Care Package For Friend Going Through Hard Time

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• In October, we think pink, and it jogs our memory to get our girls checked, which is great, because mammograms are no fun and sometimes we women need a gentle reminder to take care of ourselves.

  Last month was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and next month will be Lung Cancer Awareness Month–plus a few others.

  Finding the right gift for your friends and family can be tough. It can be even tougher if they\'re undergoing cancer treatment or are caring for someone who is. After all, you may be trying to make the holidays extra special for them during a difficult time.

  But we all know that rotten cancer doesn’t really care what month it is when it decides to go on the attack, and we all have family and friends who are in the fight of their lives every single day.

  Ps2 emulator cheat downhill. PlayStation 2 (PS2) cheats, cheat codes, guides, unlockables, easter eggs, glitches, hints, and more.

  My cousin (almost a sister) Stephanie is a childhood cancer survivor, and most recently a heart transplant recipient, because chemo and radiation are serious business and can attack healthy organs just as easily as they can kill cancer cells. You can read her amazing story {here}.

  My cousin Stephanie’s school picture during chemotherapy

  My precious mother didn’t even have a chance to fight her cancer; she died of a pulmonary embolism less than two weeks after her initial diagnosis (this is her story) and while I still miss her every single day, I trust God’s perfect timing. I know a lot of you have similar stories; you’ve shared them with me on Facebook and by email and I thank you for that.

  And here’s a tidbit you might not have known about me– my background is in oncology and hospice nursing. While I haven’t practiced for a few years (because–I’ll admit–I prefer decorating to nursing:), I spent quite a few years in all stages of the fight against rotten cancer–caring for patients pre and post-operatively, hanging chemo and blood products, getting folks to and from radiation therapy, and dealing with complications. But the things that help get a person through cancer treatment are pretty much the same as they were when I was practicing.

  As I started to jot down a list of cancer and chemo care package ideas based on my nursing experience, I also opened it up to our readers on Facebook. A few of you are cancer survivors, and some of you have taken care of parents or children during their fights. Everyone had great tips to share. Thanks again for being so very candid with me.

  I’m dividing the ideas into categories, some are tangible and some are gifts of service; there might be some overlap (a meal is a tangible item and a gift of service, after all). Some of these ideas work best if you live nearby, but there are also ideas for folks who live on the other side of the world. If there’s a specific reason why I’m recommending something, I’ll mention it because it might help you think of something else to include.

  Also, I’m linking some items (and some of those are affiliate links) but it’s really just because I want you to see an example of certain specific items that I mention.

  Personal Comfort Items:

  (* Indicates a good gift idea for out-of-towners)

  • Warm socks, scarves, or throw blankets–anemia can make you cold.
  • Silk or fleece pillow case(s)–newly bald scalps can be very sensitive.
  • Soft and stylish hats, caps, scarves–for chilly and sensitive heads. These are cute, and there are quite a few shops that sell them on Etsy (this is one of my favorites).
  • Lip balm–chemo and radiation can dry everything out. My favorite (even though it’s a bit expensive) is Aveda Lip Saver.
  • Biotene Mouth Rinse or Dry Mouth Spray–combats dry mouth and keeps things clean in there, but doesn’t irritate sensitive mucous membranes.
  • Aquaphor Healing Ointment–Aquaphor is the best! It’s great for cracked, dry, skin, but it also can be used as a skin barrier to prevent rashes and irritation. Anyone being treated with radiation will appreciate how gentle it is.
  • Lotion–for dry skin. I would stick to unscented brands (like Lubriderm) since strong smells can really irritate chemo patients.
  • Hard candy to combat nausea–in my experience, peppermint, ginger, root beer, and lemon/citrus flavors seem to work best. TummyDrops and Queasy Drops are two brands to try.
  • Anti-Nausea Accupressure Wrist Bands (I linked to one of the big brands, Sea Bands, but there are some darling handmade ones you can find online, too)–these help to manage chemotherapy-induced nausea.
  • Wet wipes and hand sanitzer–Chemo and radiation knock out your immune system and make you more susceptible to infection, so these are a must, but I would avoid strongly scented ones (odorless ones are here).
  • PJs or comfortable loungewear–try to select button-down fronts (instead of pullover) if your friend has had surgery or will be receiving chemo–it just makes things a little easier. (you can find PJs virtually anywhere, but this is one of my favorite brands and they are absolutely gorgeous; they’ll make your friend feel so pampered!)
  • Tea–if they have a favorite kind, include it; if not, peppermint, ginger, and lemon/citrus work best (just like with hard candy).
  • Pretty note cards/stamps/pens–in case they feel like jotting notes to friends and family.
  • *Massage gift certificate (or come and give him/her one if you’re a massage therapist!)
  • * This gift basket contains quite a few of the items I’ve mentioned above (it comes in a cute pink sand bucket), and can be delivered to the hospital or home.
  • *A cozy sweater or robe, the Barefoot Dreams line is both luxurious and incredibly soft and the free shipping makes it easy to send as a gift, they have nice, soft caps as well.

  Toro 3521 snowblower. Like I mentioned above, you should try to avoid anything with a very strong scent as it can disagree with sensitive stomachs. You should also check with your friend before bringing fresh flowers or fruits as a gift in case his or her white blood cell counts are very low.

  Entertainment Items:

  • Sudoku or other puzzle books.
  • *eReader (or eReader gift card if they already have one, so they can buy more books). The reason I like Kindles, Nooks, and the like is that they’re small, they don’t have to be held open if you’re too tired to hold a book, and they can be wiped down to get the germs off. You can also order another book on the spot if you blow through your book before the infusion is finished.
  • A blank notebook or journal–sometimes you want to just make a list or write down questions for the doctor, and sometimes you want to write down deep thoughts. A pretty notebook makes any of those tasks more enjoyable. I love the journals by Kate Spade in the collage I made.
  • A devotion book, Bible, or framed printable (Keep Calm and Fight On) or Bible verse (see one that I made for a friend here), and I have a beautiful free printable of Isaiah 40:31 here . We have an entire collection of bible verses and inspiring quotes about fighting cancer HERE, we can customize a quote or printable options as well.
  • *iTunes/Amazon gift cards–for audiobooks on MP3, ebooks, and music–sometimes you just want to listen because even reading takes too much energy.
  • People Magazine–depending on the person, of course, but I found that for several friends it was the perfect distraction–not too serious and didn’t require much concentration.
  • *DVDs/Netflix subscription–for quiet days on the couch. If they have young children (or the child is the patient), then obviously kids’ DVDs are a great idea, too.

  Gifts of Food and Service:

  • Meals, meals, and meals! No one wants to cook when they’re sick, or caring for a sick family member. There are several online sites that make scheduling meals so easy–we use them all the time with church, school, and our military families. Try Take Them a Meal or Meal Train. You set up the initial instructions (how to get to the house, drop off times, food allergies or things to avoid, etc.) and then invite everyone to sign up. Chemo or radiation week is a great week to have meals delivered. Resources for recipes, printable labels and more are in this post HERE.
  • Grocery delivery: most large supermarket chains offer order online/delivery service for a monthly or annual fee. Give this as a gift that will save time and energy!
  • *Restaurant Gift Cards–this is a great idea for out-of-towners. Send them a gift card to their favorite restaurant for nights when they’re too tired to cook, or maybe want to have a special evening out with the family.
  • Lawn care–My friend Deborah told me that when her son was in treatment, their church family took care of their yard work throughout the spring and summer (Sign Up Genius is a great site for organizing this sort of effort).
  • Child care–when there are young children in the house, they still need to get to and from school and sports activities, and may need someone to watch them while their parents are at doctors’ appointments or in the hospital. Also, just including them in your family’s activities (take them to a movie or ask them to sleep over) can help keep things feeling normal.
  • *House Cleaning–it’s so much easier to relax when your house isn’t chaotic. Spend a few hours tidying, doing laundry, or grocery shopping for a friend so she can rest. Out of town friends could pool resources to hire a housekeeping service.
  • Lunches–Julie and Deborah both mentioned to me on Facebook that preparing (or purchasing) school lunches for the school-age kids (or siblings) is HUGE; I’m not a fan of packing lunch even on a good day, so I can see how this would be true!
  
  • Write notes for them–I mentioned note cards and stamps above, but you could also offer to take dictation from a friend who just isn’t up to writing but has important things to say. 🙂
  • *Gas cards–all the back and forth to appointments and treatments adds up. Another great idea is to take the car to get an oil change when it’s due.

  Do you have any ideas that I missed? I’d love for you to add them in the comments. Also, just a quick reminder that all chronic illnesses are tough–so many of these ideas would work for friends who are fighting illnesses other than cancer.

  A special thank you to Gina G., Jean B., Deborah D., Julie R., Margaret H., Donna W., Gail C., Carolyn E., and Jennifer G. for sharing your experiences and your tips with me on Facebook.

  Keep Calm and Fight On!

  •••••

  Don’t forget to follow along via social media using the black buttons underneath my picture.

  Thanks for stopping by!

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  ...'>Care Package For Friend Going Through Hard Time(14.01.2020)

• In October, we think pink, and it jogs our memory to get our girls checked, which is great, because mammograms are no fun and sometimes we women need a gentle reminder to take care of ourselves.

  Last month was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and next month will be Lung Cancer Awareness Month–plus a few others.

  Finding the right gift for your friends and family can be tough. It can be even tougher if they\'re undergoing cancer treatment or are caring for someone who is. After all, you may be trying to make the holidays extra special for them during a difficult time.

  But we all know that rotten cancer doesn’t really care what month it is when it decides to go on the attack, and we all have family and friends who are in the fight of their lives every single day.

  Ps2 emulator cheat downhill. PlayStation 2 (PS2) cheats, cheat codes, guides, unlockables, easter eggs, glitches, hints, and more.

  My cousin (almost a sister) Stephanie is a childhood cancer survivor, and most recently a heart transplant recipient, because chemo and radiation are serious business and can attack healthy organs just as easily as they can kill cancer cells. You can read her amazing story {here}.

  My cousin Stephanie’s school picture during chemotherapy

  My precious mother didn’t even have a chance to fight her cancer; she died of a pulmonary embolism less than two weeks after her initial diagnosis (this is her story) and while I still miss her every single day, I trust God’s perfect timing. I know a lot of you have similar stories; you’ve shared them with me on Facebook and by email and I thank you for that.

  And here’s a tidbit you might not have known about me– my background is in oncology and hospice nursing. While I haven’t practiced for a few years (because–I’ll admit–I prefer decorating to nursing:), I spent quite a few years in all stages of the fight against rotten cancer–caring for patients pre and post-operatively, hanging chemo and blood products, getting folks to and from radiation therapy, and dealing with complications. But the things that help get a person through cancer treatment are pretty much the same as they were when I was practicing.

  As I started to jot down a list of cancer and chemo care package ideas based on my nursing experience, I also opened it up to our readers on Facebook. A few of you are cancer survivors, and some of you have taken care of parents or children during their fights. Everyone had great tips to share. Thanks again for being so very candid with me.

  I’m dividing the ideas into categories, some are tangible and some are gifts of service; there might be some overlap (a meal is a tangible item and a gift of service, after all). Some of these ideas work best if you live nearby, but there are also ideas for folks who live on the other side of the world. If there’s a specific reason why I’m recommending something, I’ll mention it because it might help you think of something else to include.

  Also, I’m linking some items (and some of those are affiliate links) but it’s really just because I want you to see an example of certain specific items that I mention.

  Personal Comfort Items:

  (* Indicates a good gift idea for out-of-towners)

  • Warm socks, scarves, or throw blankets–anemia can make you cold.
  • Silk or fleece pillow case(s)–newly bald scalps can be very sensitive.
  • Soft and stylish hats, caps, scarves–for chilly and sensitive heads. These are cute, and there are quite a few shops that sell them on Etsy (this is one of my favorites).
  • Lip balm–chemo and radiation can dry everything out. My favorite (even though it’s a bit expensive) is Aveda Lip Saver.
  • Biotene Mouth Rinse or Dry Mouth Spray–combats dry mouth and keeps things clean in there, but doesn’t irritate sensitive mucous membranes.
  • Aquaphor Healing Ointment–Aquaphor is the best! It’s great for cracked, dry, skin, but it also can be used as a skin barrier to prevent rashes and irritation. Anyone being treated with radiation will appreciate how gentle it is.
  • Lotion–for dry skin. I would stick to unscented brands (like Lubriderm) since strong smells can really irritate chemo patients.
  • Hard candy to combat nausea–in my experience, peppermint, ginger, root beer, and lemon/citrus flavors seem to work best. TummyDrops and Queasy Drops are two brands to try.
  • Anti-Nausea Accupressure Wrist Bands (I linked to one of the big brands, Sea Bands, but there are some darling handmade ones you can find online, too)–these help to manage chemotherapy-induced nausea.
  • Wet wipes and hand sanitzer–Chemo and radiation knock out your immune system and make you more susceptible to infection, so these are a must, but I would avoid strongly scented ones (odorless ones are here).
  • PJs or comfortable loungewear–try to select button-down fronts (instead of pullover) if your friend has had surgery or will be receiving chemo–it just makes things a little easier. (you can find PJs virtually anywhere, but this is one of my favorite brands and they are absolutely gorgeous; they’ll make your friend feel so pampered!)
  • Tea–if they have a favorite kind, include it; if not, peppermint, ginger, and lemon/citrus work best (just like with hard candy).
  • Pretty note cards/stamps/pens–in case they feel like jotting notes to friends and family.
  • *Massage gift certificate (or come and give him/her one if you’re a massage therapist!)
  • * This gift basket contains quite a few of the items I’ve mentioned above (it comes in a cute pink sand bucket), and can be delivered to the hospital or home.
  • *A cozy sweater or robe, the Barefoot Dreams line is both luxurious and incredibly soft and the free shipping makes it easy to send as a gift, they have nice, soft caps as well.

  Toro 3521 snowblower. Like I mentioned above, you should try to avoid anything with a very strong scent as it can disagree with sensitive stomachs. You should also check with your friend before bringing fresh flowers or fruits as a gift in case his or her white blood cell counts are very low.

  Entertainment Items:

  • Sudoku or other puzzle books.
  • *eReader (or eReader gift card if they already have one, so they can buy more books). The reason I like Kindles, Nooks, and the like is that they’re small, they don’t have to be held open if you’re too tired to hold a book, and they can be wiped down to get the germs off. You can also order another book on the spot if you blow through your book before the infusion is finished.
  • A blank notebook or journal–sometimes you want to just make a list or write down questions for the doctor, and sometimes you want to write down deep thoughts. A pretty notebook makes any of those tasks more enjoyable. I love the journals by Kate Spade in the collage I made.
  • A devotion book, Bible, or framed printable (Keep Calm and Fight On) or Bible verse (see one that I made for a friend here), and I have a beautiful free printable of Isaiah 40:31 here . We have an entire collection of bible verses and inspiring quotes about fighting cancer HERE, we can customize a quote or printable options as well.
  • *iTunes/Amazon gift cards–for audiobooks on MP3, ebooks, and music–sometimes you just want to listen because even reading takes too much energy.
  • People Magazine–depending on the person, of course, but I found that for several friends it was the perfect distraction–not too serious and didn’t require much concentration.
  • *DVDs/Netflix subscription–for quiet days on the couch. If they have young children (or the child is the patient), then obviously kids’ DVDs are a great idea, too.

  Gifts of Food and Service:

  • Meals, meals, and meals! No one wants to cook when they’re sick, or caring for a sick family member. There are several online sites that make scheduling meals so easy–we use them all the time with church, school, and our military families. Try Take Them a Meal or Meal Train. You set up the initial instructions (how to get to the house, drop off times, food allergies or things to avoid, etc.) and then invite everyone to sign up. Chemo or radiation week is a great week to have meals delivered. Resources for recipes, printable labels and more are in this post HERE.
  • Grocery delivery: most large supermarket chains offer order online/delivery service for a monthly or annual fee. Give this as a gift that will save time and energy!
  • *Restaurant Gift Cards–this is a great idea for out-of-towners. Send them a gift card to their favorite restaurant for nights when they’re too tired to cook, or maybe want to have a special evening out with the family.
  • Lawn care–My friend Deborah told me that when her son was in treatment, their church family took care of their yard work throughout the spring and summer (Sign Up Genius is a great site for organizing this sort of effort).
  • Child care–when there are young children in the house, they still need to get to and from school and sports activities, and may need someone to watch them while their parents are at doctors’ appointments or in the hospital. Also, just including them in your family’s activities (take them to a movie or ask them to sleep over) can help keep things feeling normal.
  • *House Cleaning–it’s so much easier to relax when your house isn’t chaotic. Spend a few hours tidying, doing laundry, or grocery shopping for a friend so she can rest. Out of town friends could pool resources to hire a housekeeping service.
  • Lunches–Julie and Deborah both mentioned to me on Facebook that preparing (or purchasing) school lunches for the school-age kids (or siblings) is HUGE; I’m not a fan of packing lunch even on a good day, so I can see how this would be true!
  
  • Write notes for them–I mentioned note cards and stamps above, but you could also offer to take dictation from a friend who just isn’t up to writing but has important things to say. 🙂
  • *Gas cards–all the back and forth to appointments and treatments adds up. Another great idea is to take the car to get an oil change when it’s due.

  Do you have any ideas that I missed? I’d love for you to add them in the comments. Also, just a quick reminder that all chronic illnesses are tough–so many of these ideas would work for friends who are fighting illnesses other than cancer.

  A special thank you to Gina G., Jean B., Deborah D., Julie R., Margaret H., Donna W., Gail C., Carolyn E., and Jennifer G. for sharing your experiences and your tips with me on Facebook.

  Keep Calm and Fight On!

  •••••

  Don’t forget to follow along via social media using the black buttons underneath my picture.

  Thanks for stopping by!

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  SaveSave

  ...'>Care Package For Friend Going Through Hard Time(14.01.2020)