To ask what should be in a chemo care package?

[ChemoCare]

FIL, 72, has been diagnosed with cancer and starts chemo soon. He has never been seriously ill before and this looks to be stage 4 so it's devastating for everyone.

I would like to send him a little care package. I've looked at the ones online but none of them look like something a 72 year old, practical man would like.

I know it's not an AIBU but can anyone give me any pointers? I'm considering a neck pillow?

I actually get really hot when I'm having chemo. One of my infusions makes me feel very sick when I'm having it, so DH got me a little rechargeable fan - it really helps me. Once I'm cooler I feel less nauseous.

Also...
New waterbottle
Long phone charger
Kindle
Boiled sweets
Moisteriser

I also got new slipper, pj's & dressing gown to keep in my hospital bag as I was advised to always have one packed incase I needed to stay in hospital. (2 years later & on 3rd line chemo & I've only taken the bag once, but didn't use it as it was Christmas Eve & they eventually let me go home with oral meds after 1 infusion.)

I always forget my charger so one permanently in his little bag?

don’t waste your money on those cancer care sites look what’s in the boxes and do your own for half the price.

ps a bag of boiled sweets lasts me months so don’t go mad.

I gave a friend a heated throw, which she appreciated as she said she got cold easily.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions! Totally appreciate looking after his partner too. At the moment I'm messaging her every few days to check specifically how she is. She always ignores that and tells me how HE is. They live a few hours away so offering to clean isn't doable. They are very hard to care for - without too much detail this is a fairly new relationship and that makes it much harder.

I'm going to possibly pop some of the more common/practical ideas in a little bag with a little note saying why they might be needed and send them. He may not appreciate it at all but both of them are very much NOT giving away anything that will worry us. It's frustrating but their right.

Perhaps I should just leave well alone for now. So difficult to know what to do.

When i had chemo i found that salty snacks really helped. I used to suck twiglets.

My work colleagues have me a lovely care package, but there were several things in there I definitely did not want! Ginger cookies, and lemon and ginger tea. I know the reasoning behind that, ginger is meant to be brilliant for helping with nausea, I just don't like it. Teatree body wash - it brought me out in a really itchy rash! Some highly scented hand cream - I couldn't have anything highly scented around me, it made me feel sick. A mindfulness notebook - with headings for things like 'what has made me feel good today'.

Things I liked, unscented handcream/body lotion. A water spray bottle, like hairdressers use, for when I got hot. Some delicious shortbread fingers. Butter mintoes - just what I fancied to suck when my mouth was dry or had a nasty taste. A really nice lined, but blank, notebook so that I could write down my feelings, or just things I wanted to remember to ask, with an elastic loop for a pen. Nice, respectable, and comfortable pyjamas. Some nice flannels for when I wanted to wash but didn't feel well enough for a bath or a shower. Some good, and unscented, wet wipes for the same reason. Unflavoured toothpaste for when I couldn't face peppermint toothpaste.
I was extremely ill after my chemo and the only food I fancied was chocolate horlicks, made with milk, sour cream and onion pringles, and full fat coca cola. Not the best diet but I couldn't face anything else.

@rollercoastersarenotfun The cards from your in-laws sound so thoughtful.