What should I pack for hospital for a hysterectomy stay?

[Happydays777]

What kind of things do I need to take to hospital for hysterectomy? Minimum 1 night stay. Pyjamas slippers dressing gown and slippers. Change of clothes? Tissues, wet wipes, towel, pads and phone charger but no idea what else? What do I put it all in as don't have a hold all.
Will have to travel 50 miles to hospital as I live remotely. DF will be driving me there and collecting as DH will be going to the football he says its nothing major! None of my friends have had one but I am as I have large ovarian cysts and very HMB that caused severe anaemia and Hb of 40. Now after treatment and txa its Hb140.
Put over a stone in weight and gone from 8st6lb to 9st 8lb and not eating more? Nothing fits so will be stretchy loose trousers and top for journey home. Anything I need for drive home? Will it be painful?

Divorce forms to sign since your husband sounds like a massive bellend.

Ear plugs, eye mask, toiletry bag, cartons of apple juice, boiled sweets, peppermint oil for the trapped gas (though I was given it). Stool softeners though again they gave me those. Clean underwear.

I had a big endo excision op and stayed overnight

stayed in a gown as bleeding
things I used - long phone charger, face wipes, pads, phone, headphones
things I wish I took - snacks and drinks!

I travelled in my stretchy trousers and top and slip on UGGs which doubled as slippers
take a pillow to wedge between seatbelt and yourself

Ear phones if youre going to be listening to music. Probably no point taking a book as you'll be out of it on painkillers for a while.

I ended up staying in for 4 nights, it is uncomfortable when you come round but they give you plenty of pain killers. You will have drains and maybe a drip, so a nightshirt or their hospital gown may be easier. Mine was laparoscopic but everything went, they pump you full of air and wind pain can be painful, I took some mints. You may be constipated due to the opiates (and for me the fear of everything falling out when I eventually went) take anything they offer you to help.
My husband was there when I went into theatre and when I came out, yours sounds like a knob, it is classed as a major surgery. Have they told you you cant lift anything when you come home, not even a kettle initially, is he taking time off?

Don’t worry about a hold-all - a large carrier bag will be fine. I took a nightshirt with buttons so that the catheter line could feed through. Also get a long charger cable - sockets aren’t always accessible! I found maternity leggings were very comfy to wear afterwards as they covered my swelly belly and didn’t irritate my wound. I hope that everything goes well for you - follow advice about rest and exercises afterwards and try to eat well. 💐

Ear plugs, eye mask, toiletry bag definitely yes to these. I'd include shampoo & conditioner and dry shampoo just in case you're in for longer- the dry shampoo in case you can't wash your hair for a few days.

You want a really good eye mask BTW.

I'd also take a fan and a soft wrap. Wards can either be too hot or too cold. If it's too hot you'll miss not having a fan and a wrap will help keep you warm without having to ask for an extra blanket.

Headphones are a must if you ever listen to anything. Don't be someone who plays stuff on their phone without them!

Take extra underwear and another set of pjs just in case there's a problem and you have to stay in for longer. You don't want to have to be worrying about extra necessaries if that happens.

Oh and for the drive home, ask your dad to bring a pillow. If you're sore after surgery you can place it underneath the lap strap of the seat belt which will makes things much more comfortable.

Snoozebad = sleep headphones & eyemask. I wouldn’t be in hospital without it.

Food - snacks , Drinks fruit anything ! The food was horrible.

wipes as you’ll not get help to wash etc. at least I didn’t. Not even to clean my teeth when bed bound.

water bottle and lidded coffee mug were an absolute essential so o could drink when I couldn’t really reach / handle open cup as pinned in place on bed ( catheter , drip pain drip etc)

Yeah, this. Your husband is a prick.

Some sweets/snacks and just wear whatever is most comfortable for going home. I went home in my pyjamas . After surgery it will be more uncomfortable than painful as they pump you with gas and it causes your shoulders to ache. I wish I had known this.

Aww thanks these are things I need and forgot about thanks x

Thanks for the heads up x

Thanks it's a great idea x

Yw, good luck I hope it goes well and that you'll have support during recovery when you get home

Nothing major??!! Is he serious??

I bought loose joggers from Hush and relied on them for a while as the swelling takes a time to go down. A clothes peg to peg your phone charging cable to the bed (saves it falling off). Love Heart sweets are a god send to dissipate the gas they pump into your abdomen. For when you get home a picker upper/litter picker type thing as bending over will be difficult for a while. Sounds like your husband isn’t going to be a whole lot of use so I recommend batch cooking meals for the freezer. All my bathroom bits were in below waist height cupboards so I left everything I needed out on the surfaces.

Button up night dress - great for breastfeeding and not getting in way of wound

I had abdominal surgery recently and was quite miserable the day after in hospital. What lifted me up was a nice handcream and moisturiser as I didn't feel clean and this just felt a nice bedtime routine (I was in three nights).
And most of what people mention above, especially peppermint related and comfy clothing.

Divorce papers. He’s a knob ! Seriously though, no pyjamas use a nightshirt, something comfy to come home in, all of what you said, a pillow for the way home, hold it against your stomach over bumps and to protect from seat belt. Put it in a small case / hold-all. Good luck, had mine at 31 best thing I ever did.

Oestrogen gel. I had a BSO TH (laparoscopic) and needed it by the following morning tbh. I had already discussed it with the Gynae surgeon and my GP and had it ready.

I’m actually feeling a few emotions on your behalf about your husband’s attitude. It’s just not acceptable.

Top up on painkillers for the drive home, that's a long journey. And the cushion, the seatbelt might be pretty uncomfortable over the wound.

In general, Big comfy knickers
i tend to just use the hospital gowns
a decent size backpack works quite well to put your stuff in, with a carrier bag for outdoor shoes. I was in and out 4 times earlier this year so got quite good at hospital packing.
last time i just used a knee length cardigan as my dressing gown, mines a big towelling one so not great for packing.
Have they said to take a towel as usually they have them and will hand them out in the morning at wash time together with a clean gown if you ask.
are you really likely to be up to washing your hair after a hysterectomy or even allowed to as they probably won't want the wound to get wet, so you could probably manage without that stuff. I found a couple of flannels useful for strip washes.

I would concur with others that your husbands actions are really disappointing, does he know you won't be able to do much for quite a while afterwards? And you shouldn't push yourself to either.

I see other people have suggested bring a long charger cable but consider bring an extension lead. If you want to charge a couple of things at the same time it is handy.

Refresher sweets from Amazon--best thing for dealing with trapped gas.
I found a loose pair of linen tie-string trousers useful. Mine weren't expensive, from H and M, but I'm wearing them today, three years on. They were gentle against my abdomen.