Gift for friend going through chemo

[TeddTess]

My friend is going through chemo. She doesn't want to see anyone in the 10 days or so post chemo where she feels dreadful and is very sick.
I'd like to drop something off - a little basket of gifts for her... any suggestions?
her mum moves in post chemo so she is ok for food etc... but any specific suggestions of things she may feel like eating would be helpful. thanks

[hollinhurst84]

Sweets like these http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003IUGJ90/ref=mpsa11?qid=1453765675&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=chemotherapy%20gifts&dpPl=1&dpID=41eVqJMKHJL&ref=plSrch&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

or boiled sweet type things
Mouth gets v dry and things can taste funny
Nice cordial or drinks to help drink more
Lip balm for dry lips. Dr bronner do a ginger one which is nice

[goddessofsmallthings]

As her dm is undoubtedly providing whatever your friend feels like, or is up to, eating I would suggest that you choose something else to show you're thinking of her.

MooGoo skincare products are greatly recommended on the Tamoixgang thread on this board, but I would suggest you post there for advice on what may be most appreciated by your friend during her post-chemo periods as I'm sure the 'gang' won't be short of ideas.

[TeddTess]

thank you

[Lotsofplanetshaveanorth]

Second the lip balm. Not food. The metallic taste buggered everything for my friend so she only wa ted little and often and said anything nice was a waste :(.

When my beautiful friend went through chemo she appreciated lots of instant messaging. She couldn't face talking or visits but got very lonely so we spent a lot of time on messenger. If she has kids then lots of low key babysitting. I didn't do anything special with my friend's daughter but just made it a safe space for her to hang out with us. She could just be herself as much as possible.

[cravingcake]

When I found out my friend was going through chemo she told me she had to paint her nails in dark colours to try to keep the nails from breaking (something to do with sunlight and chemo chemicals etc). I gave her a little goody bag with a couple of new nice nail varnishs and a nail file, a couple of trashy magazines, lip balm and I can't remember what else, fluffy socks I think as she said she felt the cold. But mostly it was just being on the end of the phone when she needed a chat, mainly by messaging.

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

Socks and wristwarmers and a lovely blanket - my mum is always feeling the cold. Books/mags - she'll be tired a lot of the time so something easy to curl up with. My mum's skin went hypersensitive so I'd be wary of skincare type things (mind you her skin was super-sensitive to start with).

[TeddTess]

thanks everyone lots of lovely ideas here
was feeling like i should turn up with casseroles etc.. but when i mentioned it it really felt like she didn't want me to, and i didn't push it knowing her mum was there, but now it makes sense.

[Lilymaid]

Experienced chemo hand here!
Hand cream that works and nail varnish kit with dark coloured varnish, boiled sweets (fruit flavour or mint) or Haribo; water jug/carafe and glass (to encourage drinking as much water as possible)
MooGoo is good when having radiotherapy (and for dry feet which is a side effect of some chemo regimes) though it is also useful as a moisturiser during chemo. You can buy it on Amazon.
Magazines ... nothing too intellectual though that will tax chemo brain!

[mumto2andnomore]

I liked the people who turned up with normal rather than cancer type presents to remind me that I was still the same person underneath and not just a poorly person. So wine, chocolates, magazines were good for me

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

My mum is barely eating so has completely lost interest in what everyone else is eating. Mind you, DF is a feeder so I can't blame her. She's gone quite sweet-toothed though - nice jar of honey? Some of those energy bar thingies?

[Cheesybaps]

MIL was completely off food and drinks as they tasted so vile with chemo, so IME I think those kind of things would be out. I also wouldn't recommend flowers as the smell made her feel sick.

If you're doing a basket, nice comfy slippers/blanket. DVD's/magazines. Maybe some nice chocolates (just in case!). I agree with the PP who said buy presents that she would usually appreciate, not just about the illness!

Saying that, we also bought MIL some BioXtra items to help with her dry mouth, they do gels/sprays/mouthwashes. I know she found them useful and they are fairly cheap and on Amazon.

[StayGold]

What a wonderful friend you are TeddTess, I finished chemo three weeks ago (yay!) and found small gifts like chocolate and sweets were fab. My favourite treat was soup, leek and potato, chicken, vegetable etc. Nothing too exciting, almost the blander the better (The covent garden ones are good if not homemade). Nice squashes/cordials too as hated water and fizzy drinks gave me heartburn. I craved salty things too so crisps and crackers were yummy too.

Oh and lip salve, as had very dry lips, I love the apple smelling chapsticks.

Whatever you give her I'm sure she'll appreciate

[TeddTess]

hope you're all well.

[Sunnydaisy]

I put together a parcel of little pressies for my friend who was undergoing chemo and I think it was appreciated. I included things like a book, magazine, sweets, iTunes voucher, slipper socks, a non fragranced natural hand cream and a little photo book that I had printed using photos that I pinched from her Facebook account - thought maybe it would give her something nice to focus on when she was having the treatment. Hard because as other posters have said you don't really want to draw attention to the illness but at the same time you want to do something to let them know you're thinking of them.