Carers or patients: What’s in your hospital go bag?

[AlwaysSometimesNever]

Hello,
My DH has cardiac amyloidosis (quite rare, similar to myeloma with heart failure) and we’ve been living with it since 2018. He could have months or years, there is no prognosis whatsoever. He’ll have a foreshortened life however it goes. We’re both 49.
He’s had a change to his treatment this week and is feeling quite bad. I’ve just packed (another) go bag for tonight for myself. Pain killers, charger, pillow etc etc. Also embroidery for the long waits. He has his own packed.
What is in yours if you are a carer? Or patient?
Just being nosy I think and hoping for tips 😊

That must be hard.

I do regular trips to A&E too, so many that one of the Nurses has started taking to me when I’m walking the DDog.

I usually take lip balm and hand cream as Hospitals can be very drying.

Large bottle of water.

Power bank for my phone.

The book I’m reading downloaded on the kindle app.

Snacks. The ones available are here are overpriced with limited choice.

If I think of anything else I’ll let you know.

Hope he feels a bit better as the night progresses

It’s been a while, but I spent a lot of time as a carer in hospital when DS2 had chemo.

Items always in my bag -

Decent power bank
extra long charging cable
roll up camping pillow
bag of coins (probably less relevant now!)
baby wipes

I usually go in the night once they’re settled on the ward as I often have work the next day.

If you usually stay you might want to add in a travel toothbrush and some toothpaste for yourself.

The last time I was in A&E with a relative my DSis introduced me to Waterdrops which made a nice change from water]].

iPhone
hip flask
Plug and cable/ power bank
Tissues
Water
Crisps
Cereal bars
sandwich
Kindle
cardigan
pen and paper

DH has been to hospital so often that he has a bag permanently packed. If we go away we take it with us. When he was admitted to hospital while I was away, he simply told our son where to find it. I used to keep my tote bag ready packed too.

These are all fantastic. Thank you… defo time to re-up the bag. So right about the snacks. There’s a really nice machine that does nice corn and protein things that I like but it’s expensive. The Costa staff are lovely there too but again, so dear and not 24 hour!
He’s settled a bit now and BP is up again so I think I’ll sit tight with him for tonight. Time for a bit of online shopping though I think!!! And the bag is always ready…

So glad he’s settled a little.

I’m just wondering what Rock keeps in her hip flask…

Not frequent admissions but I stayed in hospital with DC a few weeks ago and it was an unexpected admission and I had to stay a few nights and not allowed out due to infection control. So in a bag I would keep clean underwear and top or roll up dress, flip flops or slippers and a little toiletry bag. And maybe one of those eye mask things if trying to sleep to block out some of the light.

Also painkillers, if you get a headache or whatever the staff can't give you anything as not a patient.

Been a while since this was necessary:

A LARGE folding tote like this https://amzn.eu/d/06Usq96Q (inside the hospital holdell), to shove everything in to make a quick get away on discharge. also handy if you move beds or to shove any outside coats in under the bed. A small folding shopping bag (or two) for laundry/shower/randomness.

Power bank, multicharger 2 cables.

Small squeezy squash when it was short unpredictable admissions, large when regular longer admissions

A variety of cup-a-pasta/couscous type things (after i did a 12 hour stint with no food. Found any long life packets that only needed boiling water invaluable.)

Crocs for the patient!!!! Everyone needs crocs in hospital! Ones with a moveable back strap so they can slip on/off around the ward but still provide a bit of support for a lazy walk. More useful than flip flops because you can wear them with or without socks/Support stockings. And you can bet you forget shoes for the patent in an emergency if their wheeled onto an ambulance

Fluffy socks/slipper socks for carer

Lightweight smartish long cardigan for me

The old fashioned tins of Nivea moisturiser

A cup with a lid for me. Found this was better than it bottle of water, lighter to carry. I could fill it with either water or coffee and i was less worried about spilling hot water.

Had a couple of different cheapass brightly coloured hanging wash kits like this https://amzn.eu/d/01RSepOR
one was the wash bag. the other had everything like pens, chargers, playing cards, food packs, squash. It meant I unrolled/hung up stuff quickly at admission, and I could find stuff easily in my bag or at the bed.

Also the hospital holdall was a stupid bright colour/pattern so I could say "grab the bright ___ holdall" and Noone could mistake it.

I would add a notebook and pen, noise cancelling headphones and a tablet to your list.

DH always had ear plugs.

So many good ideas. Thank you. Luckily the new regime settled down ok so fingers crossed no need for the go bag for a week or so.
So enough time to kit it out again <rubs hands>
Thank you all xx

Think I might have jinxed myself posting on this thread. Spent yet another night in A&E with a relative since posting. Much better now though

I know it's been mentioned but i found a USB charging plug as good as a battery pack as can be used to charge device and the power bank. Also wired headphones take less power than Bluetooth ones.
Do look out for NHS wi-fi, you may have to register, but very useful as mobile signal often very bad in wards /ED.

Oh gosh… nightmare. I hope it wasn’t too hot. Our A&E locally is hideous in the heat. I have taken my neck fan round with me but I find I can’t hear well over the noise so I worry I’ll miss DH getting called!!