Real salt, They give out low salt and its awful. Plenty of car magazines, puzzle books, and lose change as in the morning the shop trolly comes round, has useful bit and pieces and newspapers. what we did in the ward was make sure everyone bought a different paper so when finished we could swap. What is a Dum Dum lolly? and ye can get gingerbread flavour? I want one!

Don't forget something to wear under the gown . It can get a little drafty !

Dum Dums are a very local brand of lollipop, lots of flavors. Akron, where they originated, is 232 miles from where I live. https://www.dumdumpops.com/about-us/about-dum-dums Small pops with good flavor.

Maybe we'll have to arrange a goody exchange sometime...

We don't have a trolly bringing things around. You can ask for what you need, but supplies are fairly basic. I'll be in my own room as this hospital has moved away from shared rooms for the sake of privacy. Used to be two people to a room, I do miss having a hospital roomie, I preferred to be with an older lady. I'm not sure when or if ward rooms were totally done away with in the states.

I'll throw my aladdin trousers in my basket, nice and roomy with a wide elastic waistband I can tuck my pouch into. A free swinging bag drives me batshit. Also should get some kind of slippers... Considering these Fish Flops: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0753C9NY9/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3GMN8MPMXAA89 Look like fun don't they?

Dum Dums sound class, we have about 6/8 to a ward. just after an op they will give a single room. Yep something comfy to wear during the day other than night wear as it make you feel better I think. I tend to go for shorts as the heat gets me. I forgot slippers one time and they give you the foam ones. I have a thing about foam!!! it puts my teeth on edge"" I am even pulling a funny face now.

oh Felicity, I have seen some things in my time but fish flops, My wife has a quirky side you and her would be well matched. I luv that!

smartphone with books and audio books with over ear headphones (so you wont disturb others, battery pack for phone , small rice krispie packs  , water wipes and wet wipes (water wipes have no soap ) , lots of clean underwear  and most important ear plugs , I was in a ward with other people on some occasions and the snoring gets bad really bad .

ps if I just have my phone I could survive , music , books and audio books and I'm sorted

Felicity I agree with you 100 % I can not handle my bag swinging all over with every step . I tuck mine into my underwear waist band and let the bag fold over . And the Fish Flops thats funny but don't think I could handle them . Lol

Robert is that you buddy, No more seeing little green men, ye scrub up well son.

Yes John that's me (LOL) and my beautiful wife of almost 35 years  who is so patient with me . Ok Buddy now I showed you mine show me yours !!!! AH Hahaha !

Husband has made a media server that is accessible over the net so I can watch any movies we have or listen to any music we have from the hospital. Being married to a computer guy has it's benefits :)

I'll have to add my sleeping mask in, it never gets dark enough in the hospital room.

Undies are a given, not nearly as many as I used to pack. I used to pack 2 pair per day plus an extra pair for every two days. Hells, I'll be able to pack a little lighter than I used to.

Here they give you the ugliest socks with rubber grippers on the bottom. Hate wearing socks, they make my feet sweat so badly. Seemed like you were criminal if you shucked the socks off to sleep.

Silly things make me happy because they often make others around smile. Those especially make me feel happy because they are Bass and I used to fish for them with my dad when I was little.

OH Robert ya big flirt! I am going to have to get my good lady to sort this out for me but its worth waiting on Ahem!! 35 years yes must have only been kids

Lol . John I was 25 she was 22 so yes just kids far as it goes nowadays . I can't lie to ya my wife figured out how to do the picture I'm not that good with computers . Takes me along time just to type something with one finger at a time . Ha .

Robert,

Great to see your picture and your wife as well.  Much more personable.

I can't do the photo thing either. My husband posted mine for me.

Felicity,

Good luck with your upcoming hospital visit. You have a great list ( the fish flops are hilarious...Amazon has the most amazing variety of stuff. I like the ones that say they are 100% hand made, yeah right!).

For me I have to have ear plugs, my kindle and my own phone. Crossword puzzles are good if my brains are working.

My experience of the American style hospital is varied. I once had to share a 2 bed room with 4 guys and no shower. That hospital was later cleaned up. On the other end of the spectrum,  I was esconced at the luxury side of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Of course,  I was deathly ill,  but it was luxurious. And Medicare paid for it. 

The difference between hospitals, to me, is that there are some where the doctor is a god and none may argue with him. Then you have JHH , where the doctors listen to each other and are humble even with the nurses. JHH is a far superior hospital. 

In USA,  you're not going to stay in the hospital any longer than is medically required. Rehabilitation is in a different facility. 

Hospital food is something that I never tasted,  as I am on a highly restricted diet. 

In the hospital,  you're strongly encouraged to walk around the halls. It gets your intestinal tract moving. They cannot release you until you get a bowel movement. Hence, the walking around is encouraged. 

Here is were we get to the clothing issue. In your private room, you can be nude for all that they care. In the hallway,  at the very  least , a gown that covers your front. Most wear 2 gowns frontzy backzy. I brought from home a humongous bathrobe that respected the boundaries of modesty. 

Of course,  when I first got my stoma and bag, I wasn't sure of how to proceed with the rest of my life,  but eventually,  I became accepting of my new butt. And started to socialize with the neighbors in my wing. And from there to the rest of the world. 

Yeah, undies are important. 

I asked Eric........... to post my NOT GOOD picture-make it more personal to me anyway..

What's taking him so long anyway?????? I sent it an hour ago.. Humppppffff

Hospital?  I have a backpack ready to go-- EVERYTHING!! So Tom doesn't have to play hide and seek.. the first time was a dozzy!  "oh Tom, that is not it!!" "where in the name of God did u find that anyways?" Why would I need a sun hat?" "I never wore a hat!" I asked for my reading glass's honey just that..Glad u brought a weeks worth of news papers dear.. where are my reading glass's?  YES, you all guessed it.. home!!!!!

I pack all medical info-COPIES  of Doctors-yes all of them-meds- my insurance including my drivers I.D.. Lip gloss, sun glass's for when I get out (my eyes SO senative)  cream, mascara, hair brush, perfume, pretty house coat, 2 panties-can wash them out-word find book, crackers, AND A PAIR OF READING GLASS'S!!! and of course, Nellies dress's and her odds and ends too! Lots of them..! Dinner ware, a can opener as u cant open anything as they are so sealed and your so weak.. cant open them to save you life! Does the trick and small-when I leave on the stretcher? Tom just gives me the HEAVY back pack and I am off for another adventure!! No muss no fuss for Tom or my sons.. Been there did that-wont do that!! :). 

Felicity, Is that a tat-to on your chest?  Akron? Ohio?  Tom is from Ohio.  Fostoria, 7 kids, he is #5.  Now, he is the youngest at age 77. Just 2 left and one doesn't look so good at this time either.  And they are in Ohio..  Tom was the was the only one that left Ohio.. :-)  Good thing-or I would not have met him huh?  

That is body paint done by a good friend at an arts festival. That would that hurt as a place for a tattoo... the bony areas are horrible, so are the not bony areas... 

Yes, Akron in Ohio. I'm in a little city near to Cincinnati, born and raised. Never lived very far from here.

I'm lucky to have my hospital close to me, about 10 minutes drive. Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati has done well by me. Rooms vary depending on what ward you are on. ICU was like a luxury resort. The Cardiac Unit very similar. The last stay it felt like I was in some ratty hotel room :p but their staff is fantastic and I was only in that room overnight.

Food was not too bad, even had some vegetarian stuff. I stuck with sandwiches for the most part. Did not matter if I was slow eating them because they start cold. They did individual pizzas, ingredients were pretty good. 

Day to day I have a backpack that has some of the stuff I will need. Chargers, spare undies, ink pens, day planner, a bottle for Oscar, whatever book I am reading that is not on my kindle. Snacks and things to drink.

Those hospital gowns are awful. A lot of them missing crucial snaps. The lack of coverage so you do wind up doubling up so your ass is not showing. Last time they gave me pajama bottoms. I could have wrapped them around me twice. Figuring out how Oscar fit best was a trial. Over the drawstring waistband and it was uncomfortable, under and it was hard to get to Oscar and they did not stay up well either way.

Oscar is getting quite a collection of house dresses for the hospital. Lots of pink. I've also snagged a bunch of "Hello, my name is" stickers so I can use them on Oscars pouch.