Hospital visit - need suggestions

jdw · Post by **jdw** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:40 pm

We have a neighbor who will be in the hospital until he can receive a new heart. We are going to visit him and his wife tomorrow night. I wanted to take dinner to the hospital but he is on a strict diet and can only eat what the hospital serves him. They have plenty of books and magazines and flowers.

Would appreciate any suggestions on what I can take them when we visit.

Thanks!

byado18 · Post by **byado18** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:53 pm

Music - CDs or an ipod loaded with his favorite music!

A Gift Certificate for a massage for his wife.

A do it yourself gift certificate of something that they need done at home - lawn mowing, shopping, pet care, etc.

Books on tape or CD!

Maybe the hospital room has a DVD player and you could take some DVDs that they could watch.

mindehankins · Post by **mindehankins** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:28 pm

The most absolutely comfortable pajamas your wallet can afford.
Framed photos of family members.
Can he paint or draw? Knit?
A handmade pair of alpaca socks comforted me through one very rough time in my life. There was so much love knit in I felt like I was hugged when I wore them.

Lindy · Post by **Lindy** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:54 pm

Does he have a laptop or a tablet? Do you come from a close knit neighborhood? Set up a Skype account (it's free)and have him do the same then prearrange times for you or some of your other neighbors to "visit" with him for 20 minutes or so once or twice a week depending on how bored/tired he feels.

chicagoans · Post by **chicagoans** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 8:20 pm

I love all the ideas above. And meals from the neighborhood friends for when he's out of the hospital (if you're in the same neighborhood) would be so great. We had about 7 weeks of meals when DH first started radiation treatments - it was pretty fantastic and only stopped when I said no more.

DH got a lovely quilt from the sewing group at our church. He has brought it to many of his chemo treatments (going on 2.5+ years now) and it's a great comfort. (Hospitals can be so cold!) So a cozy blanket or quilt might be appreciated.

If you have pictures of them with you and other friends and even pictures they're not in but of their friends and family, he might like a digital frame with all of them loaded up into a slide show. Might make him smile to see all of those during the long hours waiting in a hospital room. You could send out an email to any of your mutual friends and his family (if you have their contact info) to try to gather as many pix as possible.

Best wishes to him!

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