March 1, 2004

11:15 PM

My family would really like to send a thank you gift to the heart surgeon who operated on my father. First, this is okay to do, right? And second, if yes, what would a married doctor with kids like to get? I've spent 2 hours looking at gift baskets, but many are for sweet foods and (1) I think he practices Lent; and (2) he just lost a bunch of weight. I may go with a healthy (sort of) food basket, but can anyone recommend something else, maybe unrelated to food, that I'm overlooking? Other than a heart gelatin mold? Like a Netflix membership, except I'm not sure he doesn't already have one.
posted by onlyconnect to (12 comments total)

ha, i think a heart gelatin mold would be ideal, really.

it's an ok thing to do, but assuming he's not a stick-in-the-mud the jello thing would probably be really funny, and he could use it at parties and things.

with something like that though it's about delivery, so maybe have the jello prepared and have it delivered to the office for his staff to eat, that would be fun.
posted by rhyax at 12:49 AM on March 2, 2004

I think this would be fantastic. At any rate, yes - something a little off-the-wall and unexpected would probably be appreciated. Just imagine all the fruit baskets, flowers, and heart-shaped tie pins that he probably gets from the pharmaceutical companies alone!
posted by taz at 1:20 AM on March 2, 2004

I would go with a heart-felt letter (with whatever else you choose). Seems most appropriate. Not to mention the fact that he could buy a million of whatever you buy him, being a heart surgeon and all.

You might also want to send one to the entire 'team' that operated on your father. It really does take a complete effort from the entire staff.
posted by justgary at 3:14 AM on March 2, 2004

The heart-felt letter to the Doctor, as well as the hospital, would be a great idea. The people in the medical community, receive very little acknowledgement for their work, and receiving something that took time and effort...would mean a lot.
posted by mkelley at 3:43 AM on March 2, 2004

on preview...yeah what Gary said :)
posted by mkelley at 3:44 AM on March 2, 2004

My Father was a doctor and I remember him getting lots of gifts at Christmas - food baskets, baked goods, wine, liquor etc. Most gifts were consumables. During the rest of the year, letters and photos of the patient after recovery are very nice. If you are really impressed, give a substantial donation to the hospital in his name.
posted by caddis at 4:24 AM on March 2, 2004

My s/o has a daughter who had several surgeries (including heart surgery) in her first year of life. She sent (and still sends) gifts (Christmas, etc) to her daughter's doctors and their staff.

After her daughter's surgery she sent food baskets to the office staff and sent the doctor a $100 gift certificate to a great restaurant here in Denver.
posted by m@ at 8:11 AM on March 2, 2004

After I gave birth, I gave my OB/GYN an amazing bottle of cognac and a framed picture of her holding the boy (after he'd been cleaned up). For the nursing staff and other hospital folks who had to listen to me bitch for 27 hours of delivery, I made hundreds of cookies and took them to each shift. Homemade goodies are always a winner with medical people, who often don't get a chance to get homemade food. :)
posted by dejah420 at 9:17 AM on March 2, 2004

Have you considered, in addition to your heartfelt note of thanks, a charitable contribution in his honor to, say, Hospice, or Doctors Without Borders, or similar? It would spread your good will and gratitude among many.
posted by Alylex at 3:32 PM on March 2, 2004

You can never go wrong with a nice bottle of shiraz wine.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:48 PM on March 2, 2004

Nice wine, Fruit-of-the-month club (they'll send a box of really geat fruit for 3-, 6-, etc. months), and a nice letter. Definitely thank the hospital staff as well. Gift Certs for deliverable food, like pizza or Chinese are nice, too.
posted by theora55 at 7:04 PM on March 2, 2004

Well, at the risk of seeming cheap, I always figured a doctor got paid well already to do his job. People who go above and beyond the call of duty are another matter. If the doctor came to your house or something. But I guess it's a given that if you want to do this, then there was something extra special about the work.
posted by Slagman at 9:04 PM on March 2, 2004