Are you ready for your hospital stay?

Being hospitalised can be daunting and scary for many. I remember my surgery in 2012 and while it was the best thing for me, my family was worried. There’s the risk any surgery brings along. You never know the outcome and having a doctor who’s well trained and experienced in the field can make a difference. Equally important is a doctor you can talk to, who answers your questions and listens to your concerns is vital. With so much on your mind, packing is probably at the bottom of your thoughts. That’s why we prepared this checklist for you!

We’d recommend you take a little trolley which you can push or pull. You may be more exhausted from the surgery than you expected. A little trolley compared to a hockey bag can also act as support, should you feel weak and need to hold on to something.

What do you need to bring:

The paperwork

• To keep the documents safe, put them all in one folder with a tie or snap closure.
• An officially recognised form of identification like your passport, Emirates ID or driving licence. Some hospitals make you bring 2 IDs.
• Referring doctor’s notes and any test results, etc.
• Your insurance card.
• Pre-approval documentation from your health insurer, if required and if you’re not a self-payer. By now, this should have been received and the hospital may even have a copy of this already.
• A list of your emergency contacts (name and phone number).
• A list of all medication which you currently take. Bring the medication you need to take on a regular basis along. The hospital may not provide you with these while you’re there!
• They will run through a whole batch of questions. If you are allergic, you’ll need to mention this again as it may impact your anaesthesia or any pain relief given to you.

Clothing

• Night gown, underwear, some lose fitting and easy to put on outfits plus shoes to walk along the corridor, slippers for showering, bathrobe, cardigan or shawl and socks if you get cold feet.
• Bring tops that you can button up from the front. You don’t want to pull anything over your head after most surgeries.
• If you are getting any intravenous (IV), short sleeves will make the job a lot easier for the nurse!

Toiletries

• Tooth brush and paste, deodorant, shaving gel and razor, nail clipper/file and shower gel and shampoo. Check with your doctor when you’re allowed to get into the shower, some procedures don’t allow the wound to come into contact with water. Will you get a special plaster? Brush or comb for your hair, facial creams and make up as per your usual routine.
• Please note that most hospitals also discourage you brining your perfumes.

Miscellaneous

• Sleeping mask and/or ear plugs if you are distracted and have difficulties falling asleep.
• Leave your jewellery at home. While we live in a safe environment, you don’t want to risk it. Most hospitals thus recommend you don’t bring any jewellery.
• While your room will most likely have a TV, you may want to bring a book. Did you rip out articles you always wanted to read but never had the time? Now may be a good opportunity to take them along. Your concentration span may not last for hours after the surgery, the anaesthetics drown you for the day after the surgery and your body also needs time to recover. Quizzes like sodoku or, if you’re more crafty, little sketches or knitting may be an activity while lying in bed.
• Bring some writing material, too. You can write down spontaneous thoughts as well as questions you may want to ask your doctor.
• Have some gum or candy. The medicine may taste yucky and this way, you may be able to get rid of it.
• Check with your hospital about electronic devices. You may bring your phone but reception may be restriction. The hospital may also restrict the use of tablets and laptops. You may want to check with your hospital before the day of your admission. As with jewellery, you may decide to simply keep these valuables at home.
• Have some small cash for the coffee shop or the vending machine.

I hope with everything going on before even going into the hospital, you have a checklist here of what to pack, bringing you one step closer to peace of minds.

Gute Besserung or a speedy recovery!

Until next time,
Agni