Gifts for someone having chemotherapy?

SugarSpun

I had all my shopping done but need to rethink some of them as someone I'm buying for has just been diagnosed with cancer.

Can anyone offer insight into what sort of things might be good while chemo is ongoing? I assume Christmas will be business as usual in terms of going in and having treatment?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions :xmastree:

kez_s

Hi - we bought my MIL a DS console when she was diagnosed and about to start chemo & radiotherapy, we all chipped in and bought her that with some games, a case, etc., and a thinking of you card. Obviously it's quite an expensive present though you can get 2nd hand ones but the reason she loved it was often she has to spend hours at the hospital with nothing to do, so anything that will help that pass would be something to think about.

Magazines or a subscription
Books or a token
Puzzle books if they like that kind of thing.

I don't know your budget, how close you are, etc., so it's just a few examples or it might trigger off an idea of your own.

yabajaz

I used these people for VERY soft hats.
there are sleeping hats - BUFFS - cos bald heads get cold and the wigs are often itchy by the end of the day..
http://www.hats4heads.co.uk/buffs.html

SugarSpun

That's a brilliant idea, thank you! It's a bit out of my budget but I could haunt the secondhand shops etc.

HeadAboveWater

Completely irrelevant and not helpful but I love your signature SugarSpun

savvysaver26

I have been making beanie hats for patients at my local hospital, it really helps if this is an issue if not maybe something like a nice notebook or diary to be able to write there thoughts into x

vikki_louise

Hiya, a long time ago there was a thread on here about gifts for someone undergoing chemo. There were lots of replies and suggestions. If you do a search it should come up

quantum123

SugarSpun wrote: »

I had all my shopping done but need to rethink some of them as someone I'm buying for has just been diagnosed with cancer.

Can anyone offer insight into what sort of things might be good while chemo is ongoing? I assume Christmas will be business as usual in terms of going in and having treatment?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions :xmastree:

Dark nail polishes- blues, greens, reds, purples, black are helpful in protecting the nails while having chemo. Scented bubble baths etc can be tricky as they can be really irritating. I found l'occitane products lovely to use though- especially the bubble baths and hand cream. After Eight mints were good when my sense of taste was affected in the first few days of chemo. I agree with the person who posted a link for the hats 4 heads website. Their sparkly berets are really nice and comfy.

It's a difficult one as the treatment can make you feel like you don't want to be bothered with much, especially in the first weeks or so after chemo. The thing I found most helpful was the little things- cards, texts, emails.

Hope this helps. x

indebtinsussex

when my dad had chemo he was kept in for around 16 weeks, we brought him a digital photoframe so he could have photos up whilst having treatment and make it slightly more home from home.

also he lost his appetite completely so we brought him everything that he loved to eat just to entice him to munch on something. audio books were another good one as well as dvds, and some nice smellies which are sensitive skin, hand cream was a good one as my dads hands went really funny, l'occitane do a fantastic one and pjs.

hope your person is ok xxx

Bella-Bubble

I personally would have been mortified if anyone had bought me a hat.

What had you bought for them already? Is it really that unusable now?

I hated how everyone changed with attitude to chemo so someone giving something 'normal' and not sickness related would be great.

SugarSpun

The main bit is a bit unusable - it's a bottle of whisky and a couple of bits associated with his strenuous hobby, plus some stuff that is absolutely still good. I'm thinking an MP3 player and some proper headphones.