What's a good thing to bring when visiting a patient in the hospital who just had a bi-pass surgery?

Answer 1

Too4Barb has great ideas but some of them don't work.
Having worked with patients in the hospital and having had family in the hospital for bi-pass surgery I know that often times they are on special diets therefore they might not be able to have certain foods or candies. . . . if they can have candies,hard candies are great as a patients mouth tends to get dry often times because they are on oxygen. . . get a couple of pounds of Brach's hard candies. They help the patient to keep saliva in their otherwise dry mouth.(chocolates tend to stick to a dry mouth)
Watch what kind of slippers you get someone because of the slip factor not to mention that they need slippers they can get into easily as bending at this point is hard.
Unless you know what kind of books they enjoy,don't get books.
Most toliet items are provided by the hospital. Unless you know what deodorant,tooth paste etc they like. . . leave that alone as well.
Most hospitals provide TV which provides entertainment of that kind so I don't think a Walkman would be something they would want.
Special magazines that the patient loves IS a great idea and when the patient is through with the magazine they can leave it for other patients or in the waiting room.
Scratch tickets are thoughtful but once you leave the room and the patient scratches the ticket,they are right back where they were. . . alone not to mention if they do win something once they get home the ticket is forgotten and so will be the winnings.
How about a book so visitors can sign it. Gives the family something to look at and remember who came to visit once they get home and start discussing the ordeal.
Give the patient something SPECIAL and something that gives the patient encouragement.
A meal/shopping gift card is something they can look forward to when they get home.
How about an inexpensive robe. . .most patients put hospital gowns on backwards as a robe. . . pretty short and pretty breezy. Make sure the robe opens in the front and has a tie. . easier for getting on and off etc.
Take stuff to give the patient a manicure and hand massage.(If it is a woman,paint her nails/toenails.) Patients lay in bed and start to feel better but feel like they look like crap.
A good smelling lotion for a good back rub is a great idea as they lay in bed and their backs start to really bother them.Leave the bottle of lotion so others can do the same thing.
After a few days in bed,patients hair starts to get all crappy feeling and looking. If the nurses will allow,give them a shampoo and dry.
Offer to take the patient for a wheel chair ride outside if permitted and if not permitted,maybe they can atleast get off of the floor they are on and see some other scenery.
Giving patients all those flowers,gifts etc gives them and the nursing personnel sooo much to have to take out as the patient is dismissed and are short lived at best.
Patients enjoy and seem to appreciate the small thoughtful things you do for them and those things that others forget. It shows you really put thought into it when you give candies that help with dry mouth,get them a robe and do the kind things of hygiene that they and the nurses haven't got time for nor think of or unable to do for themselves at this point.
If you really want to make the patient a hit with the nurses,give them about 5 lbs of Brach's candies(mixed) in a basket that they can use to carry things home in when it's empty. The patient can show their gratitude to the nurses by letting them get candy and if their mouths get dry,they have something for that as well.(Stash some for the patient only should the basket become empty)
My Dad did this and he really enjoyed having the attention of all of the nurses. . . when visitors weren't there he had a parade of nurses coming in and it made him feel like a hit with them. . . he also got their undivided attention as well.

Answer 2

Wow, a lot of really great answers here. The absolute best thing to bring a patient in the hospital is yourself. If you don't want to go empty handed (but full of heart), you can bring a card, or a really good cup of coffee. Even if it's decaf, it's probably better than the hospital dishwater coffee. Most women like fashion magazines, even if they don't feel up to reading the pictures are pretty, and most men like sports illustrated. Do not bring balloons, unless they're mylar cause latex balloons are not permitted in hospitals anymore. Flowers could also be a problem to some patients because they can actually get sick from them, so I wouldn't waste your money on them. Bottom line, I still think a friendly smiling caring face is the best.

Answer 3

I got real sick of tv when I was in the hospital ("I've seen daytime television and it ain't pretty"). On the other hand, I wasn't up to reading an entire book and the medications made it hard to concentrate and remember where I was in the book. Anyway, I put the book aside and got several magazines that were light reading and some crossword puzzle books. I wasn't on any restricted diet, so the best things I got were good coffee and some good snacks. Hospital food is terrible, although cooking for large groups is generally poor. They only had decaf coffee, so I missed decent coffee. I would not go the flower route with a gift. More than anything, hospitals can be really boring as you recover. Try to find something that will entertain the person. If he/she plays cards, take some cards and play a 2 person game like gin. If he/she plays solitaire, the cards are a good gift. Anyway--think about the person's likes and strive for entertainment value.

Answer 4

If you mean cardiac bypass very little. The patient does not feel well enough to read or watch tv. The nurses and doctors do not like to have plants or stuffed animals around the patient because they can carry germs, and the patient is in a very weakened state.
If you feel you must bring something try a ticket to the spa for a facial massage after discharge from the hospital.
Truly the best thing you can bring is yourself.

Once the patient is up into a chair and moving around more freely a daily newspaper is great. It keeps them oriented about what's going on in the world. They can peak at it throughout the day and share it later if they want to.

Answer 5

Wow, a large form of somewhat large solutions right here. the very terrific element to convey a affected person interior the wellbeing facility is your self. in case you do not prefer to go empty handed (yet packed with heart), you may convey a card, or a outstanding cup of coffee. in spite of if it somewhat is decaf, it somewhat is in all probability greater effective than the wellbeing facility dishwater coffee. maximum women folk like style magazines, in spite of in the event that they don't sense as much as analyzing the photos are tremendously, and maximum men like activities illustrated. do not convey balloons, until they are mylar reason latex balloons at the instant are not authorised in hospitals anymore. vegetation could additionally be a topic to a pair sufferers simply by fact they are able to certainly get unwell from them, so i does not waste your money on them. final analysis, I nonetheless think of a delightful smiling being concerned face is the terrific.

Answer 6

When I was in teh hospital during October 2006 after my Bypass surgery, the best thing for me was visit of my dear ones.
The second among eatables was Apple juice.
Avoid taking flowers, as the lungs are still weak, and they may cause allergy.

Answer 7

A lot of good cheer, assurances that his/her family and friends are well and love him/her lots.....
and an opportunity to rest undisturbed to get out of hospital the fastest.

Bypass carries bad memories of pain, threat of death, disruption of regular life styles.
In the few moments yu have with the patient, tell him its all over, a new lease to life another opportunity to fulfil dreams....

Answer 8

My dad went through a quadruple bi-pass. If they haven't given the patient one already - a heart shaped pillow.

Why you might ask - My dad was glad to have it and clutch to his chest for when he coughed. It helped to keep the stitches/staples from tearing out while he healed.

Answer 9

flower & card
word puzzles
slippers
travel kits with toothpaste shampoo etc...in little bottles.
magazines and books.
scratch n win tickets.
walkman
find out what the person needs or reads or likes n get something for the person to do while in the hospital recovering.

Answer 10

Love and affection.

Or maybe something to kill boredom. Magazines, books etc.

Be cliched and bring fruit?