Trying to fix a broken home...mate.

March 6, 2008 2:15 AM

What little treats should I get today after work to take home to my shaken-up-after-a-car-accident housemate? And what can I do to make his life a little easier/nicer in the days/weeks to come?

He's in some pain and has taken today off. I'm already thinking about Tiger Balm for sore muscles and a big bar of chocolate. He doesn't drink and is in his mid-20s.

Finally, this is in Latvia, so while I'd love to bring home a bunch of carne asada tacos, that's not really possible.

posted by mdonley to Shopping (10 answers total)

Epsom salts, and hot tea on demand. Stay in and watch a movie.
posted by mochapickle at 5:08 AM on March 6, 2008

Hot chocolate mix? Small kids toys (not sure if you'd have those inexpensive handheld electronic games, like Simon or sudoku)? Rent a video game? Movies? Do his laundry? A few magazines? Crossword puzzles?

Where's his pain -- if it's back pain, for instance, you could get a hot water bottle. Those things are instant comfort, actually.

What a nice housemate you are.
posted by theredpen at 5:09 AM on March 6, 2008

Second the hot water bottle, and having something for distraction as immediate helps.

For long term, help with all the paperwork, red-tape, etc.

A funny card on the one-week anniversary.
posted by mightshould at 5:20 AM on March 6, 2008

gift certificate/you pay for a massage? I know that in past collisions my neck, although not injured, was very stiff.

And give rides when he needs them (of course).
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:00 AM on March 6, 2008

Get some rice, and a sock. Nuke the rice in the sock, and use it as a hot compress. I had whiplash from an accident ten years ago, and that was my refuge.
posted by notsnot at 6:33 AM on March 6, 2008

That's so nice of you. Cook or bring in dinner, Latvian comfort food of his choice. Maybe a humorously big bottle of ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain meds. And be prepared either to distract him, if he wants, or listen to him vent, if that's what he needs to do. I was in a couple of accidents lately (as a passenger) and needed both distraction and indulgence at different moment.
posted by bassjump at 7:23 AM on March 6, 2008

Bath salts or bubble bath, and convince him to soak in the tub for a while. I was amazed at how much that helped when I was sore after being hit by a car.
posted by yarrow at 7:57 AM on March 6, 2008

Oh.....

Here we go -

Rescue Remedy - liquid form - 4 drops under tongue every 4 hours and Bethlehem Star for trauma same dose.

Essential oils - lavender, geranium, clary sage

Psalms of David in a nice Old Testament format - with pretty illustrations. VERY comforting.

a nice rose quartz crystal for him to hold.

Hugs

a puppy to inhale and hold.


Love to your friend.
posted by watercarrier at 8:27 AM on March 6, 2008

After mine my friends and I just kept everything low-key, relaxed. Went out to see a movie but in hindsight that was a bad idea (the pain from 3 days prior caught up to me). Trying to think internationally, Nutella is always win...
posted by Ksilebo at 10:32 AM on March 6, 2008

Response by poster: UPDATE!

My housemate was thrilled!

He received:

- a box of Frosties (to Americans: Frosted Flakes) (breakfast cereal, especially the rots-your-teeth kind, is a hard-to-find pleasure here)
- a pizza
- a big bar of dark chocolate
- some basic food for the next few days so he doesn't have to prepare or clean up too much if he gets hungry (crusty bread, hunk of nice cheese, instant soup packets, tortilla chips, salsa)
- some "soothing" tea from a little tea shop
- Tiger Balm, which I was amazed to actually find in a Latvian pharmacy...

Thanks everyone!
posted by mdonley at 3:26 AM on March 7, 2008 [1 favorite]