Here are things I brought with me to the hospital that were helpful, and a couple I wish I had thought of. I kept the small items in a little pouch right in bed with me so I could have them when I needed them.
1. Extra long phone charging cord. The three foot cord that comes with your phone isn’t long enough. Get a 6 foot cord on Amazon and then you can have someone plug the phone into the wall behind the bed and it will reach to your bed. That way you don’t have to get up to charge it, reach it, or have to leave it somewhere else to charge. The only real electrical outlets you can use are probably behind your bed, or underneath the bed rail on the bed itself. I took the pic here to show what the wall behind my bed looked like. Somewhere back there is where my husband plugged in my long phone cord.
2. Body powder. You’re going to be cleaned up by nurses with wipes for a couple days. And you’re going to feel damp and gross. I like Gold Bond Ultimate body powder, but even baby powder works. You can’t put it on your chest or incision but you can dust your leg creases and down there. It was a god send for me, and they do not hand out baby powder at the hospital.
3. Chapstick. Your lips are going to be dry and all the hospital has are little packets of petroleum jelly which were a little gross. It’s amazing how nice a chap stick can make you feel.
4. Post surgical bra for women. Or for men if you need a post surgical brace. The hospital might give you one, but the one I had was way nicer than what they gave me. (Larger women will want to see my post on this!)
5. Comb or brush. Don’t forget that. You can buy disposable ones and throw them away when you are done if you want. But you will want to brush your hair.
6. Reading glasses if you need them. Don’t forget!
7. Hand sanitizer. They give you Kleenex, but sometimes it is nice to feel more sanitized. And you might not get up for a day and need this.
8. Your own toiletry kit. I travel a lot, so I have a kit always at the ready with toothpaste, mouthwash etc. It was handy to have this, even though they will give you a toothbrush and toothpaste.
I take notes on my iPhone, but you can also bring a small notebook and pen if you want. I found it helpful to take notes and even photos as things were happening. I was pretty loopy on pain meds the first day or so, and making notes I could read later was helpful.
'Go There', 'Stay There' and 'Go Home' Bags
GO THERE BAG: I had a small tote bag that I brought with me the day of surgery. When I undressed for surgery, I put my clothes in there and gave it to my husband to store in the car until I was discharged.
I also had a small STAY THERE bag that I left in the car. This was what I would need after surgery, for my stay in the hospital. It had my surgical bra, underwear, toiletry bag and small essentials bag holding everything I outlined above, and he brought that up to my room the day after surgery.
The day of surgery and night afterward they don't want you to have anything of value with you -- wallet, cell phone etc. So my husband Jim kept all of that for me, and brought it up the next morning.
My "go there bag" was now my "GO HOME" bag, and it stayed in the car until the day I was discharged and then he brought it up so I could change back into my street clothes which were still safely in the bag.
I felt pretty darn organized and had everything I needed when I needed it!