Here are my lucky tips that I have after all my years in hospitals. I hope they help you make your hospital stay easier
1) You definitely can and should bring with you into the operating room anything that makes you feel safer, happier and more comfortable. In my case, when I was younger, I used to bring Spot, my stuffed animal dog, with me and he was there when I went to sleep and when I first woke up. Don't worry -- they will take good care of your things while you're in surgery and they will be there when you wake up afterwards. If you want to bring something back, just ask a nurse and they can help you with it.
2) I love the buffalo shrimp from a restaurant in Minnesota, but I don't recommend having food like that the day you get out of surgery, the way I once did. It wasn't a pretty sight! Wait a few days until your doctors say it is absolutely OK to eat spicy food. Start with food that is easy on your body, like pasta or pizza, and go from there.
3) Bring a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash or a pack of gum with you to help get rid of the bad taste in your mouth when you are finished with anesthesia and surgery.
4) Every family is different, but, for me, the best time to squeeze something I really wanted out of my family was when I was being wheeled away into the operating room or from the recovery room.
5) If you are staying in the hospital, bring multiple board games that will take your mind off what is going on -- your surgery, discomfort and everyone walking in and out of your room examining you all the time. My favorite games were Rummikub and 500, a card game.
6) Bring a lot of movies. You can get movies for free from the hospital library too. Most hospitals will have a selection of movies that you can watch. I usually liked watching comedies to make me feel better. If laughing hurts your scar, use a pillow and hold it on your stomach. My favorites were "Dodgeball" and "Cars" when I was younger.
7) Take a lot of walks--even if you feel like you can't do it. Just walking to the door of your room and back will benefit you. As you get stronger, walk more and more. It is the one way you can control how fast you get out of the hospital, and make you feel better quicker. The more walks you take, the earlier you will get your strength back and the earlier they will let you leave. But, don't overdo it.
8) Don't be afraid to ask questions. Nurses and doctors will always take your questions seriously, no matter how young you are, and will try to answer them so you will be able to understand.
9) It helps if you understand what your surgery is about and why you have to have it. So talk to your parents and doctors. If you
understand a little about what is going on, it will make you less nervous. I promise.
10) Bring your favorite music and headphones with you. Music always helped me calm down.
11) Plan favorite things that you look forward to as treats after surgery, like eating at your favorite restaurant.
12) Use technology to stay in touch with you friends through Snapchat, Zoom, Facetime, etc. It will make your return to school much smoother. It is also nice to keep in touch with your friends because they can brighten your mood.
13) Always be honest; you have to communicate exactly how you are feeling with your doctors, nurses and family members. This is to ensure that they can treat you properly.
14) Do not try and get out of bed without someone standing in the room helping you. You do not want to fall after a surgery.
15) Once you can eat food again, take it easy. Start with food that is easy to eat like breads, soup or crackers. Then start trying different foods and see how you body reacts.
16) Your nurses are here to help; don't be afraid to ask them for something or ask for help and any questions you might have.
17) Put chucks (disposable linen) throughout your bed. These will help make sure your bed stays clean. The best way to position them is put two under a sheet, put a sheet over them, and then put another on top to make sure that your bed stays clean. The nurses will always help you with this.
18) It is smart for someone to always sleep in the hospital room with a kid. This makes them feel more comfortable with sleeping in the hospital and also makes sure that they aren't lonely. The hospital will always provide sheets and a pillow and will have some other place to sleep in the room.
19) Gifts are always a fun way to make your stay better. The best gifts don't have to be the biggest gifts. One idea for gifts is give a small gift every day. This makes the patient have something to look forward to during the hospital stay.
20) In the hospital, sometimes you will not be allowed to drink anything. Make sure you bring lip balm so your lips don't get chapped.
21) Always try and brush your teeth. It always makes me feel better.
22) Bring your favorite slippers or socks to walk around in. The nurses won't let you walk without something on your feet so it might as well be something that you like, and that looks better than the hospital socks.
2) I love the buffalo shrimp from a restaurant in Minnesota, but I don't recommend having food like that the day you get out of surgery, the way I once did. It wasn't a pretty sight! Wait a few days until your doctors say it is absolutely OK to eat spicy food. Start with food that is easy on your body, like pasta or pizza, and go from there.
3) Bring a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash or a pack of gum with you to help get rid of the bad taste in your mouth when you are finished with anesthesia and surgery.
4) Every family is different, but, for me, the best time to squeeze something I really wanted out of my family was when I was being wheeled away into the operating room or from the recovery room.
5) If you are staying in the hospital, bring multiple board games that will take your mind off what is going on -- your surgery, discomfort and everyone walking in and out of your room examining you all the time. My favorite games were Rummikub and 500, a card game.
6) Bring a lot of movies. You can get movies for free from the hospital library too. Most hospitals will have a selection of movies that you can watch. I usually liked watching comedies to make me feel better. If laughing hurts your scar, use a pillow and hold it on your stomach. My favorites were "Dodgeball" and "Cars" when I was younger.
7) Take a lot of walks--even if you feel like you can't do it. Just walking to the door of your room and back will benefit you. As you get stronger, walk more and more. It is the one way you can control how fast you get out of the hospital, and make you feel better quicker. The more walks you take, the earlier you will get your strength back and the earlier they will let you leave. But, don't overdo it.
8) Don't be afraid to ask questions. Nurses and doctors will always take your questions seriously, no matter how young you are, and will try to answer them so you will be able to understand.
9) It helps if you understand what your surgery is about and why you have to have it. So talk to your parents and doctors. If you
understand a little about what is going on, it will make you less nervous. I promise.
10) Bring your favorite music and headphones with you. Music always helped me calm down.
11) Plan favorite things that you look forward to as treats after surgery, like eating at your favorite restaurant.
12) Use technology to stay in touch with you friends through Snapchat, Zoom, Facetime, etc. It will make your return to school much smoother. It is also nice to keep in touch with your friends because they can brighten your mood.
13) Always be honest; you have to communicate exactly how you are feeling with your doctors, nurses and family members. This is to ensure that they can treat you properly.
14) Do not try and get out of bed without someone standing in the room helping you. You do not want to fall after a surgery.
15) Once you can eat food again, take it easy. Start with food that is easy to eat like breads, soup or crackers. Then start trying different foods and see how you body reacts.
16) Your nurses are here to help; don't be afraid to ask them for something or ask for help and any questions you might have.
17) Put chucks (disposable linen) throughout your bed. These will help make sure your bed stays clean. The best way to position them is put two under a sheet, put a sheet over them, and then put another on top to make sure that your bed stays clean. The nurses will always help you with this.
18) It is smart for someone to always sleep in the hospital room with a kid. This makes them feel more comfortable with sleeping in the hospital and also makes sure that they aren't lonely. The hospital will always provide sheets and a pillow and will have some other place to sleep in the room.
19) Gifts are always a fun way to make your stay better. The best gifts don't have to be the biggest gifts. One idea for gifts is give a small gift every day. This makes the patient have something to look forward to during the hospital stay.
20) In the hospital, sometimes you will not be allowed to drink anything. Make sure you bring lip balm so your lips don't get chapped.
21) Always try and brush your teeth. It always makes me feel better.
22) Bring your favorite slippers or socks to walk around in. The nurses won't let you walk without something on your feet so it might as well be something that you like, and that looks better than the hospital socks.