To put together a grab bag for A&E?

[Rainallnight]

I’m not planning on going to A&E. And I’m the last person to be any sort of prepper - I’m barely on top of the laundry or anything!

But I’ve been thinking that if anyone in the family ends up in A&E, it’s going to be for a lonnnnnng time and it would be handy to be able to just grab a bag of stuff that would see you through.

I’m thinking at the most basic level stuff like phone charger, snacks, bottle of water, book. But then I find myself thinking pillow? Sleeping bag?

Has anyone done this?

(the backstory for the avoidance of later drip feeding is that I was at the GP yesterday and they briefly thought they needed to call an ambulance for me and my first thought was ‘bugger, I don’t have a phone charger on me’. I didn’t have to go in an ambulance and I’m fine).

Judging by some of the threads on here people routinely keep a lot of this sort of stuff in their car in case of a breakdown.
Blanket/snacks etc. So if they’re driving in they’re covered.

I have a rucksack with pj's, pants, socks, phone charger with long cable, toothbrush and toothpaste, jumper or small lightweight blanket. I also have what is now known as my hospital pillow, it lives in my car, cheap pillow and case from ikea. So if it gets lost, covered in whatever it can be binned. Never any pillows or blankets available in a&e, some of the wards I've been on didn't even have pillows and blankets. So it's definitely not OTT to take your own. Having spent 72 hours sat on a chair in A&e this year waiting to be admitted, I highly recommend being prepared.

I have something like this in my car, snacks, water, charger pack, toiletries etc as I do on calls for work which can involve a lot of waiting around in the middle of the night. My friend also recently broke down on the motorway when it was minus 3 degrees and had to wait for hours outside her car, so I'm going to add thick socks, gloves, a torch and an emergency foil blanket thing.

My dd is asthmatic so I frequently find myself in back of an ambulance with nothing but the clothes we are wearing knowing I probably won’t be home again for days. Last winter I did have a bag packed with spare phone charger, pjs and a change of clothes for us both but the next 2 times she was admitted it was because the dr surgery phoned an ambulance for her so I didn’t get a chance to pick it up!

Food

when I took mum to hospital in Nov, the ambulance took time to stabilise her and get her downstairs

during which time, the neighbour packed a picnic including sarnies, fruit, brownies

18 hours later, I was very grateful. We were 3 hours in the ambulance waiting to unload and then I didn't want to leave mum to get food. Mum needed food.

i realise we were lucky with the neighbur, bless her, but if you are having a grab bag, a protein bar, choc bar etc will be a good inclusion.

if you have a car, agree re folding chair.

A little triangle neck support pillow would be great

Oh I think if you have a car, pillow and sleeping bag too.

Whatever helps you sleep better at night I say.

You can’t read a book with a broken ankle then? Or if your DC has a broken ankle?

I think that’s it really. I wouldn’t be doing it but if it makes others feel better then there’s no harm.

I have a handbag full of the most unlikely items (mainly because I see interesting things, buy them and forget to clean my bag out).

One Christmas, waiting in A&E with my big brother for news on my mother, he suddenly became very tearful (usually stoic). My bag of nick-nacks was an absolute saving grace. We ended up sucking on polos, whilst we investigated the different uses of a multi-tool, played a miniature ball bearing game, wondered at my selection of tea bags and read fun facts about a Tudor Christmas. 😬

It wasn't to be the last time we found ourselves waiting in a hospital, but each time after he was like 'What's in your bag then?' 😁

I have a grab bag. Did it in covid and used it twice, once for a unexpected trip blue lights for myself. Once when my mum had a fall and was admitted.

In it I have
a week's worth Of my prescription meds
Normal pain killers
Books
Chrochet
Ear plugs
Headphones
All basic wash kits and basic make up
Fully charged battery pack
Plugs and leads / splitter
Torches
A List of very basic clothes to grab
Empty carrier bags

I dip into it every time we have a long car trip too. Its very handy. Small backpack size.

TBF nobody I have taken to A&E has been in any fit state to be reading a book.

I don't keep a bag packed, but I do keep a small bag of change for the hospital parking machine in both cars after a horrible emergency admission with ds where I did have any change and it took far to long to find the right person to wave my parking fees before we could get to the ward.

I have such a grab bag. It contains, amongst other things, a tiny travel toothpaste tube, a toothbrush in a travel box, eye drops, breath spray and fruity chewing gum, a comb, tiny tube of hand cream, a hair band, pocket pack of Kleenex.

No, but if i had one, I might have read it...probably not for me as I get too stressed but some might be pleased to read a book.

I mean as an accompanying person...not as a patient!

I had HG very severely and so was in and out of hospital near constantly in both of my pregnancies. I never went to any kind of appointment without a hospital bag because I was always, always admitted. My bag had:

• water bottle - so much easier than the tiny cups you can’t put down
• pjs
• headphones
• earplugs
• hairband and headband
• lip balm (hospitals are so dry it’s ridiculous)
• washkit basics
• slippers and thick socks
• underwear
• chargers
• cash
• jumper
• book
• electrolyte drinks
• pen and paper
• sickbags
• inflatable pillow

… I’m sure there’s more but I can’t think of it. I don’t have one now but I’m thinking the likelihood of ending up in A&E with no notice is pretty slim and I’d probably end up half-unpacking it anyway (oh, I’ll just grab the charger from the grab bag… etc). I also know DH could whip together anything urgent and bring it to me if needed.

But I would include change for the car park/vending machine (yes, mostly cashless now, but not all).
Notebook and pen. (for writing instructions, info, phone numbers, list of meds, reminders etc)
Snacks and water.
Charger.
Sweets
Paracetamol.
Something to read.
Headphones

As an accompanying person I’m generally too focussed on the patient, I’d never be able concentrate on a book.

After spending 12 hours overnight in our car last month as the A&E waiting room was full, we now keep a blanket and supplies in the car.

I have a toiletry bag, charger cables and a few handy things in a bag in the coat cupboard. DS2 is asthmatic, above all when he has an exacerbation of his asthma keeping calm is the first priority.

I done want to think about anything except him, it's in a very small sports bag and is just enough to get us through enough hours till friend back up is needed.

Whatever else you have in there, take whatever sanitary products you normally use, because you generally can't leave your dc to get anything!

Not unreasonable. But pack light, there’s no space and carrying stuff round can be a nightmare.

So? That’s not a response to what I said…

Such a good idea. We have only had to do hospital say 8 x during parenting years but lordy, it's a time when you really wish you had a toothbrush, something warm/cool to change into, a bottle of water and a phone charger.