Things to Bring

A new patient came into the ward. She forgot to bring many essential things for her stay. Her family did what my home carers did when I first came, “We will bring you these the next time we come.”

But they didn’t make a list, I wonder if they could remember all the things they should bring.

Watching her fumbling around and later crying.  She didn’t bring her handphone and was unable to call home. I suddenly got an idea – let me list down things that patients should bring when they are admitted. This will help many people!

So below are my checklists which I compiled when laying on my bed, looking around me.

Things to bring from home:

1. Colored bags – This is to help you to be admitted without stress. For eg, the purple bag is for clothes to change like underwear; the green bag for relaxation such as books, or other things; the black bag is stuff for work, the pink bag contains toiletries.

2. Something that smell good --  The ward could sometimes smell very awful- vomit, shit, urine from your bedmates, or oily foods that their families eat by the beds. Bring baby powder to give yourself nice feeling after you wipe your body, may be even perfume during days when you are depressed. Or sanitizing sprays.

3. Bring black pants – The pants won’t show even if it is dirty and unwashed because your home carers have forgotten about bring laundry home for you.

4. A sweater – The ward can get very cold and you need a sweater when you are waiting for your turn at examination rooms.

5. A neck pillow for reading for browsing internet with your Ipad.

6.Books to read. Books that can take your mind somewhere for a few hours.

7. A bath towel and a face towel.

8. Cash not more than Rm250 and credit card ( if you rather do all the discharge procedures yourself to spare your family from waiting for hours for the discharge.)

9. Body lotion.

10. Toilet paper (One roll at a time because there is not much space).

11. Your favorite teas/coffees/drinks in powder form.

12. Handphone –a must!!

Things you need to buy or buy from the shop on the ground floor:

1. Adult diapers

2. Wet tissue for wiping your body

3. Soap for handwashing

4. Tissue paper ( small packets because you don’t have much space)

5. Snacks – low salt, or low fat low low sugar, whatever you are allowed to eat – For night time when you can’t sleep and in between when you can’t eat the hospital foods.

6. Mint or something to make your mouth smell good.

7. A small bottle of dettol or bacteria-ciadal sanitizer to clean up things around you to protect yourself from bacteria infection. Keep a small bottle in your handbag so you can disinfect someone’s car when you travel in case your fluid wet car seats.  You can clean it up with tissue paper and dettol.

8. Menstrual pads – to use as towels for the drain hole when you travel.

9. Minyak angin  or ‘fung yau’ (Chinese medicated oil for tummy pains).

The most common ‘fung yau’ in Malaysia.

10. Lip gloss for dry lips due to the air-conditioning.

For the mind and telework:

1. An Ipad with internet access

Medical Expert Jotting Down
Case Sheet Notes Stock Photo

2. Books to read

3. Writing pads

4. A clip board with papers so you can jot down notes. 

Things your family should try to bring to you every time they visit:

1. Banana to get your electrolyte balance.

2. Your favorite foods if you don’t have appetite, but make sure the foods follow your diet requirements.

3. Nice notes and greeting cards from friends to cheer you up.

4. Freshly cut fruits to help your bowel movements.

Things your family and friends shouldn’t bring:

1. Flowers – The pollen can give allergy to other patients and you have no space to put them.

2. Very sweet and high fat desserts － Foods with very high sugar and fat don’t help any one especially ascites patients.

By Ching Ching