what to bring to the hospital on surgery day?!

Palmettosleeve
on 7/26/11 3:33 pm - Pawleys Island, SC
Hi. I don't know anyone who's had the VSG and i was wondering what i'll need to take to the hospital with me the day of surgery?! i don't wanna bring too much or too little. any advice?!
warmly,
Kendall
starting weight: 341, goal weight: 150, 1st goal: 250, 2nd goal: 199, final goal: 150
          
lanunes
on 7/26/11 3:46 pm, edited 7/26/11 3:46 pm - CA
 Hi...=) 

I was one that wanted to be totally prepared and have everything I needed. Well, I took too much stuff.( Just had my surgery last week).  These are the things I took versus the things I used.

Took:
Loose clothes to wear to and from hospital
tooth brush/tooth paste
kotex....just in case
biotene mouth wash
gas x strips
DVD's and DVD player
Disability papers
advanced directive
face cleanser
ponytail holders
clean underwear

Used:
Loose clothes to wear home
tooth brush/tooth paste
disabiltiy papers
clean underwear

The day of surgery I really didn't feel like doing much but getting up for my occasional walk, didn't care much about the way I looked or what I did on my free time....Morphine kinda handled that =)
The next day I was way more alert and starting to get bored. Walked a lot and then headed home. I didn't have the need for the mouth rinse because my doctor makes us drink 100mls of fluid before he will discharge us...so that keep my mouth moist and me busy. The gas x strip...well I didn't really have any gas. My surgeon's PA mentioned that it has a lot to do with the cushioning of the table and the position of your body. I also heard that the strip only really work for GI gas, not free gas in your body. It goes by so quicK!!!
Good luck,
Leslie
      Leslie Nunes              
Palmettosleeve
on 7/26/11 3:52 pm - Pawleys Island, SC
thanks for the reply! i wanna take things to do cause i have ADD and get bored easily, but as you said, im sure all ill care about (at least day 1) is feeling better! what did you need disability papers for, if you don't mind me asking? i hope i don't have much gas because ive heard a lot of people say that the gas was the worst part of their recovery. never heard that about the positioning. ill probably end up taking clean panties loose clothing and toothbrush/paste. no need to risk having anything stolen or having more things than i have room! so you just stayed in the hospital 1 night? i was told probably 2 nights by my doctor. well thanks for your advice. welcome to the "losers bench" and congrats!
starting weight: 341, goal weight: 150, 1st goal: 250, 2nd goal: 199, final goal: 150
          
sleevegirl
on 7/26/11 3:49 pm, edited 7/26/11 3:50 pm - Austin, TX
I brought and used:

Slip on slippers (the grippy socks drive me nuts)
Robe to walk the halls and not have my butt hanging out
Chapstick
Biotene mouth spray
Clean undies (wore same thing home I wore to the hospital)
Phone & charger
Kindle (I don't remember what I read because I was doped up though)
CPAP machine
Gax-X
Toothbrush/paste
Hairbrush

That's about it.

Candy from Austin, TX  |   Website  |  MyFitnessPal  |  My OH Blog

5'6" / HW 375 / SW 355 / CW 150 / Maintaining 155-159 - Goal Reached! 225 Pounds Lost
  

lanunes
on 7/26/11 3:58 pm - CA
 I'm taking 6 weeks off of work and in order to financially survive I have to claim disabiltiy for that. Had to bring them for my surgeon to sign. Oh ya...I didn't take a robe cuz I dont' own one and had already spent so much money on things I didn't use... They have extra gowns so I just put another one on and turned it the opposite way. 
      Leslie Nunes              
Palmettosleeve
on 7/26/11 4:02 pm - Pawleys Island, SC
ohh ok. i wonder if i can get that...hmm... thats a good idea the 2 gowns. idk if i can find a robe my size that i can afford ha funny that the size thing wont be a worry in a year from now. hard to grasp since ive been doing it so long. well thanks again!
starting weight: 341, goal weight: 150, 1st goal: 250, 2nd goal: 199, final goal: 150
          
CatherineTEACH
on 7/27/11 11:05 am - TX
I am excited for you!  Check out my blog... it has a detailed description of what I took to the hospital and what my surgery was like.  I hope it is helpful to you!  As for the robe, my hospital was really nice, they had my regular robe on and when I got up to walk they just put another robe on me but backwards.  I did bring my own but never used it.  If  you don't have time to check my blog, definitely bring throat spray (for right after the surgery), mouth swabs (although my hospital provided them), flip flop slippers (much nicer than those grippy socks and easy to get in and out of), Hair tie (if needed), Tampons/Pads (in case), Clean underwear, comfy clothes (I wore a knit dress), a sports bra (so the underwire doesn't rub your incisions), toothbrush/toothpaste, and DEFINITELY gas-x strips (this is where my main pain came from). 

Good luck with everything!  And please feel free to ask me anything you would like.
 
  GW 150# (fingers crossed!)   
     
  "Success comes before work, only in the dictionary." 
  Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers Coach    
CatherineTEACH
on 7/27/11 11:06 am - TX
Oh and a basic necessity is a pillow to hold your stomach in place for the car ride home!
  GW 150# (fingers crossed!)   
     
  "Success comes before work, only in the dictionary." 
  Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers Coach    
kimberly_gr
on 7/26/11 7:40 pm
It's been a while since surgery, but hopefully I'll remember what I used. I actually needed very little.  I used toiletries and the gowns the hospital provided so I could travel lightly.  I brought and used:

Chapstick
Flip flops (painkillers make me hot; so I hated footies provided by hospital)
Charged cell phone (turned off except when I wanted to make a call
Insurance card and driver's license
Fresh underwear for going home
Wore lose clothing there, and wore them home
Kept a pillow in car to use on ride home

Did not use the book and Ipod I took.
Kim
5'0"
"In two decades I've lost a total of 789 pounds. I should be hanging from a charm bracelet."  Erma Bombeck
  
dentalhygieny
on 7/26/11 8:34 pm - MN
I am having my surgery on the 8th and this is great information...Thanks...
"Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip."
- Arnold H. Glasgow


                    
Most Active
Recent Topics
15 years and I?m back
Maureen K. · 1 replies · 2008 views
runny nose
psren13 · 4 replies · 2210 views
×