What can you give a friend whose husband is in hospital. He is now paralized from waist down. His wife has stayed by his side for the past few weeks. What kind of gift can I give her to use/enjoy while staying in hospital with him and what can I give him that he may be able to use?
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Why don't you try giving them some of your time? Maybe by helping them with everyday activities, you'd be doing them a huge favor. Since his wife has been staying by his side since the injury many errands have probably been put on the back burner. I was seriously injured a few years back and the best gifts that I received while in the hospital (and while recuperating at home) were the company and help of my friends.
People with paralysis tend to have circulation problems and dry skin. You can buy over-the-counter lotions, etc. for bad circulation in your pharmacy. Usually near the diabetic supplies.
Make a coupon book for your friends and give to them with a plate full of homemade cookies. Give coupons for doing things like dusting, cleaning, etc. at her home (if she is spending a lot of time at the hospital she may not have time to do minor cleaning or laundry, etc.) , making a meal(s) to bring to hospital in place of hospital food (I am sure they are both sick of those. Just make sure that they know you are bringing them a meal so that they do not eat before you arrive) or if you don't cook, you could make a gift bag or basket with fruit, snacks, etc. maybe a six-pack of their favorite soda or bottles of water so they won't have to buy the expensive snacks at the hospital machines.
A good book with short stories in it. If the husband is still on pain meds and is sleeping a lot, he may not be able to listen or read for long periods of time. The Chicken Soup for the Soul books are good. There are plenty of wide varieties of those out now or similar types of books with inspiring stories which may be what they need right now to lift them up. Or maybe a crossword puzzle book they could work on together.
I agree with Lacey!
I was in a really bad car accident, broke both my legs,plus my 4 yr old daughters leg(Femer) got broken by seat belt.Full body cast for 6weeks.
Make a basket gift for the two of them. Put something homemade to eat, small pre packaged snack foods, lotions, magazines they would enjoy on sports, cooking, music or whatever their interests are, and a roll of quarters for the vending machines or phone calls. When I stayed in the hospital with a family member I was always needing change.
How about music-CD's of favorite artists or if appropriate, inspritational/religious or relaxing music. Target has these great CD's of music and nature sounds. Personal CD player and batteries, if needed. DVD's. Gift certificates for restaurants near the hospital. GC for the wife to get hair done, manicure, massage, etc. Gifts of your time-do chores or errands, laundry, take the wife out for lunch or dinner and LISTEN. If the wife needs help seeking services or equipment once the husband gets home, do the research. If you are handy, or know someone who is, their home will need some accomodations to handle a wheelchair-ramps, widen doorways, etc. Just remember that your frined is till the same guy he was before the accident, just now his legs don't work. He still has the same interests, and need to be with his friends as before.
This just recently happened to a friend of mine also. I went to Starbucks and picked up some different kinds of chocolate.
Hello All!
Try cards, magnetic checkers, yahtzee, or "funny" books to read each other, add a little snack & You have a nice present!
If they have friends and family that are long-distance phone calls, give a pre-paid phone card so they can keep in touch (most hospitals won't let you make long-distance calls). If he's unable to hold books for long, how about books on tape? These don't even have to be purchased -- you can check them out from the public library, let your friend know when they are due back, and YOU pick them up and return them for her. Mow her yard/shovel her walk/ run errands for her. Pre-paid gasoline cards are also a blessing. Do they have pets? Care for the pets, or even take them home with you if that's workable (be the pets' foster parents!) Remember that your friend could probably also use something to do while she's sitting with her husband, who may be sleeping off and on.
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