What’s In My Hospital Bag

A peek into what I'm packing for surgery

I’m getting ready for surgery this week—a mastectomy on my left side along with breast reconstruction. This isn’t my first rodeo. I had a mastectomy on my right in 2023, and last year, I removed my ovaries.

So I consider myself somewhat of an expert on what to pack for the hospital. I’ve spent the weekend making lists (so many lists), trying to get my life in order before I check in. That includes figuring out what I need to bring to the hospital. I’ll be staying there for three, possibly four nights, so I need more than just my toothbrush.

I thought it might be fun to give you a peek into what’s in my hospital bag. Back when magazines were still a thing, I used to love the voyeuristic thrill of getting to look inside a celebrity’s handbag (Vogue, thankfully, is still giving the people what they want).

Let’s get to it.

Pajamas: Stiff hospital gown? No thanks. I was gifted these pajamas after my first surgery (funny story here on how they came to me) and now I can never go back. Other pajamas bunch and twist while I sleep but these miraculously stay put. They’re soft and feel luxurious. I now own two pairs and I’m thinking about adding a third to the rotation.

A silk eye mask: A hospital room is never fully dark, so I like to pack in an eye mask. I use a silk one because I find it to be more breathable and less restrictive.

Thick socks: I can’t go to sleep without wearing socks, so I’ll be packing a couple of pairs of fuzzy ones. These aren’t pretty, but they get the job done.

A table lamp: This won’t go into my bag per se (Mary Poppins I am not), but a friend suggested that I bring a table lamp to my first mastectomy, and it was a game changer. Instead of sitting under the white fluorescent light, I was bathed in the warm glow of a bedside lamp. As a self-diagnosed HSP, this one’s a non-negotiable.

iPad: I plan to download a bunch of TV shows to watch while half comatose after anesthesia. I recently read Lena Dunham’s memoir Famesick (loved it) and now I want to revisit Girls (for a third time!). I’ll also probably add the latest seasons of Euphoria and Beef.

Kindle: I put a hold on various books on the Libby app and they’ve almost all come available at the same time. Usually I hate it when that happens but since I’ll have ample time to read, I’m looking forward to digging into A Marriage at Sea, The Correspondent, Annie Bot, and Yesteryear.

My own pillow and blanket: These also won’t fit inside a bag, but I always bring my own pillow and blanket to the hospital. The pillows they provide are woefully flat and soft, not to mention the cover tends to be synthetic and rough to the touch.

A (stylish) robe: I treated myself to this Blockshop Textiles’ robe when I was going through chemo. The pop of red instantly brightens my mood. I plan to wear this during the day, and pajamas at night.

Sweatpants: When I’m not in pajamas or a robe, I’ll be reaching for cozy sweatpants. My favorite pair is from Arket, but it looks like they’re no longer available. These from Buck Mason look similar.

Comfortable shoes: I’ll pack my trusty shearling-lined Birkenstocks. I wore these religiously through chemo. They’re easy to slip on and off when I’m getting out of bed to go to the bathroom, or doing a loop around the ward.

Snacks: I like to bring things that help make the hospital feel a little more like home, and that includes snacks, obviously. I’ll be throwing in Lindt 85% dark chocolate, a bag of mixed nuts, and fruit that won’t spoil easily (like apples and oranges).

Herbal tea: The hospital I’m going to only ever has black tea, so this time I’m coming prepared with a Ziplock bag full of an assortment of teas—green, mint, and rooibos.

Electrolytes: A friend who recently went through surgery said electrolytes really helped her with dehydration and nausea from the anestheisa and meds.

Water bottle: Rather than go back and forth to fill up a tiny cup, I like to bring a large stainless steel water bottle for easy sipping.

Photo ID, hospital documents: All the things that will inevitably get asked for before and during my stay.

Extra long chargers: There’s nothing worse than your phone or computer battery running low and discovering the charger cord is too short to reach the outlet. So I’ll be packing extra long chargers for all my devices.

Power strip: Following on from the above, I like to pack a power strip in so I can charge everything at once.

Compression socks: I have to wear compression socks during surgery and for a few days after to prevent blood clots and improve circulation. The last pair I wore had a rubber elastic to keep them from slipping down, but they gave me a terrible rash, so I’m hoping this new pair will be gentler on my skin.

Toiletries: Along with toothbrush and toothpaste, I like to try to keep up with my regular beauty routine, while not stressing if I don’t. So I pack the usual suspects like moisturizer, Vitamin C, and tretinoine. Facial cleansing wipes are also useful when you don’t have the energy for a whole routine.

My usual routine is coming with me, including my tongue scraper.

Medications: I need to continue my regular pill regime after the surgery, so I’ll be packing Letrozole (helps block estrogen) and Verzenio (slows or stops cancer cell growth).

Throat lozenges: After my last surgery, I woke up with a really sore, raw throat, probably because they intubated me. So this time I’m packing some honey lozenges to soothe it for afterwards.

That’s it! Now it’s your turn. What are your hospital must-haves? I’d love to know. xo