Day 11- Good Things to Have at the Hospital

Know anyone who is heading to the hospital for awhile?
Just thought I'd share a few of my favorite things...

- Room Spray:: I love being able to change the smell of my room. People always comment when they walk in that my room smells nice.  I also have a few essential oils- like purification (that i used right before they inserted my central line), peace and calming (that I use when I can't sleep), valor (that I use when I'm scared), peppermint (that i use when I feel sick to my stomach), etc.  I love changing the smells around my room.  Oh, and my aunt sent me some energizing citrus spray that I like to spray on my face in the morning.  It makes me smile and feel sunny and bright.  Good smells are good.

- Paper and Pens:: I am always making disposable lists, tv stations, the meals I want to order, notes from Drs or names of Drs. You will want scratch paper.

- Some things for the kids:: You don't need a lot, but a few things help them feel comfortable when they visit and gives them something to anticipate each time.

- Craft Project:: It is nice to feel productive while you're sitting around.  I also ordered a few beginner cross stitch kits for the bigger kids to work on when they visit.  It was fun for them to have a project to do while we were watching movies.

- Carmex in a stick:: Love this stuff.

- Lotion, Tissues and Toilet Paper (you can laugh if you want):: Having a few different lotions keeps you feeling pretty and moisturized.  My mother in law bought me St. Ives Almond Oil for an everyday all over lotion (love it) and Sea Island Cotton, from Bath and Body Works.  I also have some fun fruity lotions.  It is so nice to have soft hands and have something to rub over sore, IV bruised arms and chapped legs.  AND-- tissues!! (Can you see my little box behind the lotion?)  Nothing in the hospital is soft-- just bring your own tissues.  I WISH I had my own toilet paper.  Trying to wipe with one-ply toilet paper is maddening.  That stuff rips each time you try to pull some out.  Honestly, it's like you have to compile your toilet paper wad one square at a time.  I do wish I had my own soft stuff.

- Snacks:: I don't eat much, but I like having sweet or salty bite sized snacks for the times when hospital food is driving me crazy or I'm getting bored. My favorite are the more expensive chocolate bars that you can just break a square off of every now and then (not pictured because I ate them).  Oh and I love having gum... it helps when I'm bored.  When they kids slept over they brought microwave popcorn and that was fun too!  I also like to order extra fruit when I order my meals-- I usually have a pear or a banana just waiting if I get snacky.

- Toiletries:: Love having a manicure set, and flossers, and Q tips, and Tums and Tylenol, etc. I'm sure I could ask the nurses for these things but I just like having them.  I also love having a small travel case of windex wipes to wipe down my computer screen.

- Books and Movies:: My friends dropped off bags of books and movies for me to choose from. I love it!! I love having so many different things to choose from. The longer you are on bed rest the more you get sick of things you think you like-- it is so fun to see other people's choices.  Some people  gave me piles of ?Good Housekeeping magazines or funny US or People candy magazines.  I also have some CDs and radio shows that I love to listen to.  People have been so kind to me keeping me occupied here during my long days.  These days, I'm enjoying sweet, clean, happy ending, fast reading Christian fiction stories-- I like Deanne Gist.  I also love reading a chapter or two out of "For Times of Trouble", by Jeffrey R. Holland.  That is a beautiful book that talks about different Psalms.  It is my go to pick-me up on down days.  Most of the time I watch PBS specials on Netflix or online.  I'm on season three of Doc Martin.  I do love having a variety of stuff on my shelf because you just never know.

- Cute Robes and PJs:: I specifically bought new Pajamas for the hospital and I'm glad I did. People see you all night and early in the morning. It feels good to look nice. It is hard to find Pjs that work for maternity and after-- I like Ellen Tracy. I needed short sleeves (for IVs) and a shirt and pants (for belly access).

- Fun Socks and Slippers:: Even if you have to wear a gown, cute socks and slippers show your personality and make the staff smile.

- Living Plants:: I really wanted to bring an ivy plant, but I couldn't find one. I love my little pink flowers. Watering it each day gives me something to do.

- Framed pictures:: I printed out a few fun pictures a brought a few frames. I can change things around if I get bored. My favorite are my ultrasound pictures. If you ask then to give you a cd of your ultrasound pics you can have them enlarged and printed out. I want my drs to see the cute baby they are trying to save.  I could have just grabbed some pictures from home, but it was really nice for me to know I was going into the hospital and pick specific pictures for me to have for this time...  I printed out my favorite picture from Eve's birth to remind me the JOY of a new baby, I framed a sign that says "Eight is Great!" for those who think eight kids is a bit crazy, I brought a picture of Christ so people could see my faith, I brought a picture of Todd and I so he could be with me even when he isn't, and I enlarged a smiling family picture along with my favorite silly face picture.  (Most of the time I show my silly face picture because it makes me smile.)  Things like that.

- Lightweight Jackets:: Even if you have IVs and stuff, you can slip a jacket or zip hoodie on and off. Jackets work even if you are in a gown. I love my fleece coat for early mornings.  (Note- I had to have Todd bring me up hangers... I had a closet, but no hangers.)

- Thank You Cards, Fun Tape, Scissors, Stamps:: Just get a big box of blank cards and you can write notes to the nurses and many other people who make your life better. You'll wish you had these if you forget them.

-Pillows and Blankets from Home::  I love having a couple throw blankets and my pillows.  Having two blankets lets me change things around-- I have one quilt and one cuddly afghan.  You could bring twin sized, but I really like my throw-sized blankets to just keep at the bottom of my bed or add to my hospital blankets at night.  I saw another lady who brought her own purple twin size bed sheets with her.

- Friends and Flowers::  My favorite thing to have here with me are friends and family.  I love the kind visits, flowers, emails, texts and phone calls.  All around my room I can see evidence of someone who cares.  Sometimes people call at just the right time and I can chat for hours.  Other times I'm in the middle of nurses or procedures or hospital craziness and I can't even answer the phone.  But, every single message or thought really brightens my day.  So, thank you!!  I am overwhelmed with how nice so many people are.

And that's all folks.

I know I'm a little OCD.  But, planning my things to bring to the hospital was very therapeutic for me.

Having a little bit of me around my room helps me feel like this is my choice- instead of allowing me to feel like a victim of my circumstances.  

Thanks for reading my list and letting me spend an hour rummaging through my little room taking silly pictures of carmex.  (Laying in bed last night my lips were dry and I reached for my Carmex... I thought, I need to write a post about this stuff.)  Ha!  

Life is good.  

30 weeks 1 day!!