Gift for wounded comrade?

[Eden]

Got a question for all you ladies who've had the misfortune to have had an accident....
I've got a friend who had a bad tumble this past weekend and I'd like to get her a practical get well gift. Flowers, cards, balloons - the sentiment is nice, but they all just get thrown away. I'd prefer to get something really useful for a person who is hurting. What was something that you would have really liked to have had when you got home from the hospital? A big wedgie pillow? Some nice soap and a scrubber on a handle for showering easier? A big soft bathrobe or throw blanket? (a nice basket of microbrews ;) )

[jesvetmed]

A really good book and some fuzzy socks. But that's just me :rolleyes:
Hope your friend is feeling better soon. She's lucky to have a friend who cares so much about what to get her.

[Cataboo]

Bath salts for when her wounds are closed up enough that she can take a bath without it stinging?

One of those microwavable/freezable hot/cold packs?

Deliver food so she doesn't have to worry about cooking?

A nice big box of tegaderm?

Some spray & wash for cleaning her road rash?

[NbyNW]

I remember really wanting a good night's sleep when I got home from the hospital. Between the pain and somebody coming into your room every 10 minutes to sweep the floor, empty the garbage, fill up the ice water, turn my leg circulation gadgets on or off, schedule meals, deliver meals, etc. -- and every task was a different person -- there was no way to rest in the hospital.

Maybe some nice healing relaxing aromatherapy product? I don't know what's out there.

For myself, I splurged on some Pimsleur Italian language tapes to get ready for an upcoming trip, and once I was able to get out of the house on my own, I went out for pedicures . . . because I couldn't comfortably reach my feet for about a year.

The best thing when I was still feeling fragile was actually getting out of the house. I was convalescing at my parents' place in Pgh, so when DH visited in between business trips we rented a wheelchair so we could go to baseball games, and another big highlight was when a friend visited for the day and we went to Primanti Brothers. Home can feel a bit confining when you're healing up, and it's nice to get out and do "normal" things.

Hope your friends starts to feel better soon!

[smilingcat]

Hi,

When I got hurt, the thing that made me feel good day in and day out was a nice new bath robe, oversized T-shirt (cause of broken collar bone), and oversized socks to lounge around.

Wedge pillow would fit the bill. Something to make us more comfortable is really appreciated. Ask her what she would like to make it more comfortable for her.

wish her a speedy recovery.

[bacarver]

Thinking back to my bike wreck almost 4 years ago, I would have enjoyed a journal with a bright cover design and a set of colored pens. Stickers would have been nice also.
I read a lot. Most of my selections were children's books with encouraging stories and happy endings.
Other ideas:
Really soft pillows with washable cases because it was so hard to get comfortable.
Art kits/coloring kits/craft projects that are found in the children's activity section.
More than anything . . . it's just nice to have friends who think of you when you hurt and are struggling with pain and injuries.
Barb

[papaver]

a couple of years ago my boss' wife was in the hospital. And he was figuring out what to buy her... I just told him to buy all the magazines he can get.

It was such a big succes that his wife, after she recovered, donated monthly a big pile of magazines to that hospital. :)

[singletrackmind]

When my son hurt himself one day I told him I would try to make him this:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/johnnysanti-owiesuit.jpg
It cracked him up.
Then again, he's only 5. :D

A handmade card isn't as good or useful as magazines and pillows and shower helpers, but might go nice with them.

[papaver]

When my son hurt himself one day I told him I would try to make him this:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/johnnysanti-owiesuit.jpg
It cracked him up.
Then again, he's only 5. :D

A handmade card isn't as good or useful as magazines and pillows and shower helpers, but might go nice with them.

:D:D:D:D

[Birder_on_Bike]

Food is the thing that 'comforts' me the most when I am injured.

Not terrible hospital fare, but good, homemade meals. Especially soup and fresh-baked bread!

[Aggie_Ama]

A snuggie, I know the ad is cheesy but they are useful I have one.

An oversized throw, a got a fleece one for Christmas and it is awesome but would be better if it were alternative down. :)

Warm socks or easy to put on slippers

When DH was recuperating from his appendectomy (his had complications and longer healing time) he really loved comfy flannel or soft cotton pants for lounging.

I personally love coloring books even though I am 28 when I am sick. I know it is crazy.

Ice cream.

Magazines or a Barnes and Noble gift card (can be used online so she doesn't have to leave the house).

[sundial]

If it's a boo boo from a bike, have your LBS repair the damage to the bike.

As for your friend, homemade soup is always nice.

[Cataboo]

If she happened to have torn her handlebar tape from a booboo from a bike shop, new tape helps.

[lph]

you're a sweetheart, Eden.

When I was bust up and pathetic I would have appreciated comfort stuff like:
different magazines, some girly, some sporty, some news
dark chocolate
some different tea bags
a fat candle
a soft blanket

and yes, a tune-up at the lbs would have been fantastic.

[Eden]

The overriding theme here seems to be soft - so I found some plushy, plushy socks and the softest, lightest throw blanket I've ever touched. The whole team will be pitching in and helping with all the daily living stuff (errands, meals, etc.) when she's out of the hospital. Thanks everybody!

[indysteel]

That's really nice of you Eden; I think you chose well. Heck, I'd be happy with any of those gifts even if I wasn't injured. The only other I'd add is a GC for a massage (depending on the nature of the injuries).

[Eden]

We have a sponsor that gives us a monthly hour of massage - I'm sure that the next one will go to her. In fact, I've just suggested it - though I'd be willing to bet I'm not the first.

[Aquila]

Sounds like you made a great choice!

In case you end up needing another idea:

When one of my friends had abdominal surgery, another friend suggested a picker-upper stick. It was about two and a half feet long, with a magnet and a two prong thing at the end that could be squeezed together with a little lever thing on the handle.

My friend still tells me that it was about the best gift ever.

So, if your friend has problems bending over or something, a picker-upper stick might be good.

[kacie tri-ing]

When my DH had his accident/surgery a few weeks ago, a friend of mine got our home cleaned. When we came back from 4 days in the hospital, our home was in perfect shape. It was wonderful!

[malkin]

I was happy when someone stopped by and took out the trash.

[Kano]

Looks like I am coming into the thread a bit late, but it seems to me that cabin fever will hit sooner or later, and an outing of some sort would be nice, especially for someone who's used to being active.

I didn't see what sort of injuries your friend is dealing with, but things that will make "doing it myself" easier can't hurt either -- we all get tired of needing help after a while! It will also be time to re-enter the real world soon, back to work, or whatever. For a youngster who broke his arm and couldn't use his hand to write for a couple of months, a sketch book and pencils, along with a short lesson in "contour drawing" was helpful in developing eye-hand coordination so he could write better with his "wrong" hand. For DH, the fattest pens I could find (and there are many more options for people with gripping problems now) helped him, as he writes all kinds of notes as he programs computers. Possibly some easy on, easy off clothing that's not pajamas for real world time?

I hope your friend is feeling MUCH better by now!

Karen in Boise