The HSCT Chronicles: Honest Hospital Bag Essentials

I was in an isolation bay from my arrival to the hospital on the 10th January until I left on the 31st.  Before I arrived, I scoured the internet for ‘hospital bag essentials‘ and received a great lot of advice on what to pack if you’re going in to have a baby… HSCT, not so much.  Here is my honest guide to hospital bag essentials if you are going in for HSCT:

The Basics

Comfy Clothes

It goes without saying that any hospital stay demands comfy clothes that are easy to move around in.  You will be spending a lot of time in bed during the first stages of HSCT, so plenty of pyjamas (I preferred these to nighties) and loose clothes are helpful.  My Hickman Line got changed daily initially, so something that I could pull down easily was essential.  Whereas my hospital room in November when I had my harvest was pretty warm, this time around it was chilly, so clothes that could be easily layered and then taken off were great.  Don’t be afraid to ask for extra blankets as needed – my magic number was 4 light blankets on the bed at bedtime for a comfortable and warm sleep.

Soft Toothbrush

I remember my friend, who had also been through chemotherapy, recommending a soft toothbrush and gentle toothpaste for the hospital bag.  I am glad that she did!  Although I was lucky to not have suffered too much with mouth soreness – I used a 4x daily mouthwash to protect the mucosal lining – the nurses did tell me that some patients can have such a sore mouth they can even find it difficult to swallow their own saliva! Ouch 🙁

Other Bathroom Necessities

I had a shower on those days when I felt well but, on others when I felt a bit ‘meh’, I made do with a sink wash and used cleansing wipes and/or flannels.  This helped during periods of fatigue and are great last thing at night if you just want to freshen up before bed without the hassle and time of a shower.  When I did have a shower, I used simple fragrance-free body and hair wash and my hairdresser advised that talc on the scalp might help to absorb any grease that my head might still be making – hair loss means that it won’t be there to disperse it as normal.  A simple oat-based moisturiser on the scalp can also help with the itch that often comes with chemo hair loss. Lip balm is essential too.

Little Activities

I’ve set myself a challenge on my Good Reads account to read 30 books this year, as opposed to the 20 I read last year.  I am certainly on my way with this now, but I overestimated just how much I would be able to read in the hospital. I found it difficult to read when I initially felt so poorly, but hopefully, others going through HSCT won’t go into the hospital carrying the flu virus, as I did!  I have lovely friends who gave me ‘care packages’ of books and short activities (mindful colouring books, coloured pencils, journals, puzzles) to keep my mind busy. In my experience, having plenty of magazines to dip in and out of is essential; it can be tricky to concentrate for more than a few minutes, so quick, sharp articles are just the thing to have in your hospital bag.  I have really got into podcasts as well.  Perfect for if you just want to shut your eyes and relax – I found that if I spent too long on my laptop or reading a book my eyes started to hurt.  I love Desert Island Disks, Adam Buxton (soooo funny!) and true crime podcasts, such as Dirty John.

The Things You Might Not Think About

Big Pants

Part of having comfy clothes are having big pants. So glamorous, eh?  But, for me as someone who suffered from a UTI plus D&V when I was in the hospital, big pants are essential for my hospital bag.  Incontinence pads can be embarrassing but they can also make you feel much more secure, especially if you have a UTI.  The hospital is so used to it and will offer their own too if needed.

Squash

Water is the drink of choice within the hospital outside of meal times.  This makes sense both nutritionally and in regards to keeping your mouth as healthy as possible.  However, once I brought in some simple lemon squash keeping water down seemed so much easier; my mouth needed a flavour other than water and it this seemed to do the trick. I sometimes took a bit after having to swallow ‘the most disgusting stuff on the earth’ – aka dissolvable potassium – which I had to take three times a day.  If you have ever had the potassium, you will know exactly what I am talking about.

Soft Toilet Roll

Let’s keep it simple and say that my family bringing in soft loo roll and moist wipes made it much nicer to use the loo!

Fridge Necessities

I’m not sure if this is the same everywhere, but I was lucky to have a fridge in my room each time I was in isolation.  This allowed me to have some little creature comforts such as non-dairy milk, pop (for when I needed flavour – I hardly ever drank it), or perhaps some favourite puds.  If you are following a ‘Neutropenic diet’, which is typically advised when your immune system is severely compromised, make sure to check that what you eat and drink are following the guidelines.  I was advised to avoid bottled water, for example.

Chemo Hats or Scarves

Chances are, you have already thought about having chemo caps in your hospital bag, but I thought that I would put it in because caps made of bamboo are so soft and allow your head to ‘breathe’ much more than synthetic ones do.  I found that they help me to keep warm as hair loss started.

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My Hospital Bag Essentials:

So there you have it!  I didn’t want to sugar coat exactly what I used when so many things come to me as ‘essential’ as my hospital stay increased.  I hope that this hospital bag list was helpful if you are going to be going in for HSCT or other stem cell/bone marrow treatment.

‘Til next time,

 

 

 

If you would like to read more about my HSCT treatment, previous blog posts are: