When waiting for an organ transplant, it is important to know what to put in your hospital bag so you don’t forget anything. In addition, when we are on the waiting list, we do not know at all when we will be called, so we need a bag ready at all times! My bag is ready since I’ve known I’m on the waiting list, but I’m constantly taking things in it without replacing them (yes, I know it’s not a good idea :P).
So I was due to check the content of my hospital bag. I wanted to make sure I would always have everything I needed when I will receive the long-awaited call.. It would not be nice to have just brought 5 sweaters and no pants or underwear, for example. After a big operation like that, not sure I want to walk around like that for days! 😛 I’ll have other things to think about!
As long as I had to redo my bag, I took the opportunity to film everything. I hope it can help those who also need to prepare, and answer the curiosity about what we put in our bag for a hospital stay for an indefinite number of days!
Why prepare a bag in advance?
1- To bring the things you need and not forget anything!
It’s silly, but it’s the base! We will not necessarily think about dental floss, earplugs or our phone charger if we make our bag at the last minute. It’s better to be adequately prepared to spend the best possible stay there, while you recover!
2- Because you’ll have to hurry!
When we get the call that there is a compatible organ available for us to receive a transplant, we have to go to the hospital right away. There’s really no need to speed on the highway, but the shorter the delay, the better. Before we can do the transplant, we have plenty of tests to go through at the Transplant Centre. When we get the call, it’s really not the time to wonder if we’re missing something in our bag!
3- Because we will stay in the hospital for several days… or several weeks!
Normally, one expects to stay in the hospital between 5 days to several weeks, for a kidney transplant. It all depends on whether our new kidney is off to a good start and whether our body responds well to the new medication, which is initially intense for the body.
4- Because otherwise, it makes our loved ones go back and forth!
Often, transplant centers are also far from home. It’s even more worth taking the time to do it well in advance in that case. If I forget to bring underwear, it’s a trip back and forth from Trois-Rivières that my boyfriend will have to do to bring them to me! As he will have to take all my responsibilities during my recovery, I do not want to make him live this in addition!
Ready to pack your bag?
Now that we know why to pack your bag in advance, it’s time to start preparing it! I hope this video that I have prepared for you will help you with this task! (subtitles in English are available on the video)
Feel free to write to me if you have any further suggestions or questions!
See you soon, friends!
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