Ideas for treats for someone going through chemotherapy?

[LisaSimpsonsbff]

A good friend of mine has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be starting chemotherapy next week. I'll be going to see her as soon as she feels like she wants me to (she doesn't want visitors right now), but I won't be able to visit very often because she lives three hours away from me, so I'm looking for ideas for things I can send/order for her to let her know I'm thinking of her and to try and make her life either easier or more pleasant. I know that it's common to lose your appetite during chemotherapy so treat foods - which would normally be my go-to 'thinking of you' present -doesn't seem like a good idea, and I'm struggling to think of anything much. Does anyone have any ideas?

Fresh fruit, especially strong tasting like pineapple, pomegranate and passion fruit would likely be enjoyed. There may be restrictions on what can be taken onto some wards, but generally fruit is the only thing that can cut through the metallic mask of chemo.

There's a website called Not Another Bunch of Flowers that's specifically for this purpose, definitely check it out!

Just your visit will be enough. Very old fashioned, but write short letters, send postcards etc. Attention span goes very quickly so these types of contact really do show you are a friend. Hope chemo goes well.

There are some gift ideas for sale here at Pants by a woman who herself was treated for breast cancer. Might be something a bit different.

That should read Fighty Pants!

When my mum had chemo she liked plain salted snacks,she felt like quite bland things.

A friend is going through chemo and we took her out to lunch between treatments. She said it made her feel normal to go out with friends and take herself out of herself for a couple hours.
One thing is they are very susceptible to infections so when you do visit make sure you are not harbouring anything!

My mum’s skin and lips were very dry during chemo, so some decent hand/body cream and lip balms are good.

Some nice pamper items, things to give her a boost. Chemo will drain her physically and mentally, anything you know will give her a boost. What about a spa break for when she has completed her treatment?

Nice herbal tea selection, non perfumed hand cream, blistex lip moisturizer- the cream one. Crossword books, good books you know don't mention cancer, short stories, nowtv/netflix/Amazon vouchers.
Sweeties for dry mouth, lovely warm socks, a knitted wrap that can go round shoulders but doesnt go over head/arms (cannula gets in way).

What about a spa break for when she has completed her treatment?

This is a lovely thought but you never know how long treatment will last and after surgery and chemo the last thing I wanted to do was be sedn in public in a swimsuit (not breast cancer for me). Also, counts can take a while to come up.

There are some lovely products here:
www.beautydespitecancer.com/

Notanotherbunchofflowers.com is really good at this.

Crisps are good on chemo, salt cuts through the taste deadening effect and can help with nausea. So maybe a box of her favourite crisps if you know them? Added advantage that it's unlikely anyone else will send them
My best chemo presents were a heated blanket, water bottles, and a friend abroad sent me a book and read it along with me. We would message each other as we moved through the chapters.
She would ring for health updates but our messages were all talk about the book and more light-hearted gossip. It was lovely to keep something "normal".
Be careful with the pampering type gifts I had to give away most of the sets I received as I was warned not to start using new products during chemo so any skin reactions can be identified as definitely a side effect rather than an allergic reaction.
When you can visit your time and the fact you care enough to travel will be worth a lot.

A nice blanket can be a welcome gift.

Maybe a crafty type thing she can do to pass the time? Or a new book by her favourite author/ess, or a favourite book as an audio book.
If the hospital allows them, how about those diffuser reed things? They might mask the antiseptic smell of hospital room.

Maybe adult colouring book and colouring pencils.

When I say adult, I mean adult in the sense of modern colouring books, not porn.

Does she have kids? If so doing something nice for them might be welcome too.

Lip oil x

I am having chemo at the moment .
Best gifts
Soft socks
Rechargeable hand warmer
Soft hat
GinGin sweets from Holland and Barrett. ( ginger not gin boo ! )
Bluetooth ear things so I can watch a film or listen to a podcast .
Hot chocolate sachets
Reusable cup
Water bottle ( supposed to drink a lot of water )
Power pack ( it’s amazing how fast power can go down over 3 hrs )

My grown up daughters have bought me ( and them ) a half day at an holistic beauty retreat for when I feel up to it ( 2 lots of surgery to follow chemo so we don’t know when )

Some of these might be over budget but thought I would throw them in

I also love my silk pillowcase for my poor sore hairless bonce !

Thanks so much for these everyone - lots of good ideas, and also a few useful tips on what to avoid. I might suggest that a couple of us club together as then we could get her a nice heated blanket, and then I can also send a few smaller presents over the next few weeks - the colouring book (which I know she likes), a power pack, etc.

Check with a prospective spa before you go. We went to one with my friend post-chemo and there were so many things they wouldn’t allow her to do including the jacuzzi and any form of massage. I’m sure there were really sound reasons, but it doesn’t make the person feel as better as you’d hope.

Thanks - that's a good tip, though she's really not a spa person anyway. That's part of the problem - she's really into adventurous, physical stuff, she's a big drinker who loves food and late nights, so it's quite hard to think of things (either gifts or activities) that aren't inappropriate but which aren't going to feel a bit 'generic sick person present'.

Agree with previous posts. Some hand cream, nice snacks, my other friend made some flowers, colouring in book. All makes a nice basket?

My mum's favourite "gift" was when we got together and booked a cleaner, an ironing service and gardener for her.

She was sooooooo knackered for a long while, but still had high standards - made her sit down and boss someone else about!