What should I put in a care package?

August 28, 2012 12:54 PM

A family member is having brain surgery next week. What can I put in a care package to make her recovery more pleasant?

A family member in her mid-twenties is having microvascular decompression surgery for trigeminal neuralgia. She's expecting to stay in the hospital for two days following the procedure and then recover at home. She'll have lots of help from family that lives close by (I'm on the opposite coast).

I want to send a care package from my husband and me in lieu of boring flowers with fun things to keep her occupied during recovery. I was originally thinking gossip magazines/other light reading and some home-made treats, but I've been reading that headaches are common during the recovery from this surgery so I'm re-thinking the magazines. Am I overthinking? Any other ideas? We don't want to spend an arm and a leg, but we would have spent at least $75 on flowers so I have some money to play with.

posted by tealcake to health & fitness (9 answers total)

How about a few mix CDs that she can listen to?
posted by floweredfish at 1:01 PM on August 28, 2012

How about some fun little games?

A paddle ball
Those puzzles where you try to get the bb's into the little holes
A Rubics Cube
That wheel/coat hanger thing that you could make go up and back.

Little mindless things.

A small stuffed animal. When an elderly family member was ill in the hospital we sent a stuffed cat. She became very attached to it, even after she recovered.


Maybe an Apple gift card so she can download pod casts or music to listen to during recovery.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:01 PM on August 28, 2012

I nearly posted exactly the same question this morning; a friend of mine had a decompression last week. One of the things that she requested was coloring books, which sounds a little silly, but they're stimulating without requiring thought and she said she feels a sense of accomplishment when she finishes one.

I also got her some string and a book of Cat's Cradle-type games.

I don't know if your friend will have nausea to go along with her headaches, but mine does, and she's requested ginger-flavored candies to help with that.

Best of luck to your friend.
posted by punchtothehead at 1:10 PM on August 28, 2012

Books on cd's she can listen too. My family member who had brain surgery did have headaches and reading was not good. Maybe a tv series she always wanted to see but never had the time to get through. A very cuddly, soft blanket for the laying around. My neice still has hers from a heart surgery 7 years ago.
posted by maxg94 at 1:19 PM on August 28, 2012

nice chapstick, because any stay in the hospital makes my lips very chappy!
posted by Sassyfras at 1:33 PM on August 28, 2012

Things that are really great for post-recovery:

SOFT, warm, lovely socks
SOFT, warm, lovely blanket or throw
I-tunes card to download music or books that I want, not what you think I want
Gift card for a local restaurant which might deliver or offers comfort food that can be picked up

A friend sent me a care package that included trashy magazines, gum that tasted like mint chocolate ice cream, and a package of stick-on rhinestones that I used to decorate my walking cane. It didn't cost much, but I loved that she took the time to send that to me.
posted by HeyAllie at 2:23 PM on August 28, 2012

If she can have goodies, that amount of money can go to a florist who can stock a basket with candy, or fruit, etc. If you do this call the florist local to her (I'm sure a family member can recommend one) and talk to them about what they will do. Ours will actually go out and purchase things like specific candies, etc to stock a basket. Heck, we've even bought gift cards to go in one as well.

(be certain you are calling an actual bricks and mortar florist. There are internet florists out there that just take orders, charge you more money, and turn around and call florists like us for less.)
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 6:44 PM on August 28, 2012

The best earplugs you can buy. A relative was in the hospital recently and the beeping and alarms from various monitors constantly woke her up.
posted by mlis at 7:27 PM on August 28, 2012

What I did once for a friend who was going to be bed-ridden for a month was to get 30 different little things, individually gift wrapped, gathered in a box or other container, with instructions to open only one a day. Reading others' comments above: it could be warm socks, a magazine, a puzzle or coloring book, a small game or toy; it could be silly things like you find in gift bags or stocking stuffers; a family photo in a frame; a personal letter; if she'll have online access, maybe a link to a funny video; an inexpensive DVD; a hand-knit cap. Maybe number the first one and make it a small diary to keep track of the days. Just make sure they're all different. (When I did it, I had to mail the package, so all the gifts were little stocking stuffers.)
posted by bentley at 8:20 PM on August 28, 2012