How you prepare

Before being admitted to the hospital for your surgery, talk to your family about your hospital stay and discuss help you'll need when you return home. Your doctor and treatment team will give you instructions to follow when you return home, as well as discuss your surgery with you and answer your questions.

Food and medications

Talk to your doctor about:

• When you can take your regular medications and whether you can take them before your surgery
• Allergies or reactions you've had to medications
• When you should stop eating or drinking the night before the surgery

Clothing and personal items

Your treatment team might recommend that you bring several items to the hospital, including:

• A list of your medications
• Eyeglasses, hearing aids or dentures
• Personal care items, such as a brush, a comb, shaving equipment and a toothbrush
• Loose, comfortable clothing
• A copy of your advance directive
• Items that help you relax, such as portable music players or books

During surgery, don't wear:

• Jewelry
• Eyeglasses
• Contact lenses
• Dentures
• Nail polish

You'll need to have your body hair shaved where the incisions will be made. A special soap might be used to wash your skin to help prevent infection.