ONCE UPON A GENE - EPISODE 003 - Hospital Hair Don’t Care
Synthiea and Effie come together to chat about hospital survival, hacks and advice for how you can best support other parents who are in the hospital with their children. Tune in for practical and useful hospital tips to stay sane.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Hospital stay must haves.
Coffee and dry shampoo are musts. Do everything you can to sleep as well as possible in the hospital. Have a sleep mask to block out bright lights. You may also benefit from earplugs as well if you're sensitive to noise when trying to sleep. Take a twin size foam mattress topper to the hospital that you can out on top of the sofa bed. Take your own blanket, weighted if preferred, and your own pillow. The comforts of home that you take for granted makes your hospital stay more tolerable. Bring your tablet and charger so you can watch Netflix and Hulu. Watching a show passes the time. Air in the hospital is dry, so bring eye drops, lip balm and hand cream. Always take a water bottle you can refill, a hat and slip on, hard soul slippers. Take Rescue Remedy or CBD oil to help you relax and sleep. Take comfortable clothes and healthy snacks.
General survival tips.
It's important to go outside periodically and get fresh air. If you're a runner, take your running shoes so you can get outside and get a run in. You want to be friends with your nurses because they will do their very best for your children. It's okay to go home and sleep in your own bed and take a shower. Give yourself permission to do that, especially if your child will be in the hospital for an extended time. If you're feeling guilty or stressed out, think about your own oxygen mask and what you need at the time and what's going to make the situation better all around. If you need something, ask. The people coming to the hospital to visit really want to be able to help and bring you something you want or need.
How to support other parents who have children in the hospital.
Skip the snack and junk food because it's widely available in the hospital. Instead, bring them healthy food options, fruits and vegetables. If you're out grabbing takeout, offer to bring them something too. Weekdays are busy, but weekends are quiet, so go for a visit then. Offer to hang out with the child so the parents can break away for a while without worry.
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