114) Go bag

Early on after E was diagnosed, I can remember one of our doctors telling us about fevers. In cancer patients, having a fever is a big deal. It requires immediate attention from a medical professional: temperature check, blood pressure check, heart rate, blood oxygenation, and of course bloodwork. Cancer patients receive the VIP treatment and don’t have to sit around waiting in emergency rooms – they get to skip the line. I’m not sure of the procedure for adults, but for E, if we’re going to our satellite clinic, we call ahead to let them know we’re coming, and then head directly to the pediatric floor, where one of the nurses will access E through his port to get a blood sample. The sample goes to the lab, where laboratory things are done to it, and the results come back 1 – 2 hours later. If the neutrophil levels are below 0.5, we get admitted. If the levels are above 0.5, we get discharged. In addition to being accessed & having bloodwork, there’s a visit and assessment with an on-call pediatrician. A hospital visit is needed if 1) the child’s temperature is greater than or equal to 37.5°C and less than 37.8°C for an hour in duration, or 2) the child’s temperature is greater than 37.8°C in a single reading. The doctor told us that if E meets either of these conditions, we need to be prepared to drop whatever we’re doing, and get him to a hospital. The doctor agreed with my suggestion of having a prepacked “go bag”, containing a number of things you might need for an overnight, or short hospital stay.

Once I decided to change my idea of a journal into a blog, I thought it might be good to post the items we keep in our go bag, and some rationale behind their inclusion. That post has been sitting in my brain for a while, but there was usually always something more pressing, or immediate to write about. Well, it’s time. In addition to this post, I think I’ll give the go bag list its own separate page, accessible from the main page to be more easily accessible should other parents in a similar situation read it, and find it useful. Keep in mind that E was diagnosed at age 15 months, and is now 3.5 years. You’ll obviously want to switch things up a bit if your child is older or younger.

E’s Go Bag

• 2 or 3 pairs each, of shirts, pants, pyjamas, and socks: for basic day & night clothing needs
• diapers: no explanation required
• wipes: cleaning dirty bums, faces, or hands
• diaper rash cream: you & your child will appreciate this if you’re on a course of antibiotics that causes diarrhea. NOTE: you can also ask the nurses for magic bum cream which sticks better than just zinc oxide cream. If the nurses are unfamiliar with that term, it’s equal parts zinc oxide cream, Penaten cream, and petroleum jelly.
• toothbrush: oral hygiene
• toothpaste: see above

Parent’s Go Bag

• 2 or 3 pairs each, of shirts, underwear, and socks: for your basic clothing needs
• a pair of pants: a spare, in addition to the pair you’re probably wearing
• a pair of sleep pants, and a sleep shirt: don’t sleep naked at the hospital
• slippers/crocs: have a pair of comfortable indoor footwear. Hospitals can be cool, and floors can be cold so keep your feet warm & cozy.
• toothpaste: morning breath be gone!
• toothbrush: oral hygiene
• floss: see above
• toothpicks: ditto
• deodourant: who wants to stink?
• hand lotion: it can be very dry in hospitals. Especially with handwashing & hand sanitizer. You’ll appreciate it when your hands start to get chapped.
• lip balm: see above
• acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen: you’ll be glad you have it if you come down with a pounding headache.
• paperback novel: if your phone dies, or if you run out of data/have no wi-fi, keep a book on hand to stave away boredom.
• reusable water bottle: save the environment while at the hospital too! Fill up your reusable bottles from water coolers, fountains, taps, or filling stations.

Food and Snacks Go Bag

• a box of instant oatmeal: an easy breakfast. It’s easy to find a bowl, spoon, and hot water in a hospital.
• 2 or 3 boxes of granola bars, protein bars, or fibre bars: they’re prepackaged, last a long time, and are good for a snack or boost of energy.
• 2 or 3 packages of instant noodles: add hot water, and you have a quick meal.
• 2 or 3 packages of Kraft Dinner Easy Mac: see above
• 5 or 6 fruit pouches: easy snack for your child that doesn’t need refridgeration.
• Lipton Cup-A-Soup: ditto
• green tea: black tea is more commonly found in hospitals, if there’s a family pantry room, or Ronald McDonald room. If you’re a green tea drinker, bring some with you.
• instant coffee: I’ve never actually had this one in our go bag, but it might be useful for some, if your hospital doesn’t have a coffee shop, or if the coffee shop has limited hours.

Last Minute Grabs on the Way Out the Door

• apples/bananas/oranges: grab a few of these to keep on hand for a healthy snack
• vitamins/medication: if you take daily vitamins or medication, don’t leave these at home
• phone: keep in touch with your loved ones.
• phone charger: keep your phone filled with juice.