Looking for ideas to help a friend recovering from pacemaker surgery.

March 4, 2011 11:21 AM

A dear friend of the family had a pacemaker put in yesterday and I would like to do something nice for her. Any ideas?

No lifting, no driving, no raising her arms for the next two weeks. I would like to do something nice for her that will help to lift her spirits and help her to feel a little better when she gets home. I will have some other friends to help as well.

posted by heatherly to Grab Bag (3 answers total)

That means she can't do her hair, get or put away groceries, do the laundry or the usual basic cleaning and organizing. How about offering to take her to a hair appointment, do her shopping, her laundry, clean the house? You can present it to her in the form of handmade coupons. I think she'd be so grateful...
posted by paindemie at 11:32 AM on March 4, 2011

Suggest that you guys make dinner together. At her house. This accomplishes a couple of things...

1) You drive her to the grocery store in order to get things for the co-dinner, but also she gets a trip to the grocery store during which she can get things she needs for herself. If she can't drive or lift things, it will really help to have someone assist with a trip. Mundane, yes perhaps, but it's one less thing she has to worry about.

2) Dinner! Yay! That you will help clean up.

3) She gets to keep the leftovers and doesn't have to worry about making herself food the next couple days.
posted by phunniemee at 11:33 AM on March 4, 2011

When I had mine put in, it took me out for a few days. So just being there to help out is good, offering to run errands. Bringing them books or DVDs would probably be a good one too.
posted by doctor_negative at 12:30 PM on March 4, 2011