If you have been in hospital for a serious op what was the best gift you received?

[OhioOhioOhio]

It's for my Dad.
I've bought a small jigsaw, and I have seen some puzzles. Any other good ideas to keep him occupied?

I loved a fuzzy throw, used it as a pillow, shoulder wrap, extra blanket

Crosswords, sudoku

Snacks (if he is allowed them) high fiber variety are often good as being in bed slows down the guts)
Nice drinks to encourage hydration

Bag of lavender - helps getting off to sleep
Ear plugs and eye mask ditto

A fan, it's so bloody hot in hospital.

And a second vote for earplugs.

My best gift was a thermal cup so I could have a decent drink. And being brought good coffee!

Magazines with mostly pictures as it's hard to concentrate as well when you're ill.

A portable DAB radio with earphones. Kept me sane.

I listened to a lot of podcasts on my phone in the same way, too - does your dad have a tablet?

Eye mask and ear plugs for night time. The hospital actually gave me these (I was in for 3 weeks) but bought ones are nicer.

some ketchup and a salt shaker filled with pepper & salt to help hospital food go down.

and a powerbank for the phone.

Privacy.

Fluffy slipper socks. It's so hot in hospital it's nice to sit on top of the covers but your feet get cold when you're sitting around without covers.

Some great ideas. Thank you.

Puzzle books
Reading books
Notepad (I'm an avid list maker)
Pen
Adult colouring books and pens or pencils
Radio / MP3 player and earphones
Nintendo DS or similar
Comfy socks

My SiL was in for a prolonged period following the birth of her DC. I bought her an M&S gift card as there was a foodhall downstairs and a Starbucks voucher for coffee. Maybe not as useful for your Dad, but an idea for others!

Amazon vouchers for my kindle

Amazon Audible membership?

Sketch pad and a set of pencils.

@OhioOhioOhio a Chilly's bottle or a nock of version! Keeps drinks cold for 24 hours 😁 x

I had a beautiful framed picture of my DC to put on my bedside table- always made me smile looking at it even when in pain/sick.

The best thing I ever had given to me in hospital was a pair of pillows. I slept so much better with them.

Honestly, the best gift I received was a short (no longer than 30 minutes) visit. It was lovely to see friends/ family, but I was so tired it was lovely when they went. My most perceptive friends,/family quickly realised when my short amount of energy was depleted.

Food i used to be in hospital for long spells and nice things to snack on were a godsend hospital food is so blah ! You just need something nice to eat and drink

A fluffy Robe with a hood, short, so you can wear in bed. Combined with headphones and a radio or music/phone this blocks out hospital noise and enables rest. I am never able to concentrate on colouring or puzzles when in hospital, think its the drugs! Radio 4, lovely.

My 1st mp3 player loaded with radio shows, such "Just a Minute", "Sorry I Haven't a Clue", books and short stories. Kick started my enduring, 12 year love of audio books ever since. Also, petrol station sandwiches (don't laugh, my partner was no cook) which were a nice salty change after the zero salt hospital food.

My mum had a long surgery a little while ago and for a good few days after struggled to concentrate on anything for too long, didn’t feel like texting anyone.
So maybe something to occupy but that isn’t too taxing on the mind or that can be picked up and put down after short periods. A little word search book?

And some nice little snacks as let’s face it hospital food isn’t the best! So we took up some oranges and some sweets, a decent coffee.

A power bank to charge my phone
Moisturiser - overheated hospital gave me very dry skin
A cold drink every time you visit

Food/snacks
Nice drinks

Best thing of all was text messages from friends

A nice mug and a decent size plastic glass. My adult son is in hospital due to a life long illness and his choices would be a laptop and decent headphones. Those tiny TVs cost a fortune and are barely watchable. He watches dvds and Netflix. We got a mi-fi for portable WiFi at first but the ward sister showed him the free wifi channel the hospital has. He also suggests slip on slippers as it is easier to slip them on to nip to the loo/vending machine and flip flops for the shower as lots of people are using them.