Things to bring to the hospital
- Phone + charger: For entertainment and to keep your family updated. I was using it on day 0 fine, even though I was kind of groggy. I was happy to have it by my side, even though I ended up dropping it on the floor and breaking it...!
- Ear buds: I didn't really listen to music or watch anything on day 0, but I did watch one movie on day 1 before being discharged. It was nice to have earbuds ready. If you're bothered by sounds and alarms, it would also help you a lot. Nights in the hospital are quite noisy. Consider ear plugs if you need. Also, I'm specifying "ear buds" rather than "headphones" because headphones might put pressure on your jaw depending on how big they are, and they also might be difficult to put on when you have an ice pack aroung your head. Definitely bring ear buds instead.
- Lanolin cream: Use this for your lips. It works great and it doesn't smell weird like vaseline.
- Facial wipes: I had dried blood all around my nose and mouth and I was happy to have those with me. It's also nice to be able to wash your face; it'll get insanely oily for the first few weeks.
- Table top mirror: I actually didn't use it much at the hospital. I didn't have too much trouble learning how to drink with the syringe, but I did use it a few times to wash my face and just check on the swelling. It was nice to have, and you might need it if you struggle with the syringe.
- Sleep mask: I also didn't use this, but I can see how some people might need it. If you're bothered by lights when you try to sleep, this is essential.
- Mini notepad + pen: A must have to communicate! I was surprised how well I could write even right after the surgery. I know a lot of people recommend a white board type of thing, but I feel like it's a hassle to have to erase everytime you want to write, and what do you erase with? I garantee you will lose that eraser/pen and you'll curse yourself. Just go simple and use a note pad and tons of pen.
- Flash cards: I wrote a bunch of important, quick messages I thought I would use the most at the hospital. This was extremely useful and all the nurses got a kick out of it, especially the "Thank you =)" one. They were really touched by it, so I highly recommend making at least that one to let your nuses know that you appreciate their help. I ended up only using "Need to pee" and "Thank you =)", but I was glad to have the other ones just in case. Here's what I had:
- Need to pee
- Thank you =)
- Pain
- Nausea
- Can't breathe
- Can't swallow
- Feeling good
- ID card, insurance card: This was required by my hospital. Make sure you bring everything they will need to check you in!
Things to have around your bed
- TV: This will get you through the tough time. The first few days, you won't have enough energy or concentration to read, play games or anything that requires brain power. You might also feel nauseated, which means you won't want to move much. Stock up on cheesy, happy, lighthearted movies and shows. I personally mostly watched my favorite shows that make me feel safe and comfortable (Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Happy Endings). I had them on all night too at low volume just to "keep me company" when I'd wake up every 30-45 minutes.
- Phone: Again, to keep you connected with family and friends.
- Mini notepad + pen: Again, to communicate with your carer(s). Make sure to keep plenty of pens around, too. I kept losing mine and it was annoying. My husband eventually brought like 10 of them and set them on my table, and then I didn't have that problem anymore haha.
- Syringes: They should give you those at the hospital, but you can ask to be sure. If they don't, you'll definitely need to buy some. They will also give you a catheter tube that you can cute in half. This is what will serve as the "straw" that you insert on the tip of the syringe.
- Squeeze bottles: This is SO much better than the syringe. It allows you to squeeze more liquids into your mouth quickly. The syringe are fine to take drugs and to learn how to drink through the tube at first, but soon you'll want to upgrade to squeeze bottles. Pulling liquids into the syringe is actually harder than it looks, especially when you're so weak, and it holds so little liquid that it's not worth the effort. I personally got a set of 3 squeeze bottles, one red, one yellow and one clear. I used the clear one for water, and the other two for food. I didn't want to see the color of my liquified food because honestly, who thinks beige goo looks appetizing?
- Sports water bottle: When you're able to close your lips together well enough, I highly recommend upgrading to a sports squeeze water bottle. It dispense quite a bit more water quicker so that you can drink more and more.
- Humidifier: This definitely helped with the congestion. You can get one for $30 on Amazon. I personally went with a warm steam one but there are tons of cool mist on the market right now. I thought warm would be better, but then again the mist was cool in the mask they gave me at the hospital, so I'm guess either is fine.
- Tissues/towels: Your nose will be leaking blood and mucus a bit, and you can't blow it, so you'll need some tissues to dab at it every once in a while. Also keep some towels ready. I didn't drool, but some people do, and you'll probably spill some water/food when you try to drink.
- Jaw bra + gel ice packs: I purchased one on Amazon and I really liked it. I also got some gel ice packs, which were nice because I could mold them better around my face. The hospital did offer me some sort of jaw bra but it was this really crude stocking-looking thing that was hard to tie at the top of my head and was too deep to keep the ice pack near my cheeks. I recommend getting a real jaw bra.
- Heat pack: After the first 3 days, icing won't help with the swelling. I mostly used the heat pack when my joint/ear was hurting after brushing my teeth or accidentally sleeping on my side. It helps a bit to relieve the tightness in your jaw muscles. Plus, you can reuse it after the surgery when you have neck pain, or if you just need something to warm you up during the cold winter nights.
- Bell: To call for help if you need! Especially good in the bathroom if you start feeling faint while taking a shower or something. It didn't happen to me, but then again I didn't take a shower for 6 days so... GROSS I KNOW!
- Table top mirror: To check on your progress and help you use the syringe/bottles if needed.
- Facial wipes: As stated earlier, your face will be insanely oily. Using these wipes will help you feel a little more fresh and clean.
- Wedge pillow: You'll be sleeping almost upright for a while. My surgeon said until day 10, but I'm still sleeping mostly upright because of pain in my jaw joints/ears when I don't. Get a nice wedge pillow that can support your weight well. I made the mistake of buying a cheap pillow in the shape of a triangle that never held its shape. It sucked! Go for something firm and add fluffly pillows if needed.
- Pill crusher: This came is SO handy! It works incredibly well: just put the pill in, twist the top a few times and you're done. It was easy to add some water to the reservoir once the pill was crushed so that I could suck the mixture out with the syringe. Just keep adding water untill all the powder is gone.
- Extra blankets: The ice packs might make you feel cold, so make sure to have extra blankets around. I keep being hot and cold for the first few days, so be prepared to add and remove layers constantly.
- Tablet, gaming console, books: Once you start feeling better, you'll want to spend the time doing something a little more productive even if you're still bedridden.
- Oxymeter: This is not really necessary, but if you're anxious like me, this might help you quite a bit. You just put this tiny little machine on your index finger and it tells you if you're getting enough oxygen. This is particularly useful if you tend to panic and hyperventilate, which may seem to you like you're not breathing well. Seeing the 97-100 SpO2 on the readout made me feel instantly better and allowed me to take deep breaths to calm myself. The one I bought was only $30 on amazon, so it's not incredibly expensive or anything.
- Thermometer: Just in case you feel feverish. You may feel feverish without having an actual fever because of the swelling and some of the drugs, so checking should put your mind at ease. And if you have a fever, you need to know as soon as possible so you can call your doctor. Just remember that if you use an ear thermemother, the temperature will be higher. A fever is considered to be 100 F (37.8 C) or higher taken in the mouth, 99 (37.2 C) or higher taken in the armpit, and 100.4 (38 C) or higher taken in the ear.
- Interdental brushes + Waterpik: These were life-savers to keep my gum/teeth clean. Once I was able to stand up for a longer period of time, my teeth cleaning routine was to brush my teeth with a toothbrush and a bit of toothpaste, suck the foam inside and try to rub my tongue on the inside of my teeth with the toothpaste foam, then rinse. After that, I'd use the Waterpik at the lowest setting, trying to make sure to shoot water in-between my teeth in a way that I could feel it go through to the other side (just to be sure I was clearing any food from between my teeth). Once all of this was done, I'd use the interdental brushes. I bought two sizes: Moderate, and Ultra Tight for the places where Moderate was too big to fit. These helped keep quite a bit while I couldn't floss. Highly recommend these!
- A pet: Also not essential, but it was soooo nice to have my cat near me the entire time I was bedridden. I felt less lonely at night when my husband was sleeping and I was battling insomnia. Of course, don't adopt a kitten RIGHT before your surgery (what a nightmare that would be), but if you do have a pet, hopefully you can count on them to keep you company while you heal.
Things to eat
- Juice/gatorade: Keep some sugary juice around, whichever you like. None of the "light" or "sugar-free" version! You need that sugar, especially during the first few days when you're not eating much. Always have a glass of it near you in case you start feeling shaky during the night, it'll help get your blood sugar up.
- Meal replacement powder: I bought Joylent and it honestly saved the day for me. It tasted neutral enough that I wasn't TOO grossed out by it when I had to force feed myself, and it's easy to prepare for whomever is taking care of you. I basically lived on the stuff from day 3-5. I'm still eating it in the morning for some quick calories. You can also check Soylent or other brands; they might be a little less "sandy" in texture than Joylent.
- Ensure: Once my appetite returned, I was able to stomach this very sugary drink, and it's really handy when you need a lot of calories quickly. Try Ensure Plus. It has the most calories (350) in a very small amount.
- Peanut butter: A great to add calories, but you need a blender to mix it well with whatever you're eating.
- Whole milk: If you can stomach it, this is also a great way to add calories. I had trouble with it though, it made me feel more nauseated. If you are drinking a lot of milk and feel nauseated in the first few days, consider cutting it out to see if it helps.
- Whey protein: This is good to add protein to fruit smoothies you made. Honestly though, I didn't use it as much as I thought I would. I'm still adding it here in case you plan on eating a lot of smoothies, but I didn't. I mostly stuck to Joylent, and I didn't want to add too much protein to avoid thickening it. I didn't add a link to this item because I used Naked Whey, but I got it from a friend who didn't want it anymore, otherwise you have to buy this HUGE ASS tub for $80, which I really don't recommend. You won't need that much... Just try to get the smallest amount possible and a non-flavored version if you can.
- Canned soups: This is the first thing I blended once my appetite came back. It was nice to eat something savory! I bought a bunch of creamy soups that have 350+ calories in a can. The chicken pot pie flavor was especially good. You can even blend some Ritz crackers in there for added buttery saltiness and calories. Just add some chicken stock if needed to make it more liquidy.
- Chicken stock: A great, tasty way to thin out savory meal that you blend. I personally love the Better than Bouillon brand and highly recommend it. Just boil 8oz of water, add a teaspoon of bouillon and you're good to go.
- Blender: I honestly believe this is essential to your recovery. It'll make eating easier and help your vary your diet a lot. I already had a nice quality one before the surgery, but I'm sure a cheaper one like a Magic Bullet would work just fine.
Note: I had tons of ideas of stuff I could make, but honestly, I either didn't have the energy to make them, didn't feel like eating any of it because of nausea, or was just too lazy to make them. What I listed up there is pretty much what I stuck with until I felt good enough to cook homemade meals, and then I just blended those with some chicken stock. I'd say just keep a list of your favorite, blendable recipes for when you're ready to cook again. Anything like stews, soups, rices dishes, even potstickers are blendable. I'm still experimenting with what I can blend, but so far it seems like EVERYTHING is blendable and tastes great :P
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