Five Ways to Make Your Hospital Stay a Good One

A list of the important things to pack to ensure a happy and comfortable stay at the hospital.

Have a surgery coming up? Are you going in for some form of treatment or another? Will you be there for more than a couple of days? Here are a few tips to help you make your stay there more comfortable.

1. Bring your own Bedding
2. There are no rules that say you have to use the hospital provided sheets, blankets, and pillows. So pack your cushiest pillow, your coziest blanket, and your softest sheets to make your "leisure" time as tolerable as possible. Another useful bedding update is one of those egg package shaped foam toppers. It should help stave off a sore back for at least a day.
3. Electronic Entertainment
4. Sure the hospital will have a TV in the room for you. Most likely it will be hooked up with the most basic of cable programs. Add to that the fact that channel listing is going to be totally off from the one you know. Now consider that the most popular hospital remote only has one button. Up. You will be forced to scroll through the entire channel line up to go back one channel. Instead bring an ipod or laptop loaded to the brim with music, television shows, movies, and games. A good book wouldn't be a bad idea either, for those of you who still enjoy reading.
5. Cozy Attire
6. Another comfort factor is your attire. If you are planning on wearing that paper hospital gown and those less than snuggly slipper socks, then you will find yourself hideously uncomfortable and embarrassed whenever you are asked to stand up. Pack your favorite PJ's, lots of clean undies, and fuzzy warm socks. This will also enable you to stand out of your bed without blushing in front of the nurses.
7. Snacks
8. This one should be obvious. Hospital cafeterias aren't exactly famous for their cuisine. Well, not famous in a positive way that is. More like they are famous in a high school cafeteria sort of way. So, when you pack up, think of things that will tide you over if the hot turkey sandwich isn't looking so hot.
9. Visitors
10. Yes, you can't make people visit you. But if visits are what you want, then be darn sure that you let them know that you are expecting a visit. Many people are simply uncomfortable visiting or unsure that you want a visitor. Call them from your bed and make them feel guilty for not showing. Don't be ashamed of shaming them, you deserve the visits!

There you have it. Even if you're a first time visitor, you'll be going in there looking like you're a pro.

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