How to Overcome an Unexpected Hospital Stay

As I was nestled comfortably in the lounge chair with a soft blanket and pillow that Sunday evening, I felt a surging pain in my shoulder. It was so excruciating that I gasped. I held my breath to see if it would disappear. Not only did it remain, but it worsened. I screamed for my husband to do something, anything to help me. He gave me some prescribed medication, and until it began its job, I sobbed in pain.

Just a few weeks prior, I had some scheduled surgery. All went well, and after a brief hospital stay, I was convalescing at home. Recovery was more difficult than I anticipated, but my family was taking great care of me.

Then, almost three weeks later, right before my follow-up appointment with my surgeon, my wound became infected. Once my doctor examined the surgical site, he immediately admitted me to the hospital. I was shocked! Excuse me, but what? The hospital? I assumed my doctor would clean the wound and send me home with a prescription for antibiotics.

I texted family and a few friends the unexpected and serious news and asked them to pray. Meanwhile, my best friend, who lives with us, gathered up what she thought I needed and packed a bag. I requested a few other items and found myself back at the hospital for a five-day stay.

It was those items packed in my bag and sweet encouragement from family and friends that helped me overcome that unexpected hospital stay.

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What was in my bag:

• Eye drops. The hospital air can be drying to your eyes.
• Face cream/facial oil. I hardly used any, so the day I went home from the hospital, my skin was so flaky and gross.
• Fuzzy socks with non-skid bottoms. Hospitals do provide some socks, but I felt my pair was more comfortable.
• Hand cream (this is one of my favorites!). The hospital anti-bacterial soap totally dried my hands out!
• Lip balm. Dry air, dry lips
• Deodorant
• Face spray (I love this one or this one). This item made me feel fresh and clean since I couldn’t follow my regular skincare routine.
• A hairbrush
• Several pairs of underwear
• Phone charger and/or battery pack
• Eye mask. There is nothing more startling(unsettling?) than a nurse coming in the room in the middle of the night and flipping on the light!
• Earplugs or a white noise app (I used this one). Hospitals can be noisy places!

 

Naturally, I wasn’t always awake/aware enough to use some of these things on my own, so my husband or a friend helped. I can’t tell you how great it feels to have your hair brushed when you have hospital bedhead! If I could have only had one item to bring, I would pick the eye mask! It was a lifesaver.

 

Encouragement:

• Prayer. I feel blessed to have had so many people praying for me, and some praying with me. I am confident it is why I felt peace and zero discouragement while there.
• Flowers/plants. Family and friends sent/brought beautiful arrangements and plants. It made me feel so loved!
• I had family members by my side for the entire hospital stay, but also had brief visits from dear friends.
• A very thoughtful friend of mine brought some of my favorite Trader Joe’s snacks, and my husband brought chocolate. I was able to snack a bit, and have food for visitors. Win, win!
• Text messages, cards, and email. Reading each one blessed me so much! Here again, I felt so loved.
• Another thoughtful friend brought a huge stack of all kinds of magazines she knew I would enjoy. They were perfect for my short attention span and helped distract me from the pain. It also supplied reading material for my family.
• Meals. Dear friends brought food when I came home. That was a huge help! My family was too exhausted to cook and tired of fast food. We so appreciated each and every meal.
• Goodness, besides flowers, I received some sweet little gifts (literally and figuratively) that brightened my day!

 

Honestly, I was so thankful to have those items if I needed/wanted them, and all the encouragement I received made a HUGE difference for me emotionally and spiritually. Even if you are not the one who finds yourself with an unplanned hospital stay, hopefully, these tips can help a friend or family member in the future.

Do you have any other suggestions on how to make a hospital stay more manageable? I would love to hear your ideas in the comment section!