Small things to post to someone in hospital

Savvy_Sue

I know we had a recent thread about what to put in a hospital bag, this is for ideas of what I can post to my MIL who is 90 and very bored, in hospital while they carry out multiple tests and then decide what treatment to offer. We live several hours away and not sure that we'd be allowed into the hospital, visiting is all falling on BIL atm - it was only meant to be an overnight stay but that was on Monday and she's still there. 

So small enough to be within the large letter dimensions, and weighing less than 100g, because more than that and it's ludicrously expensive ...

Today I found

• a very small lip balm
• some love hearts 
• what was described as a paper fan, but actually it's one of those unfolding Christmas decorations - I'm going to send it anyway!  

I'm going to look out for 

• small hand cream (but have to be careful because some of the small tubes I have would be too 'fat' on the 'shoulders'

I have also found

• a Reader's Digest subscription offer of £3 for 3 issues - if she wants to keep receiving it grand, but I'll make a note to cancel the DD I've just signed up to! 

She might appreciate

• pen, notelets and stamps, because she has a friend she writes to regularly and probably didn't pack anything like that for a one night stay, but BIL might find those for her
• a pack of cards, to play patience? I'll ask BIL, FIL was the card player and would have had a poker game going given half a chance ... 

Sweets and chocolates are off limits because of diabetes. 

Any other bright ideas? 

MovingForwards

Puzzle books or similar to pass the time would be top of my list, along with a pack of cards.

Diabetic sweets / chocolate, little snack boxes of dried fruit / nuts.

If she knits / crotchets a little supply to keep her going.

Credit for her phone / phone card for using in the hospital, or a doro mobile for making / receiving calls; large buttons for the less dexterous.

Hope she's ok and home soon.

Savvy_Sue

Thanks, I think a book of crosswords might go down well, she usually tries to do that from the paper at home.

I'll think about the snack boxes but not sure what's postable, but I could suggest BIL buys some and takes them in. 

She knitted a cardigan for her first grandson, 35 years ago, and hasn't felt any desire to repeat the process.

BIL is trying to work out how to topup her phone, he's not sure which carrier she's with (I know it's really easy to do Vodafone online, but it's definitely not Vodafone ...) - and he's not sure if her phone is charged, although he knows she has the charger with her ... Bless her, she takes the phone out when we're going to meet her, because BIL will be driving. She phones to say where they are / they've arrived. And then she switches it off again, so we can't tell her where we are! 

She's the best MIL anyone could have asked for. 

MovingForwards

Graze boxes are small enough to go through the letterbox, supermarkets do their own versions. Aldi have packets by the tills.

Maybe a small squash bottle, they're only a couple of inches and will make the hospital water a little nicer. I think Aldi do a version too.

Unfortunately small sizes don't always mean cheap.

Misslayed

If you're sending crossword or puzzle books, make sure they're at the right level, ie the one she's used to. My Mum solved the Telegraph crossword every day, anything less taxing would not have been welcome. A kind friend  sent me a book of soduko puzzles when I was poorly, but they were far too easy - I do the samurai everyday!

TripleH

Several Pens / pencils as they go astray. I'd get a small sealed pack than used ones to minimise infections brought in.

Maybe too much bother now but for other viewers, an mp3 player with music / audio books on as well. If it has a radio, great (with earphones of course).

Mojisola

Savvy_Sue said:

I know we had a recent thread about what to put in a hospital bag, this is for ideas of what I can post to my MIL who is 90 and very bored, in hospital while they carry out multiple tests and then decide what treatment to offer. 

So small enough to be within the large letter dimensions, and weighing less than 100g, because more than that and it's ludicrously expensive ...

Wouldn't it be easier to ask BIL to buy the items down there, send him the money and tell MIL that they are from you two?

TBagpuss

Letters and post cards. Even if it's just a one page letter 'chatting' about your day, it gives hr something to read, keeps he in touch and feels very personal. If you have children then depending on their ages, encourage them to add a note, draw a picture or (if you have a printer)  take and send a picture.
If you send her a book of stamps, some envelopes and writing paper or cards then she can reply or write to other friends and family if she wants 

TBagpuss

Mojisola said:

Wouldn't it be easier to ask BIL to buy the items down there, send him the money and tell MIL that they are from you two?

It might be easier but having things by post gives her two 'events' each day to look forward to - the visit from BIL and the post arriving, so might be better from the perspective of helping to alleviate boredom and cheer her up.
I think also that as 'real' post is much less common these days , just getting something through the mail can provide a significant degree of pleasure for the recipient.
But I agree that for larger things you could ask BIL to buy and take them, and reimburse him 

Savvy_Sue

TripleH said:

Several Pens / pencils as they go astray. I'd get a small sealed pack than used ones to minimise infections brought in.

Maybe too much bother now but for other viewers, an mp3 player with music / audio books on as well. If it has a radio, great (with earphones of course).

Sealed pack of pens / pencils is an excellent idea, and I'll add a small notebook to that. mp3 player would be beyond her, plus she doesn't really 'listen' to stuff, too much like hard work with her hearing aids, and just not something she was ever in the habit of doing, but possibly a great idea for someone else!

TBagpuss said:

Letters and post cards. Even if it's just a one page letter 'chatting' about your day, it gives hr something to read, keeps he in touch and feels very personal. If you have children then depending on their ages, encourage them to add a note, draw a picture or (if you have a printer)  take and send a picture.
If you send her a book of stamps, some envelopes and writing paper or cards then she can reply or write to other friends and family if she wants 

I have suggested that the boys might send a card, and I expect two out of three will do so - the eldest has never seen the value of sending 'useless bits of cardboard' around the country, but it's possible that on this occasion he will relent ... You'll gather from this that they are grownups. I should remind them that she is the best grandma they could have asked for ... 

I've got a box of flower postcards which I'm never going to completely use up so I'll pop some of them into the next 'care package' or when we visit. 

TBagpuss said:

Mojisola said:

Wouldn't it be easier to ask BIL to buy the items down there, send him the money and tell MIL that they are from you two?

It might be easier but having things by post gives her two 'events' each day to look forward to - the visit from BIL and the post arriving, so might be better from the perspective of helping to alleviate boredom and cheer her up.
I think also that as 'real' post is much less common these days , just getting something through the mail can provide a significant degree of pleasure for the recipient.
But I agree that for larger things you could ask BIL to buy and take them, and reimburse him 

Exactly that TBagpuss, although I am posting the things home for BIL to take in to her rather than risking the hospital postal system. Plus persuading either of them to take money from us or let us pay for coffee or a meal is an entertaining task. 

Plus, I don't want to put any additional pressure on BIL: he is still working (mercifully from home and unlikely to have to return to the office) and with visiting MIL in hospital, changing her library books and running the house, his days are fairly full. 

Anyway, the good news is that they are letting her go home tonight: they are waiting for some results and a consultation by a specialist team in another hospital, and felt that she might as well wait around at home as in one of their beds. And we have a video call booked with them and the boys tomorrow afternoon: BIL was going to see if they could do it in the hospital but I'm glad we don't have to try that! 

Many thanks for all the ideas. 

Spendless

Good news she's out.
Not sure if you're still gathering ideas for if/when she returns. Lush do a solid hand cream that's only £1.https://www.lush.com/uk/en/p/charity-pot-coin-hand-and-body-lotion/10g---hand?gclid=Cj0KCQjw8_qRBhCXARIsAE2AtRYQfrniS1cVGWkwRUEb0QEHwT8qYbLZL4WOR-gW7rA7BWNDGvy4y8caAjXaEALw_wcB 

More expensive but larger there's also these. https://www.edinburghskincare.com/collections/solid-hand-cream-bars


Not sure if she'd find that concept too 'new fangled'?