Hospital Bag

Wow was surprised by this post I'm to busy living a busy happy life. But now I maybe should put this on my to do list but right at the bottom.

I always have a bag ready to pack as I have a potentially life threatening condition. This includes a basic- minimum washkit with travel toiletries, a book and slippers. Like many other Gransnetters out there, my husband wouldn't have a clue where to look, emergency or not!

Can I add to this to suggest that if you have a long and complicated medical history, that you always have ready a list for the hospital staff to see: they really don't have time to spend ages wading through your hospital files. I have always been thanked profusely for the help and it's always mentioned that they'd like all patients to do this if possible.

on my list I have 1) list of operations 2) investigations 3) medications including herbals and ones not taken by mouth 4) allergies. 5) anything else of note like serious illnesses. I also include my name, date of birth and hospital number

I update mine every time I have a procedure, event, diagnosis or change of medication and make sure that there is a copy in my handbag.

It's also worth getting a "message in a bottle" from the Lions - Google Lionsclubs as I am not sure I'm allowed to post links. These are so that people with long standing conditions can keep a copy in their fridge, with a sticker for their front door so that their medical history can be found in an emergency.

Incidentally I have also found that a portable charger for my mobile phone has come in so handy when I've found myself stuck in hospital for hours/days without my usual charger. These can be lipstick-sized these days and I also keep one in my handbag!

I have such a bag packed and ready.NOT just for hospitalisation but in case of being 'swept off my feet' by fabulously wealthy toy boy.

It's not all doom and gloom at all, its about comfort and joy, I lost everything once in floods and wished then I had my own toothbrush etc all to hand and ready to go.

As a Poldark devotee (and first reserve in case he ditches Demelza) I know how little room there is on a horse and how novel my battery operated toothbrush and radio would be (I believe the Archers were on back then)...........who knows when opportunity may knock??????

Great idea! My BIL was a 'frequent flyer' in the last few years and my sister had his bag packed and kept under the bed! In all the upset of him becoming ill (usually in the early hours) it saved running around trying to gather all the essentials together, and it meant she could sit with him waiting for the ambulance.
She had all current meds in a separate little box that could be put in at the last minute.

Small radio and headphones is a good idea chelseababy. When DH went into hospital he asked me to bring in his old Walkman as it was so noisy at night. Problem was I forgot new batteries and neither of the hospital shops stocked them!

This a great thing to do. My Ma-in-law always had one ready. It came in handy when she broke her hip.
I love all the ideas for what to take, too. I shall get one ready in case the palpitations get out of hand. Thank you
for the reminder and ideas.

Flylady.com takes being ready a stage further and has suggestions for being able to evacuate your home quickly with all essentials to hand. Having seen a friend's recent posts and pictures of her Florida home after the hurricane I can see why. I'm sure people in UK affected by floods or any local emergency would be glad not to spend time searching for important items while being urged to abandon their home for their family's safety.

I must admit it'd never crossed my mind - and now I'm going to forget all about it again.?

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.....

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.