I like to prepare. For vacations, for presentations, for any thing. I enjoy doing it. Obviously my Boyscout days are still in me. See my packing list for my 2001 bike trip with Lori to France here. Its pretty detailed.
So Lori and I started the Hospital Preperation Plan (HPP is short, not to be confused with my OPP). A plan to make my hospital stay easy while in treatment. I found some good info here and here.
I made the following categories:
- Bodycare, as in tissues or hand creme
- Clothing, as in pyjama’s
- Entertainment, as in computers and books
- Support, as in visitors
Key for these things is not the reply on them 100%. And not get pissed if it all turns different. The actual experience will always be different from what you prepared for. But you also might be lucky.
Read on for the total list for now. Put your ideas and comments in the comment section.
Bodycare
- Non-invasive toothpaste and light toothbrush (you get mouth sores from the chemo and lots of light teeth cleaning helps)
- Mouthwash?
- Hand cream (I have psoriasis on my hands)
- Tissues (to blow my nose)
- Hankerchiefs (when I loose my hair it also will be gone in my nose, which will then run continuously)
- Water bottle and cup (need to drink looooooooots!)
- My own soap, shampoo & aftershave
- Ear plugs
Clothing
- Way cool Italian pyjama’s (got hem for this especially)
- Extra PJ bottoms
- Extra white t-shirts
- Jogging pants
- Slippers or crocs (got both)
- Socks (need to get the yellow heineken socks)
- Bath robe (just got a good italian one)
Support
- Visiting Schedule (not as a rule but informative, so people know when is the best time)
- Gift Guidance.I dont care to much about flowers, especially if everybody is bringing these. So what could be a better concept so people who want to bring that really adds?
First idea is wine and beer for the party to be help when this is all over. Not sure if that is the main idea. Will get back on that though. Any thoughts? Put them in the comments. - Mood indicator. Any easy indicator on al my channels and feeds to inform all who are interested on my physical and mental state. Different kinds of smileys for instance. Still to be designed.
- Twitter. need i say more?
- This Weblog. You there already!
- Gatekeeper. I have asked Jos Kok to fullfil this role. Until now not yet needed. But it might be. When it is a bit much for me and lori he will take over as gate keeper and communicator.
Entertainment
- Internet access (IMPORTANT!)
- Extension cord
- Macbook Pro
- Laptop charger
- Iphone
- iphone charger
- Headset with mic for ichat, skype and movies
- External HD, with as much on it as I want. And to fill up on request with media I think of while in the Hospital.
- TV series: 24, still havent seen the last 2 seasons
- Notebook, pen
- Books and magazines
- Lori and Freddy photo
- Easy bag to lug around stuff in the hospital
Oehhh mood indicator! Emomapping! interesting..
Maybe some underwear?
How about sunglasses?
..or maybe e-books?
Hey Maarten,
Great idea to prepare for what is coming.
Here are some suggestions to add to your list (more usefull when you’re out of hospital, but nonetheless important):
* Ice ready in the fridge, therapy can make your throat sore and ice is comforting.
* Sun lotion, the best and highest factor you can get.
You’ve just won some RoC factor 50+ stuff. I’ll bring it along next time.
Nice, soft caps, hats or other headcovers.
Make sure you do only what you want to do.
Talk to you soon,
Love to Lori,
Jos
Something orange. Because you may want to celebrate, too.
Domme tijdschriften of een superoppervlakkige serie op dvd. Voor als je hoofd even niet goed kan denken en plots teveel gedoe zijn en je gewoon iets wil zien bewegen met een lachband erachter.
Yay, I love a person who makes a list!!!
Wellll… from my recent stint I can tell ya – if ya like ice and don’t want to wait til you get home: bring your own! Understandably, my request for it wasn’t always considered urgent enough to top the nurse’s list-of-things-to-do, (they had to trek to the kitchen on another floor to get it) so Ronald brought a huge supply from home and stored it in an air-tight thermos (it kept quite nicely, and I was VERY thankful to have it)!
They have loads of cups and tissues on hand already, but yes, nice to have your own stash nearby!!
Last but most definitely not least, Tic-Tacs.
And your favorite deodorant.
And most importantly, don’t forget to breathe and relax.. and I mean, fully and completely. The simplest things ever, but very easy to forget when you’re experiencing a challenging moment.
Best of luck with the remaining checks tomorrow, and we’ll see you soon.
D, R & M
Love lists! Think of lip balm. Chapped lips are horrible
Good luck tomorrow! x
Instead of all the teethbrushing: Listerine has got those thin-sliced ‘mints’ that melt in your mouth – for cleaning and freshing up.
And I would also bring some normal clothes – for the times you are allowed to get up and want to feel a bit ‘normal’ again. Or at least a smooth shirt.
And regarding the gifts: like me you are super digital – and personally I am really bad at writing cards, but paper cards are still super special. You might ask people to bring something to decorate your room with. Little pieces of personal art (like drawings, poetry) and/or just a handwritten card…
And for the digital friends: ask them to put together some surprising hospital entertainment! Their favorite music, podcasts, videos. On a CD or USB. You might (as Maaike already indicated above) want to have some really simple stuff for when you are reaaaaally tired…
Good luck Maarten!!
Embrazo,
Claire
Books by Kevin Kelly, Peter Schwartz, Verner Vinge, Bruce Sterling and Philip K. Dick
Uit ervaring na een weekje OLVG (keizersnede vorig jaar) adviseer ik je TEN ZEERSTE om:
- een fan mee te nemen die koele lucht kan blazen, want het OLVG is echt een prima ziekenhuis, maar airco kennen ze niet
- Lori en ‘t andere bezoek te vragen je lekker eten te brengen, want echt, van het eten word je niet blij. Superstereotypisch, maar zo waar!
Overigens vond ik het verplegend personeel echt heel erg kundig en aardig. Mijn vergelijking was een week ziekenhuis in SFO (keizersnede nr 1 in 2004) en daar was het personeel minder, maar het eten een stuk beter. Dus tja.
Tot slot, ik zou proberen een kamer voor jezelf te krijgen. Soms liggen er 6 personen op 1 kamer en als je je dan slecht voelt, is dat echt niet te harden. Bij mij was het een kwestie van vriendelijk vragen en toen was het geregeld.
Veel sterkte amigo, ook voor Lori.
[...] This afternoon or tomorrow morning a nurse will call with the details concerning me going into the hospital. In the meantime I will start getting more stuff for the HPP. [...]
2 brands of children’s toothpaste that I recommend and that would also be easy-going on the mouth are: Weleda and Burt’s Bee.
[...] June 17, 2008 by Lens-FitzGerald Tomorrow I’ll go into the hospital. They wil call me today with the details. I’ll spend the day prepping for the hospital stay. Still need to get some stuff from the Hospital Preparation Plan. [...]
What I for sure would bring:
COMICS!!!
Big stacks of Suske en Wiske, Storm, Lucky Luke undzoweiter
And to keep it more international:
The Complete Calvin & Hobbes boxed set, 1440 pages of fun!
Bound and in a nice casing so would look great next to your statenbijbel?
Gr Bas
Hi, Maarten,
)
I got to know your wife for one day only when she passed work stuff to me before leaving NetApp. I can presume you, guys, are a fun bundle
Your health is in my thoughts and prayers.
A little idea for the list – a couple fun games, if you enjoy those, like Rummikub or Kolonisten for two. That might bring some extra fun when you are done talking but yet want a person to stay by.
All the best to you.
Alyona
[...] prepared well and was as ready I was going to [...]