Preparing for transplant surgery (or any long hospital stay) can be very stressful, including figuring out what to bring with you!
As a chronic over-packer, I really struggled with what to pack for my transplant hospital stay. I knew I was going to be in the hospital for at least 2 weeks, and thought I should anticipate for the stay to be even longer. I scoured the internet and Pinterest for a packing list, but couldn’t find anything! I ended up packing 3 bags full of things – most which I didn’t even touch during my entire hospital stay. Below you will find my 11 recommended items to pack for your transplant hospital stay. These are the items I actually used during my stay, and they can all fit in a backpack, so you don’t make your family and friends drag multiple bags around the hospital like I did! Stick around to the end for a few extra items/tips that may be useful as well.
1. Cozy blanket
My top recommendation is bringing a cozy blanket with you. Hospital blankets are notoriously thin, and hospitals are notoriously cold. I had at least one cozy blanket on my bed at all times, and everyone who came in my room commented on how much they loved it and how comfy I looked. It really did make a huge difference. I suggest bringing a blanket that you like, but not your favorite/nicest/most expensive – there is a chance of it getting a little messy between the blood draws, drains, etc.
See my blanket recommendations here.
2. Chapstick
Chapstick was something I hadn’t even thought about, and I am SO glad my best friend Lindsay gifted me some in a basket she gave me before transplant. After being under anesthesia and on a ventilator for hours, your lips will be chapped. You probably won’t think about it the first few days, but when you become more alert, you will notice it and you will want chapstick. Trust me.
See my chapstick recommendations here.
3. Flannel / button-up shirt
This is most useful when leaving the hospital, but can also come in handy during your stay if you are extra cold. Oversized flannels or button-up shirts are great because they are open in the front for easy access, and the sleeves roll up for IVs. They’re easy to put on and don’t require any stretching or extra movements that might be uncomfortable post transplant. I wore mine to the hospital on surgery day so it was one less thing to actually “pack” in my bag.
See my flannel/button-up recommendations here.
4. Heating pad
This is something I did not pack, but really wish I had. I single-handedly, consistently ran the transplant floor out of disposable heating pads, and the nurses would have to try to grab some from other units. I’m normally a stomach sleeper, and sleeping on my back in the not-so-comfortable hospital bed caused me a lot of back pain, which the heating pads helped relieve. Had I just packed my own, I wouldn’t have had to worry about the disposable ones running out of heat, or the floor running out of heating packs!
See my heating pad recommendations here.
5. iPad/tablet with pre-loaded books and movies
Entertainment will be a necessity to make your hospital stay a little more enjoyable. I made sure to download some books and movies onto my iPad before transplant. My transplant occurred around the holidays, so I actually ended up watching Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies on TV more than anything else, but normally there isn’t much to a selection to choose from on hospital TV. Some hospitals even charge for TV usage, so it’s best to come prepared! You’ll be glad to have something to watch/read to help take your mind off things when you don’t have visitors.
See my tablet recommendations here.
6. Robe
I lived in my robe during my transplant stay. You won’t find a picture of me without it! It kept me warm, was oversized enough for easy IV access, open in the front for incision/drain access, and helped cover me up in the exposing hospital gown.
See my robe recommendations here.
7. Scrunchies/headbands
If you have long hair, these are especially crucial. I knew I wouldn’t be /washing/brushing my hair for a while, so it was going to be greasy. I knew I was also going to be spending a lot of time in bed, and didn’t want my hair becoming a giant rat’s nest. It was great to have my hair up and out of the way, and I made sure my scrunchies and headbands were soft enough to be comfortable to sleep in. They really did help with my hair not getting as knotted as I was dreading!
See my scrunchie and headband recommendations here.
8. Glasses
This won’t be relevant to everyone, but it will be very important for those who wear glasses/contacts. I personally wear my contacts the majority of the time, but this wasn’t possible in the hospital. You can’t wear them during surgery, you won’t feel like putting them in post-surgery, and you’ll be sleeping so often that contacts just won’t be practical. As much as I hate wearing my glasses, they were all I wore in the hospital. I wouldn’t have been able to see without them!
See some cute glasses frames I like here.
9. Extra long phone charger
Another lifesaver during my hospital stay was my 10 ft. iPhone charger. Most of the plugs by your bed will be in use for medical supplies, and you will be spending the majority of time in bed. You won’t want to plug your phone in across the room and constantly go back and forth. An extra long phone charger will stretch to your bed and make it easy to use your phone while it is charging.
See my phone charger recommendations here.
10. Grippy socks
Yes, they will give you grippy socks at the hospital. But for someone with small feet like me, they are always way too big and slide off. I brought my own grippy socks that I wore and it was much more comfortable and safer having socks that actually fit. You will definitely need socks with grips for whenever you are up and walking to avoid slips and falls.
See my grippy sock recommendations here.
11. Large sweatpants/pajama pants
Another item I lived in while in the hospital was large sweatpants and pajama pants. They should be larger than your normal size so they are loose around your stomach – you will be swollen and won’t want anything tight. Sweatpants/pajama pants will also keep you warm and unexposed in the hospital gown. I wore one pair to the hospital and brought another in my bag – every few days my mom would take a pair home to wash and then bring them back.
See my sweatpant recommendations here.
While those are my top 11 packing tips for items you will find most useful or might not have thought of, I have a few bonus items below of things you should remember to bring with you or extras that might be nice to have:
- Cellphone – this is a pretty obvious one (do you ever go anywhere without it?) so I didn’t include it on the list, but don’t forget to bring it with you!
- ID and Insurance Cards – another obvious one that you will need and can’t forget to have on you when you get to the hospital.
- Slippers with a hard, grippy bottom – these are what I wore to/from the hospital because they were easy to slip on but also wouldn’t allow me to slip and fall.
- Contact lense case/solution – if you wear your contacts to the hospital on surgery day, you will need to take them out prior to going to the OR.
- Toiletries – these really aren’t necessary as the hospital will provide you with soap, lotion, a toothbrush and toothpaste, etc., but if you really want to use a specific product you can bring it with you. I personally packed a bunch of toiletries and even make-up (LOL) but never touched any of it during my hospital stay.
- Books/magazines – if you prefer them to reading on a tablet
- Headphones – I never used them, as I had a private room, but if you will be sharing a room or want to try to drown out some of the noisiness of the hospital, they could be useful.
- Large underwear – I personally went commando under my sweatpants while in the hospital (might be TMI, but keeping it honest…). I was so swollen that underwear just was not comfortable for me, but if you can’t imagine going without it, make sure you bring extra large pairs that won’t feel tight!
- Snacks – I didn’t pack any, but was so grateful to have friends and family bring me lots of snacks throughout my stay. Hospital food gets old, and your taste buds will be affected by all of the medication you are. You will crave certain things and despise others, so its nice to have lots of options of things to eat and drink. Some hospitals may be picky about allowing you to have outside food; mine personally didn’t care (unless I was NPO of course!).
- Gifts/food for nurses and staff – I put together gift baskets for the nurses and staff on the transplant floor prior to transplant, and had my family bring them/give them out. I made a whole blog post on what I included in these which you can read here. My family also regularly brought in donuts and coffee for the nurses and staff. This is not necessary, but a great way to show your appreciation to the people taking care of you!
I hope this packing list helps make packing for transplant surgery (or any surgery with a long hospital stay) a little bit easier, and gives you one less thing to stress over. While staying weeks in the hospital sounds long and like you will need to bring everything, in reality just a few key items are all that you need. If there’s anything you think I forgot to mention, please tell me in the comments below!
