren't you all organised! I think maybe I should do something dread to think what my DSs would turn up with, I'll have to be extra nice to DIL it's probably her I will need to rely on.
On another theme I remember when my mum was in once one of the ladies husbands used to bring in a vacuum flask filled with ice cubes and share them between the 4 ladies water jugs. My mum said the water tasted so much better when it was cold

My DH has a hospital bag at the ready. It's been so useful the last two times as I had to scuttle around before the ambulance arrived on previous admissions. Spare meds too. If he is reading a book at the time I add it for when he's feeling a bit better. His admissions are unplanned so I really need to be organised. I've just decided to do something similar for myself as he wouldn't have a clue where to start. The bag can be put at the back of a cupboard as long as somebody knows about it.