writegirl
Work in Progress
One word about the hospital gowns. They were designed to allow access for IV's, etc. You will be bare assed naked inside the OR except for the hospital gown draped on you. Since the IV's are inserted in the prep area and not removed until the discharge papers are signed, it will be impossible to put on any pajama top not designed for such access. And you can use a second hospital gown as a robe. Slippers...as clean as they try to keep hospitals, they are a germ factory. They are gonna give you slippers and even if you don't use them, the hospital charges for them.
Also I didn't take any extra clothes but panties. Wore home what I wore in.
Put all of what you think you need on the bed and then put back most of it.
Leave the heating pad at home. But do put a pillow in the car for the ride home (don't take it inside, just leave it in the car).
Any medications you take in will be confiscated by the staff and be given the hospital equivalent if there is one. A break from vitamins during this is fine. Just start back after you get back home.
Thank you for the wake up call on the pajamas. I am still bringing my jammie bottoms just in case I need them to go home in. The medication has me worried though. I shouldn't take my thyroid medicine with me? How will I get it if I don't have it? The hospital will confiscate my medicine and not give it back?? I had no idea about this. I guess I'll leave all of my meds home then, but I am panicked about the thyroid medicine and I am supposed to take the Nystatin and the medication to prevent the gall bladder issues--the Ursodiol--I am supposed to start taking that twice a day post-op. Should I wait till I get released?