Hospital Bag

[korolev]

I am finally getting round to preparing a "hospital bag". Having been taken into hospital in an ambulance a while back I realised I was unprepared (just managed to grab a phone before they carted me off).
So I am putting a bag together for just that eventuality in case any of us are whisked off again.
So far I have:
A book (something trivial/amusing)
Change for the drink/chocky machine.
£20 for a cab home
spare smartphone (it's an old android but it will do at a pinch)
charger/cable
power bank
headphones
notebook and pens
flannel/towel
toothbrush/toothpaste
reading glasses

I'm keeping it to stuff I don't mind losing as stuff can easily get lost in hospital.

So, what have I forgotten ?

[Arzosah]

Underwear and outer clothing?

Has that spare phone got the latest phone numbers on of people you need to contact?

Something plain to eat, like oatcakes; plus some polo mints, and a bottle of water.


Hope you're fully recovered from your bout with the ambulance.

[Yorkshire Andy]

List of medication you might be on


apply for a EHIC card it holds your NHS number

[piglet]

I have to take a member of my family to hospital quite regularly. And sometimes they have to stay in overnight...sometimes for a number of nights.
I have persuaded them into having a hospital bag always ready.

But....
Our local hospital refuse to supply anywhere for items to be securely stored, and state that they accept no responsibility if anything goes missing whilst a patient is receiving treatment etc..

So, although we always take the bag containing a few personal items, phone and a small amount of money to hospital with them...there is absolutely nowhere to keep it other than under the bed or on the bedside table.

Again....I agree with having a hospital bag but it seems that you need to be a bit carefull about just what you pack, if your local hospital applies the same guidelines.

[Deeps]

I am finally getting round to preparing a "hospital bag". Having been taken into hospital in an ambulance a while back I realised I was unprepared (just managed to grab a phone before they carted me off).
So I am putting a bag together for just that eventuality in case any of us are whisked off again.
So far I have:
A book (something trivial/amusing)
Change for the drink/chocky machine.
£20 for a cab home
spare smartphone (it's an old android but it will do at a pinch)
charger/cable
power bank
headphones
notebook and pens
flannel/towel
toothbrush/toothpaste
reading glasses

I'm keeping it to stuff I don't mind losing as stuff can easily get lost in hospital.

So, what have I forgotten ?

Think you've covered the basics, apart from what's already being suggested, maybe some tissues for a snotty beak. Also, make sure you've got plenty 'choons' on the phone or maybe a small mp3 player with your 'Now that's what I call a hospital stay Vol 27' playlist. Or whatever podcasts you're into.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Bit expensive but an idea

http://www.gapyeartravelstore.com/pacsa ... ector.html

[hedgerowpete]

the book and pen and power bar are on my top list so with the phone you can stay in contact.

when in its best to either send little and often or shed loads of text to the partner, either updates or updates saying theres no updates, by the context of the message and the knowledge of you that partner will know if its a happy you or a sad you and should return texts to support, funny or calm down me

the book you can read or make notes inside of details you want to remeber.

after that change for snacks, hospital snacks are allways smaller than i remember and a lot more expensive to buy.

water or a water bottle would benice to have as a drink, but you can always ask for water at the bed, its when your waiting you cant ask for it.

seat cushions, all ways a flat bum me, a towel or coat helps or a hikers foam seat mat and you can sit on the floor instead of a chair

[Jamesey1981]

Add some pyjamas in there even if you don't wear them normally, you don't have to wear a hospital gown all the time unless that's all you've got and they're not fun to wear, cotton is much nicer than anything synthetic, as well as a pair of slippers, flip flop style ones will squash flat.

A pack of cards doesn't go amiss, you can play patience and you can also play games with the other patients if you're all up to it, takes everyone's mind off it and if everyone is a bit happier then it's easier being in there. (I once spent eight weeks in hospital, trust me on that one!)

If you have hair, (I have very little these days!) A can of dry shampoo is a good addition.

[Ara]

If the likelihood is of being stuck there for some time, I would add your favourite condiments! Hospital food can be very boring (rice pudding on the menu 365 days of the year!) and although you probably wouldn't be bothered about such things initially, the lack of variety soon palls.

[Deeps]

If the likelihood is of being stuck there for some time, I would add your favourite condiments! Hospital food can be very boring (rice pudding on the menu 365 days of the year!) and although you probably wouldn't be bothered about such things initially, the lack of variety soon palls.

Good shout, I tend to have a small pot of 'emergency Tabasco' in my EDC and a larger container in my camping cook stuff but as I like spicy I should make sure its on 'the list' if I go in. I've not been in hospital overnight since I was a kid but the older you get the more things seem to go wrong.