Preparing for your hospital stay after DIEP Flap or PAP Flap surgery can help make your in-patient recovery more comfortable. Most often, DIEP Flap and PAP Flap patients will stay in the hospital for at least a few days following surgery. Here’s a comprehensive packing list based on firsthand experience and advice from a fellow patient.
You can pack these items either in an overnighter type of bag or a large backpack or a small rolling carry-on suitcase.
Essential Documents & Information
- -Photo ID and Insurance card
- -Method of payment
- -List of current medications and allergies
- -Emergency contact information
- -Legal documents that are notarized like Medical Power of Attorney
- -A small notebook and pen (for jotting down questions, instructions, or journaling)
Comfort Items
- –Lip Balm – Hospitals are dry, and anesthesia can leave your lips parched
- –Scent Free Lotion – Fragrance-free to avoid irritation
- –Peppermint or Orange Essential Oil – Helps combat nausea
- –Earplugs & Eye Mask – To block out hospital noise and bright lights
- –Eyeglasses & Eyeglasses Case – if you use glasses (no contacts during surgery)
Clothing & Post-Surgical Garments
- –Front-Closing, Loose-Fitting Shirts – Easy to put on without lifting your arms
- –Lightweight Robe or Open-Front Cardigan – Something soft and easy to put on over IV lines and drains. Something you don’t mind potentially getting soiled. There are robes that come with drain pockets/loops
- –Socks with Grips or Slippers – Hospitals can be chilly, and non-slip footwear helps with safe movement
- –Loose, High-Waisted Pajama Bottoms or Lounge Pants – Comfortable around your incisions for when you are discharged to ride home (this can be the outfit you arrived to hospital in)
- –Abdominal Binder (if not provided by the hospital) – For DIEP patients
- –Compression Garments (if required) – PAP patients may have leg wraps; ensure you know how to wrap/wear the garments (directions from the nurse/surgeon/appropriate staff)
- –Comfortable, Easy-On Shoes – Slip-ons are ideal since bending over will be difficult
- –Slippers – for when walking around the hospital room or down the hallway for physical therapy
Toiletries & Hygiene
- –Toothbrush & Toothpaste and Colgate Wisps – the wisps are self contained and nice when you can’t leave the hospital bed for a quick toothbrushing
- –Face Wipes or Micellar Water – For freshening up when you can’t quite move beyond the hospital bed or recliner
- –Dry Shampoo – Helps keep your hair feeling clean
- –Unscented Deodorant
- –Low/No-Tox Hand Sanitizer or Face/Body Wipes – For quick freshening up (the B.O. in recovery is real!)
- –Hair Ties or Headbands – To keep hair out of your face when you have bed head
- –Hair Brush – it’s amazing how brushing the hair can make you feel better
- –Hairdryer – if the nurse helps you shower on your day of discharge, they can help wash your hair, but don’t count on them having a hairdryer
- –Travel size body wash, shampoo, conditioner – if the nurse helps you shower before you leave the hospital, you may want to have your own products
Support & Entertainment
- –Phone & Phone Charger with Long Cord – Hospital beds aren’t always near an outlet for patients
- –Headphones or Earbuds – For listening to calming music, audiobooks, or guided meditations, and entertainment
- –Tablet or E-Reader – If you’re a tablet gal
- –Simple Activities – Crossword puzzles, word searches, coloring books, or journals to pass the time
- –Small Snacks – Protein bars, crackers packs, squeezable apple sauce for eating on your own without needing to have utensils or someone else’s help
For Your Support Person (Especially if They are Staying Overnight)
- –Comfortable Clothing & Layers – Hospital temps can fluctuate & rooms are often kept cold
- –Basic Toiletries & attire for sleeping (knowing nurses will be coming in the room every hour or so)- if staying overnight having comfy attire is helpful
- –Snacks & Water Bottle – To have something you like at your fingertips
- –Entertainment – A book, tablet, laptop, or magazines for downtime
- –Phone, Headphones, & Phone Charger with Long Cord
Final Thoughts
Packing thoughtfully can ease some of the stress of hospital recovery and allow you to focus on healing. Keep it simple but intentional—bring what makes you feel comfortable, supported, and at ease.
I have made a Top Must Haves list for once you get home from the hospital for PAP Flap here and this Top List for DIEP Flap here.
Wishing you a smooth recovery!
Want to chat 1-on-1 with me about the PAP Flap or DIEP Flap experience?
It can be reassuring to talk to someone like me who has actually gone through the procedure. I’m a fan of being real. We can talk about preparing your space before your surgery, dealing with ICU and what to bring to the hospital, what to expect as a patient who’s actually gone through it and worked hard to support my body using nutrition and supplements as well as using the “best of both worlds” with the surgeon’s recommendations and RX.
You are welcome to read up on all the blogs I make about it here on my site and look behind the scenes on my instagram story highlight called “surgeries”. And still there’s nothing like talking in real-time one-on-one about your actual questions and thought process. I have some 1-on-1 spots reserved each month just for this! Go to my coaching page here, fill out your name & email address on the bottom of that page and click submit. I have a special rate/session for surgery clients that I’ll share in our emails, so make sure to mention you are a Flap surgery patient. It will then automatically send you a quick email to reply to and we’ll get a time to talk set up from there.
These are my own recommendations based on my experience having several procedures, DIEP flap surgery, and PAP flap surgery as a breast cancer patient. This is not medical advice. Please follow the recommendations of your surgeon. This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you chose to make a purchase using my link. Any commissions I earn from my work, time, energy, and effort spent on Shrink the Mutant go back to paying for the resources needed to keep this running or to my on-going medical treatment. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and support of my work.
