Do you have a Coronavirus Hospital go-bag?

[Merryoldgoat]

My son was hospitalised unexpectedly last year - all fine now, but at the time we were woefully unprepared for the stuff we’d need in hospital etc.

We’ve been thinking that we should have ready hospital bags Just in case. Do you have one? What should go in it?

When in hospital do you have to wear a gown? Or your own stuff? Obviously no visitors so books etc (assuming one isn’t ventilated)?

I’m anxious as I have a few underlying risk factors so being properly prepared would be help me stay calm. Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks.

God if someone wants to pack a bag to feel a bit better about things so actual fucking what?

OP some posters are just so up themselves. And just so blase and clever and above it all. It must be exhausting.

I unexpectedly ended up in hospital after a visit to AE a couple of years ago.

I felt like shit and spent 24hrs sleeping in my clothes before I could get a bed on a ward. My phone was dead and I couldn't clean my teeth. It was hot and airless and I would have killed for a face wash with a nice towel and a comb. I longed for clean pyjamas and a change of pants. It was the least of my problems but it all added to the bad time I was having. The little things really help in a situation like that.

When finally my OH brought me stuff it was a ridiculous selection of things. I vowed then to always have some decent night wear in the drawer.

At the very least write yourself a list and make sure the stuff is to hand. That might put your mind at rest.

@Redolent If those figures are from the spring, is that from when they were only teally testing people in hospitals? So the percentages kept in hospital would be likely to be higher than the actual population percentages?

[quote Scarby9]@Redolent If those figures are from the spring, is that from when they were only teally testing people in hospitals? So the percentages kept in hospital would be likely to be higher than the actual population percentages?[/quote]
The analysis is based on data from China, not the UK. It’s also been adjusted to account for mild/asymptomatic cases. Here’s an article discussing it:

www.imperial.ac.uk/news/196573/covid-19-one-five-over-80s-need-hospitalisation/

“ The analysis found the greatest number of severe cases, requiring hospitalisation, in people in their 50s (222 out of 790 cases), but once the researchers had adjusted for the fact that many milder cases will have gone undiagnosed, the hospitalisation rate is 8.2%, compared with an estimated 18.4% in the most at risk group, the over 80s...”

@SqidgeBum

No ......

Do you also have a bag in your car filled with supplies if you break down in the middle of nowhere, including a phone charger, food, water, a map, petrol in a canister, traffic cones, a tool kit, maybe a compass and walking boots and a snow suit in case you need to hike across a mountain in a blizzard?

In all seriousness, I think you need to look after your mental health. This is a bit much.

I don't have a hospital bag or anxiety, but I do have most of this in the car.

[toddles off to buy a snow suit...]

@viccat

It is possible. I’ve done exactly that. Fine at 8 am. By 8:30 feeling a bit iffy, by 9 am phoning for an emergency dr appointment, by 10am being fast tracked straight into a hospital bed (dh drove me as faster than the ambulance the GP wanted).
According to the hospital Dr had I left it any later, I may not have survived the night. That time was a mystery infection.

My mum had severe lung disease for over 15 years before she passed away. She always kept a bag packed as she knew that catching even a mild cold could put her in hospital. Sensible for those with serious underlying conditions to pack a bag, but many probably did that pre Covid anyway, just like my mum did. For the general population, it’s unlikely that you would become seriously ill so quickly that you wouldn’t have time to pack a bag before you deteriorated enough to need to go to hospital.

Sounds sensible to me if it is something that would stop you worrying. You can rarely think clearly if worried or too ill. Makes the thought of going and the actual stay more bearable if you have your bits around you. My Dh would not know what to pack. It doesn't harm anyone for those being scornful. I would add ear plugs, eye mask, brush/comb. As my Mum was dying she kept her hand on her handbag; in her confused state it gave her reassurance that she was ready and organised bless her.

This thread is as bad as the one we had in the spring where people were asking if they had written letters to their families in case they died

@Bargebill19 same. I was out shopping and felt a bit like I had the start of a chest infection. Ended up at OOH, doctor came out with a nebuliser. Me being nosy (I couldn't stop coughing but felt ok) , looking round and wondering who it was for. That would be me
Turns out my continuous cough was actually the fact I couldn't breathe and it took 6 nebulisers, two courses of antibiotics and steroids and I had pneumonia with a really low white blood count

@QueenOllie

Frightening isn’t it? Although oddly not at the time. I have a bag always packed after that - when hubby came back the next day he had managed to pack a bag with almost nothing I actually needed!!

No. Other than giving birth I've never stayed in hospital. If for any reason I was taken in I'm sure my husband would drop off anything needed. If someone is that ill with covid that they're hospitalised I don't think they'd be worrying about what they take to the hospital.

Hmm, I feel that the men would fare a lot better than the women if they suddenly got took into hospital, thinking about it DH wouldn’t have a clue and I dread to think what I would end up with, so maybe a bag is a good idea

And what about a playlist? I spent 3 hours creating a covid playlist on Spotify in case I end up going into hospital only to realise there may not be a good 4g signal so I need to save them as mp3.

I had to be transferred from one hospital to another quite a few years ago. I went in hospital transport, whilst dh came up the next day with stuff. He appeared first thing, wild eyed with a blue Ikea bag packed with the most insane collection of items...1 pair of pants, pyjamas that didn't fit, a woolly jumper (hospital ward was near tropical temperatures)...to be fair it was a very bizarre set of circumstances, and he was not thinking straight in any way.

After that I've always been pretty precise in bag packing and listing what's needed!

I have a bag for each of us and if I bring a dc to A&E I just throw the bags in the boot. It’s easier to be prepared, than scrambling for stuff under pressure or leaving a child alone to go home for stuff. There’s a list at the top of each bag of what to grab so that the thinking is already done.
I don’t see it as a manifestation of anxiety, though I am anxious, so maybe it is. But I don’t spend time worrying about needing it, or expecting to be hospitalised at any minute.
They have made distressing situations easier on a few occasions. Before I thought to pack them I was stuck in hospital with dd for four days after an accident with dh bringing me random things and ds staying with his gm. I’ve also driven across the country to deliver pjs and toiletries to a relative, so I just see it as not putting anyone to unnecessary trouble.
I also have swimming bags, a ballet bag and a karate bag, and an overnight case for dh’s trips. It just makes life a little bit easier.

I haven't but it's not a bad idea. My daughter is severely asthmatic - I learnt after a few hospital trips, some referrals straight from the GP's surgery and some blue light admissions that it was worth having a bag of bits together. Not much but a spare set of clothes for me and her (she has a history of being sick when her breathing is very distressed and when your stuck in hospital in only the clothes you're wearing covered in sick it's not nice), a bottle of water, pack of baby wipes, set of PJs for her, phone charger, pen, change for parking and vending machine, cereal bar, and make sure to pick up favourite teddy comforter. Anything else can be dropped off. I'd add hand gel and spare masks now.

I have packed a bag for my daughter just incase I'm too sick to look after her and she has to go to my parents. I'm a single mum and work in a secondary school. It's just me and her, dad not around.

But I think packing a emergency bag is a good idea, I think I will do that. Just some basics if I have to leave in a sudden. I have had to do a unexpected journey to a hospital before. When ur panicking it can be very hard to think straight and pack essentials like a tooth brush or clean pants. Thanks for posting

While it might be handy to put a few bits together in case one of the kids has an accident and we end up in A&E for a while....I think preparing In this way especially for Covid is unnecessary - Do they even allow personal possessions in intensive care?

Only those on the shielding list need to do this, suppose this is because they’ll be admitted sooner if they get it.

Hmmmm on second thoughts when I was in hospital after dd I asked for more pants....he only brought the pretty, barely there, lacy ones not my usual big mumma pants 🙄

So yes, do it if there’s a feckless DP or DH involved!

Bonkers

Haha. Oh god, this made my day.

My DM was unexpectedly blue lighted to hospital in January for a few days and it was my DH who was with her - He packed coming home clothes but no charger or nightie so she had to spend 24 hours in her nightie with little bits is sick on while she went from a&e to observation ward to main ward and I could find her ward via the main hospital number and then come in with a fresh nightie and charger. She keeps a plastic bag of a few bits on a shelf now. Clean nightie, clean knickers, spare phone charger and a airplane toothbrush toothpaste.

I have a bag with essentials in that any old neighbour could pick up for me. I’ve been stranded in hospital before with no san pro and being told sorry we don’t have any. While I’ve been unable to leave my bed. Like others have said it’s just few items save anyone going through my stuff and knowing my luck I’ve not done any laundry and no clean pants left.

I think this is a good idea. The only reason I don't is I don't have a spare phone charger and spare pyjamas!