I had a little iPod shuffle and filled it up with favorite music. I found that after they took the urinary cath out, I was most comfortable sitting in a chair (kind of waiting room chair, not recliner) with the swingy bed table, playing solitaire. I must've played a zillion games of solitaire. TV was so boring, no good cable channels (not even CNN). 3 years ago, there was no internet access to the rooms, but I suspect that has changed. I suppose I would've enjoyed using a computer. If you really want to splurge, get an iTouch iPod and fill it with Apps. Those are addicting and fun games of all kinds that you can play on the little touch screen. I have one now and would have happily played word games and pinball type things for days!!!
Those magazines with the silly puzzles in them (numbers, simple word scrambles and such) might have been good. You are there, mentally, just not solidly so. So you can do simple things that entertain you, but not for very long (everything is exhausting the first few days). I slept a ton. Just made myself sleep. Putting relaxing music or soundscape tapes into an iPod is great for that.
Kind of imagine that you are going to the beach somewhere very isolated, not much else to do but sit on the beach and listen to the waves. What will you do there to while away the hours? Easy things, simple things. Things that you don't care if you will finish. Things with no purpose. Pure entertainment stuff. Nothing that takes too much concentration. That's what you want to take.
I love how Lisa walked around. I think that was wonderful!!! It did not occur to me to wander into some other zone of the hospital that might have been more fun. Great idea!
Best wishes.
Marguerite
Knitting? 
