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Recently I found it would be a good idea to take along a “go bag” when I take my wife to appointments. She’s having some problems with urination and maybe not getting to a restroom soon enough. She wears Always Discrete and hasn’t had any problem with leakage.


What do some of you take along and what sort of bag do you carry it all in?


I know I could Google it but would rather hear from folks on here. Y’all are more interesting!


I want to add I really enjoy this forum. I’ve learned a lot on here. One important thing I’ve learned is when to back off and shut my mouth. So thank you all!

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2 extra phone chargers.

Change of pants if she wears them. Otherwise a snap button housedress.

Baby, wipes, lotion and her brand of depends.

A couple of books or magazines.

A couple of waters and some small snacks.

All this can be put into a large ladies purse or backpack.

This will cover her not thru just long appointments but also er visits up to admission.
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To add to PeggySue's list: a couple disposable chux pads or underpads to put on car seat and chair to keep them dry in case of leaks.

One time, my mother wetted the car seat because she was leaning to the side when she sat. It took a lot of cleaning and airing to get rid of the odor. Yuck!!! From then on, I put an underpad down wherever she sat. So glad I did because she did have more leaking accidents.
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Beatty May 2022
Oh yes 😞
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Spare clothing & supplies can be tucked away in a bag kept in the car boot/trunk. Fetched when required (if parking is close by).

If you'd rather always be prepared on the spot but travel light, a 'man bag' of your choice could contain one change of underwear. Add wipes, rubbish bag, hand sani if expecting to get caught far from bathroom facilities.

Any sort of tote bag will do.
Or a 'crossbody bag' or 'courier bag' works well if you need your hands free.

Can also contain a water bottle, paperwork etc which is the reason you brought a bag with you! (If your wife is sensitive about the other items & forbids them coming along - have experience with that 😜)

PS. Socks - if she wears.
So many times the socks get wet! However, not going to hurt anyone too much to get home without any. None better than wet!
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I find a backpack to be the easiest way to carry this sort if stuff. It's discreet and can hold all kinds of emergency supplies.

My husband, who is subject b to sudden bouts of dizziness always carries some of his anti-dizzy meds in his. Came in handy just today.
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Hedgie Jun 2022
What does your husband use for anti-dizziness meds? My Mom has a lot of trouble with dizziness and we have never found a good solution. Thanks
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I would add several first aid types of stuff to the go bag, particularly if you enjoy the occasional outing to a park. The bites and stings swaps, band-aids (usually use the ones that include an antibotic salve), some gauze and the light tape (will adhere to skin but not tightly).

I'm so known by the family for carrying my mini-kit that the kids came to me when a player on the team gashed their hand during a scrimmage and the team kit was out of good sized band aids.
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Great replies! I'd also have a pair of slippers and socks tucked into the slippers. A small throw and pillow, in the trunk of the car.
In my backpack have much of what's listed below, as well as mints and chocolate, which seem to help when it's a stressful day for my husband. As well as a small cotton ball that has a few drops of lavender oil on it, in a wee plastic bag-he finds the scent soothing. A squeezy ball for either person is great, helps when there are delays and I need something to squish while waiting for imaging or testing to get done : )
Medication list and her doctor's contact information, in case you're nowhere near her usual care region.
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Lots of great ideas! Thanks! I’m able now to put together what will work in our particular situation. I’m going to go with the backpack idea and pick and choose from your replies.

TNtechie, your comment on a first aid kit reminded me of when I cut a finger at a friend’s house. I asked him for a band aid. We searched all over the house……no band aid, no first aid kit. I finally remembered my wife had a first aid kit in her car. Viola! Band aid!
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Christine44 Jun 2022
Re: band aids. Women can stick band aids easily in their wallets! I always have about 5. Come to think of it, men carry wallets, too, so they could do the same.
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Coming a bit late to this very important issue...most of what I carry has already been addressed.

When my father was alive, I always carried back-up portable oxygen batteries, and E tanks for longer use, plus an additional "key" to activate the E tanks.

Cell phone car charger, plus a manual, as I never bothered to learn all the functions, and other than 911 and other important numbers, I just wasn't interested in relying on a cell phone while traveling.

Small phone directory such as those used before the advent of cell phones.  I had one small booklet each for medical numbers, friends (especially Dad's church friends as someone would help or find someone else who could if we needed it (and we did, once, when the house front door jammed, it was cold weather, we couldn't get in, and oxygen was already running low).  

Backup clothing, especially scarves, hats, gloves and blankets, year round, as older people get cold more quickly.   

Tire pump and gauge were mandatory.  Once I was in a panic when I couldn't get the gauge to work, pump wasn't working, and I had to go to a few different gas stations before I could get a low tire pumped up.

Dozens of freebie medical samples; I used to collect them at senior expos when they were readily available, for free.  These always included the sani-wipes, bandaids, and much more.

Reading material, positive, and upbeat in case a bad situation arose.  

Water in traveling cups, and sometimes backups in gallon jugs.  

Antifreeze, funnel, and something else for the car  - can't remember right now.

Hallah, I think you're wise to address these issues.   With your wife's situation, I think I would also carry some plastic bags, either grocery bags, or those that come in a roll, for those "just in case" moments.   And handi-wipes; I also have a large collection of those which I got at senior expos.
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Disposable gloves can come in handy.
I always kept a list of meds. with complete details along with blood type. To me this is good to have in glove box as well in case of accident and you aren’t able to explain what is needed. You can also keep this list in your phone.
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I appreciate all your comments. Some of the items I had already put on my list. Others I had not thought of but will be included.
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I’d add some granola bars, or other non-perishables that you like.

My Dh always gets stuck accompanying me to the ER, and it’s not always convenient to get to a hospital’s snack-bar.
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Christine44 Jun 2022
Re: "...it's not always convenient to get to a hospital's snack-bar."
Or they may be closed to “outsiders.” A hospital I go to regularly for blood checks had both a nice cafeteria and snack bar with fruit, sandwiches, coffee, etc. But for a 2-year period of the pandemic it was open only to staff. A sign said “visitors” could not go there and people with appointments (i.e. patients actually) were not allowed as they were considered "visitors". I take a para-transit bus to this hospital and the first time this happened I went for about 6 hours with no food. Water I could only get by going into a medical office and asking for a cup of water.
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cxmoody, I took snacks when I knew the trip and appointment would make for a long day. Sometimes I took lunch for us/me to the hospital as the doctor’s office was often quite a distance away from the cafeteria. Also, I didn’t appreciate the prices the cafeteria charged.
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Of the many doctor appointments with my dad and mom I always carried snacks like peanut butter crackers and water. Mom always needed a change of clothes and her depends just in case. Travel pack of baby wipes and hand sanitizer. Trash bags to contain soiled clothes. Hearing aid batteries?

I used a cloth tote bag to carry this. Put mom's wallet in tote with a printed list of her medications, health issues, doctors and mine & sister's phone numbers.
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Not sure if you are asking about a day bag? Or, a 'go bag' for emergencies like a natural disaster. As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, worldwide we have been instructed and encouraged to prepare our emergency go bags should we need them because of civil unrest, weather disasters, earthquakes, war, etc. Mine is a rolling suitcase and it contains a generous first aid kit, bottled water, a portable solar charging device for phones/electronics, power banks, flashlight/batteries, roll of toilet paper, wash cloths, a throw blanket, plastic trash bags, extra pair of shoes along with a few extra pieces of clothing; camping supplies like eating utensils, swiss knife, matches, deck of cards to pass the time, coloring books (for kids if you have any), copies of important documents, money, small canned food along with dried fruit and several bags of rice/beans in vacuumed bag, & extra medication--enough to last several days. I hope that helps a bit--if you were talking about emergency go bags.

Having someone with medical needs for a day trip would be similar in some ways: I found this website about a go bag for ones with dementia by the Alzheimers Society that would be helpful: https://alzheimer.ca/sites/default/files/documents/Be-ready-for-an-emergency-department-visit_My-ready-to-go-bag_Alzheimer-Society-Canada.pdf
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WWiggins Jun 2022
We do have a great list of things we'll need to have to be prepared for emergencies. My mom and I are in the process of updating our go-bags....medications and such, water in the car, stuff such as that. I need to get a better first aid kit, mine's small. Reading what other Witnesses have put in their go-bags helps us to feel better about what we're doing. I'm so happy have seen a reply from a sister (?). 😁
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My mom travels in a wheelchair, so I have a a great bag that I hook to the wheelchair and keep extra Poise Ultimate pads in it.

If no wheelchair involved, just a simple tote bag (even a grocery store tote bag which is light in weight), and take the pads in it, and now an extra pair of light-weight pants and underwear/panties. I don't worry about wet wipes, sanitizer and all that stuff because we would access a bathroom which has sinks, soaps, etc. I like to keep it simple.

Now, if you're planning a longer day out, you can always add to that. But if it's just a simple out of house a couple of hours, I don't like to bog us down.
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You may want to include a few N95 rated masks, most medical places (at least where I live) still require masks regardless of vaccine status. And they can no longer be homemade masks, they must be manufactured. You may not ever need them but good to have if you do, and they weigh practically less than nothing.

Ziplock bags can have a variety of uses, too (vomit bags, trash bags- especially for used personal care products, waterproofing electronics, etc.) I keep the extra-large size in my go bag. They are really useful if traveling, too- one of the dirtiest things in any hotel room anywhere I once read was the TV remote so the first thing I do after unpacking is drop the remote into a storage bag). These also have very little weight to them.

A dry washcloth (you could store this in one of the Ziplocks). Baby wipes are great but can dry out. A washcloth beats trying to clean someone with restroom paper towels any day and is very light-weight.

Cough drops. Useful not just for when you're sick. I often find that overly conditioned air can give me a dry throat regardless of how much water I drink. Also very light to carry.

Review your go bag regularly and toss out any expired food, trash, and to make sure the baby wipes are still moist. I keep a 3-day emergency go bag in my vehicle and check it twice a year for the same reasons.
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Great list! Re: phone chargers. Try to find one with an extra long cord. If you're stuck in a waiting room for a long time, and can find an outlet near a chair, with an extra long cord you can go online/call people/check mail, etc. while the phone is charging. If you end up in the hospital, this will come in handy. Once you buy one, try it out first to make sure it's easy to plug into an outlet.

If you're into crossword puzzles, in Safeway, their magazine/book section had a small enough size (slightly bigger than a paperback) that could fit in a purse. Walmart sells ballpoint pens with erasers on the end -- much easier to use in doing a crossword than a pencil with an eraser.
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Besides what has been listed a thick absorbent towel that you no longer care about and can easily toss in the garbage. Sometimes you have to clean up messes that look like you performed an autopsy in your car. Also a good can of deodorizer spray for smells that linger in cars.
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Please schedule an appointment with her gynecologist. There are several treatments that can help with incontinence from medication to nerve stimulation to botox. Some have been around for fifty years or more and are safe. Nothing worse than having an accident on a white couch during a party (happened to me). Good Luck
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I would have a lightweight change of clothes such as leggings and shirt. Maybe sweat pants or pajama bottoms. Include a change of socks, shoes and extra incontinence products and wipes.

As far as the kind of bag use whatever is easier for you to manage along with any walkers, wheelchair, etc you may be using. Include a plastic trash bag for soiled or wet clothes.

I also started putting those absorbent bed liners in the car seat my mom was riding in to absorb accidents in the car and protect the car seat. You can get these at Target, Walmart, medical supply stores etc.
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I would suggest making sure she wears an overnight incontinence brief when you are out of the house. Usually, people urinate every 3 hours (more or less) when awake. Plan on having enough extras as well as wipes to cover 3 hour increments and add 1 extra for "just in case." I like using a backpack since it doesn't look weird for guys or gals to have one slung over their backs. I would also suggest having an extra change of clothes - especially slacks and socks - in the go bag. You might consider keeping an extra pair of shoes in the car.
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hallah: Firstly, make sure that she wears protection, e.g. she may require more than an "Always Discreet." Perhaps at some point she may require a Depends just to be on the safe side. Go with the premise that it's better to be safe than sorry. Secondly, in a tote bag pack a change of clothing, additional feminine pads or adult diaper, water secured in zip lock bags so that it doesn't leak out, snacks secured in different zip lock bag, second pair of shoes, lightweight jacket, medical information, phone chargers AND adapters and a book for you. Perhaps the snacks can be protein bars to eliminate a blood sugar drop.
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O.K. ...Here's what I have in my bag: An extra pair of pants, an extra pair of underwear, an extra Depends Diaper, toilet paper roll and children's wet wipes. I have a problem with sudden urination as well as a severe, surprise diarrhea problem. It's in the back of my car at all times. You never can predict when you'll need it.
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I also include a sweater or sweatshirt for myself because hospitals and emergency rooms are always cold.
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Folks, I apologize to all of you that answered to my question about ‘go bags”. I haven’t checked in here since the end of May. The post (?) kept getting pushed back farther as new posts were added.

I’m going with a backpack from Walmart. I had one like it several years ago that worked well for various trips before dementia. I’ll use it for doctor visits, etc. I’ll pick up another one to keep stuff in my truck. No car; hers was sold.

I'm heading to bed as soon as I go check the clothes in the dryer. Yes, I do our laundry here. Not sure I care for the way they do it.

Anyway, I’ll read through all the replies tomorrow you all have been good enough to send me.
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