Preparing for a Hospital Stay

Now that you have made the decision to enter the hospital, find outside support:

• Someone to gather your mail from home, print out your e-mails, feed your pets, and water your plants.
• Someone to stay with you during the intake can be a real comfort.

What to Bring

Hospitals are boring places, which makes them great places to catch up on the things you have been procrastinating about. Some of the things you might consider bringing include:

• Bills to pay. You may be in the hospital for a while. You don't want to be accruing late fees.
• Check book so you can pay the bills.
• Address book so you can write letters and make phone calls.
• Envelopes for mailing letters and bills.
• Postage. Every hospital I have been to has given me free postage, but you never know. It can't hurt to be prepared.
• Phone card. Mental hospitals use pay phones for outgoing calls and it's a hassle having to find change.
• Books to read. I suggest light pleasure reading. Your illness is intense enough without your reading material getting you down.
• Puzzle books like crossword puzzles.
• Portable CD player, cassette player, or radio with headphones. Bring soft music to calm you during anxiety, mania, or insomnia and upbeat music for exercise, lifting your mood, and getting you going in the morning.
• Laptop computer. Since this is an expensive piece of equipment, the hospital staff will want you to sign a waiver saying that you accept full responsibility for damage or loss to the computer. I brought one that I bought used for $300, so that if something did happen to it, I wouldn't be too disappointed. I wrote a short story on the laptop while I was in the hospital and I don't consider myself a writer. I also wrote most of this web page while I was in the hospital. Pretty cool, huh?
• If you prefer electric razors, bring one. Some hospitals allow you to use them. They will keep it locked up. You'll have to check it out when you need it and return it when you are done.

What Not to Bring

• Medications. To prevent you or someone else from harming themselves with your medications, the staff will take them away from you. They will return them to you when you leave. It is easier to leave them at home. For reasons beyond me, they will then give you the same type of medication ordered from their pharmacy. I'm not complaining. It saves us money.

Sometimes the pharmacy doesn't carry the med you need and they have to go through all kinds of red tape just to allow you to use the meds that you brought in. I find this strange. This must be due to some past lawsuit because of which hospitals have to cover their asses to the point of absurdity. This can take a while. Be patient.

• Lighters. If you are a smoker and if they allow smoking, they will provide you with a light.
• Sharp implements. When they think you are stable enough the staff will give you a disposable razor and supervise your shaving. At some point, they may allow you to shave unsupervised. For safety reasons, you must always return the razor.
• Soap, shampoo, and shaving cream. The hospital will provide these. Granted, they are off-brands, so if you are particular about these, you will want to bring your own.
• Anything you are afraid might get lost or stolen. You are under enough stress as it is. You don't need to add to it by worrying about your possessions. Things do get lost. Thank God it was only a clipboard and a pad of paper, but somehow it didn't make it when I was transferred from one hospital to another. It could have been my laptop computer. On the other hand, I get so much pleasure from having my walkman and laptop with me in the hospital that I think it is worth the risk. In my mind, the pleasure I get from them is worth much more than what I paid for them.