<p>Make sure there are no scratchy seams or anything inside of a beanie if you give it to her-we can’t feel it with hair, but people with little to no hair definitely can.</p>
<p>when she was going through her testing pre-surgery, I dropped off US magazines, some pretty flowers, and some jacks and some go fish cards</p>
<p>she LOVED it…</p>
<p>none of what I would said would be considered sad…it would be in a pretty bag filled with distractions… and things she can leave and share with others</p>
<p>if it was ME, a coloring book, some tacky magazines, a pretty eye shade that says “I am a pretty pretty princess”, some great fuzzy socks, some nice hand cream, would be very welcome</p>
<p>She will be going for treatment every day for weeks, to have a fun tote bag with stuff that doesn’t require too much thinking can do wonders</p>
<p>I have to agree with the company and conversation ‘gift’. </p>
<p>I took my grandmother to her chemo treatments (ovarian cancer) and because ldgirl was only 4 at the time, I brought her along. She was a great (most of the time 
) distraction during the treatment and when we got back to my grandmother’s home, I always tucked them in together ‘in the big bed’ for a nap. My grandmother LOVED their naps and having us nearby. </p>
<p>Fifteen years later, ldgirl and I did the same for Mom during her chemo. Fortunately, the drugs for side effects are wonderful and most of the visits took on a big pajama party flavor more than anything else. (That’s what we were shooting for anyway…lol!)</p>
<p>I think all the gifts are a good idea… and if you can manage to get by there for a visit after the treatments, or if you can even hang out with your friend during chemo delivery, that would be really appreciated as well.</p>
<p>I think that all these ideas are great. I understand were you are coming from LTS but I really think it depends on both personality (like you said) and were you are in the process of being sick. I know what is it like to be living in a hospital for mouths, although it was my dad that was sick. And I know that although flowers are nice in thought it was the little things that people gave and did that had the biggest effect. Even something as small as having ice cream with a group of people had a noticeable effect on his white count, believe it or not. I think that all these ideas are great CGM. And yes they are distractions from being sick not reminders especially when the cancer has gone far enough that a normal life is no longer possible and all time is spent in bed deal with being very ill. But hey that is just my option based off of when I was a twelve year old with a dying dad.</p>
<p>cgm, Dr. Scholl’s makes a foot creme that’s peppermint scented. It softens your feet and makes them feel tingly good. And it’s only about $4 or so.</p>
<p>I think you’ve got some great ideas for that basket.</p>
<p>Put in a copy of the Livestrong song that you can download for $1 from the Lance Armstrong Foundation (which is for cancer research and support). It’s a wonderfully inspiring song that’s for cancer survivors.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.otherwisehealthy.com/about.html[/url]”>www.otherwisehealthy.com/about.html</a></p>
<p>This is a link to Linda Shrager’s site. She has an organizer/planner for keeping all your records, etc.</p>
<p>I chose a talking book because friend said her eyes got tired. Taking LTS’s feelings, I choose a difficult book that comes out of our discipline so she can be “working” while recuperating.</p>
<p>I have had other friends appreciate talking books because one can close one’s eyes and be engaged or entertained, depending on the book.</p>
<p>I am starting to feel kinda bad about some of the things I wrote in this thread. I didn’t mean any disrespect to anyone and understand that everyones journey is different. So please except my apologies if I have offended anyone.</p>
<p>Fairyblood, Don’t you worry. Everybody can read that this is only your 4th post only!
Welcome and join in. Nobody’s ever perfect around here, not even me.</p>
<p>I walked into a big party once and made l0 faux pax before I even got to the table with the foie de gras.</p>
<p>through cancer surgery, radiation and chemo. I’ve sent – or given if friends live locally – the following:
. Books I know they’d enjoy (Books on Tape is a great idea too)
. Comedies/musicals on DVDs
. Puzzle books if they are into these – NY Times, etc.
. My own, homemade coupons for fun things to do together after
treatment and when feeling up to it – dinner out, ice cream sundae
at local place, dinner at local jazz place
. Home cooked meals once they are home from hospital. One summer I
cooked twice/month/3 months for friend undergoing treatment for breast
cancer. I made enough food to last for 2-3 dinners during the week.<br>
Sometimes when I knew friend felt lousy, I’d make gourmet dinner for her
husband and soups for her
. Also have gone with friends to chemo and driven them to MD appts.<br>
And at various milestones (surgery recuperation over, radiation done, chemo
over), I’d pick up special little gifts.</p>
<p>If you are looking for truely mindless entertaining novels, for women, the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. For men and women, Carl Hiaasen is pretty funny. If they have a good probability of getting through chemo, the travel book “1000 places to go before I die”. I find doing Sudoko puzzles very calming and zen like, but my husband just could not get into them. But the big winner for chemo is someone to talk to. I’d accompany my husband to chemo and other infusions, and we’d run out of things to talk about quickly. (We tend to talk at home, and those six hour infusions would pretty much run us out of topics for a month.) But a friend! For one, they have stories the chemo getter hasn’t heard yet. And it give the care giver a chance to get away and run those errands, pick up those perscriptions, etc.</p>
<p>For music, unless you are sure the relaxing tapes are up their alley, I’d stay away. At our infusion center they had a guartist playing soothing live music. My husband and I found him anything but soothing. As LTS mentions, we didn’t need reminders he was sick. But that’s where the ear plugs come in. And we did bring our own ipods.</p>
<p>I am going through cancer treatment right now. I use chap sticks constantly. The chemo is really bad on my mouth. Some of the nice flavored ones . Aquafina has one now. I was inspired by “The Secret” dvd. It was uplifting. I love getting funny cards and notes from friends. I like getting baked goods for my family. They need some love right now too. Just keeping in touch. my treatment has been going on since January. Sometimes I think some of my friends are not as responsive as they were in the beginning.</p>
<p>Also the book “Eat, Pray,Love”. And some crystal light singles. Staying hydrated is hugely important. Anything to help her drink.</p>
<p>burlmom: Sorry you are going through this. I send you a virtual chap stick. I really liked that book too.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s hard for friends to remember that you are still going through this.</p>
<p>All my best.</p>
<p>If you’re not in the same city as the patient (and therefore can’t bring over a meal), a thoughtful gift is a gift certificate from a restaurant that delivers, or a gift certificate from a delivery service that delivers from a variety of restaurants. My mom preferred these to flowers when she was being treated and unable to cook for herself.</p>
<p>Along the lines of the chapstick, Avon used to make one that had a tint to it (because she might not feel like makeup and you feel like the color helps some). When I went through chemo they used to tell us to drink a lot of fluids to flush the chemicals out more quickly - and to drink a lot of fluids because it makes your veins stand out more for getting blood work, IVs, etc - I had a large insulated cup I got from a friend that I took to every treatment. I never used it after I finished, but it served it’s purpose.</p>
<p>Fairyblood, there wasn’t anything at all offensive in anything you posted, not even slightly. You are absolutely correct that these and other challenges are different for each person. I am very sorry that your father was dying when you were so young. </p>
<p>Burlmom, I am very sorry that you are going through this. I hope for a very successful outcome for you.</p>
<p>LindiSkin makes excellent skin care products for patients undergoing radiation and chemo. I don’t think I’m supposed to post a link, but if you put www in front and .com in back, you’ll find it. They sell a nice sampler gift pack that would make a perfect gift for the goodie basket.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your best wishes. 
</p>
<p>Maybe this isn’t goodie bag material. But I recently feel upon some good products. Biotene mouthrinse and toothpaste. Brushing your teeth can be hard with mouth sores. This toothpaste is very mild but effective against germs. They also have a gel for the sores that I just sent for.</p>