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jojoco_gw

Need some ideas for a get-well-soon package

jojoco
4 years ago

An extended family member on my husband's side is recovering from foot surgery. She will be in a cast (several, actually,) for the next eight weeks. No walking, no driving. I've only recently met her and I like her tremendously. She has a bubbly personality, is chic and is very kind. I'd like to send her a package of things to make her smile and help pass the time. I'm not looking to send a package from some gift company--I'd rather assemble it myself.

So what do you think? I'm starting with nail polish and a good book (The Dutch House), some cookies, maybe a windowsill garden kit (or is that dumb?)... She physically resembles Cameron Diaz if that makes any difference in colors, etc.

She lives down south. I know she likes to read but I don't know about other hobbies, etc.

Thoughts?

Thanks for your help.

Jo

Comments (20)

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I was thinking of silliness like My Left Foot and similar titles, fruit by the foot, footlongs. But that's not very chic, tee hee.

    But anyway, foot cookies of course! Love the flipflop ones. I would get more than one book unless you really know her taste. I'm also a big fan of those lovely adult coloring books ... i know few people who can resist them. Maybe a pretty throw?


    jojoco thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • Olychick
    4 years ago

    One of these might be fun...they are tedious and satisfying when you can't move around much...we have the cat one and it's really fun for cat lovers, but the bird one and the art masters look great, too:



    There are other selections, too.

    jojoco thanked Olychick
  • mtnrdredux_gw
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I know these are tacky but I always gravitate toward them at Home Goods. If I were laid up I might like having one. It sort of tongue-in-chic to me.


    ETA - Amusing myself now.


    A game of tic-tac-toe


    I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can

    by Barbara Gordon


    The Hundred-Foot Journey

    by Richard C. Morais


    Yoga Tantra: Paths to Magical Feats

    by Dalai Lama

    jojoco thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • maddielee
    4 years ago

    Every time I go to check on a friend who recently had surgery she is sitting, playing with a slinky. The metal full size kind.


    She says the sound and rhythm is soothing to her.

    jojoco thanked maddielee
  • grammaj_gw
    4 years ago

    I think the adult coloring books that were mentioned and the colored pens to go with are a great idea. Another possibility might be a jigsaw puzzle. My family just got back into doing those and they are they are a great way to pass the time.

    jojoco thanked grammaj_gw
  • rubyclaire
    4 years ago

    I know you don't know much about her hobbies, but if she doesn't knit it might be fun to learn. A book and some supplies would be a great addition to your gift package.

    Also, maybe not in the budget but I love the idea of a gift of a master class. Lots of interesting subjects!


    MasterClass

    Love the cookie ideas and one can always use a cozy new throw!

    jojoco thanked rubyclaire
  • bpath
    4 years ago

    A friend I was visiting in the hospital was happy to show me a gift she’d gotten: three remote-control battery-operated pillar candles! She could turn them on and off from her bedside chair, and the added some easy ambience to her room. Your friend is home, but these are still cute and she wouldn't have to get up.

    jojoco thanked bpath
  • jojoco
    Original Author
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Thanks for the ideas. I am impatient so I just placed an order. I bought her a drinking animals coloring book with drink recipes, coloring pencils, and a flower windowsill starter set. I will pick up a slinky and a bottle of OPI nail polish tomorrow. I’ll throw in the newest people magazine, a copy of Dutch house that I just finished with a note in it, and some cookies. I think that’s plenty. Thank you again everyone.

    I just saw the candle idea. That’s a good one too!

  • Fun2BHere
    4 years ago

    I'll add one more thing that was so helpful after my mother's surgery...a 10-foot long charging cable for whatever device she uses. When you can't move around, you tend to use up the battery life on your device quickly and those short charging cables are so inconvenient to reach from a wall outlet to a chair.

    jojoco thanked Fun2BHere
  • Sueb20
    4 years ago

    Love the drinking animals coloring book! When my 18 yo DD had Achilles surgery a couple months ago, she received a “swear words” coloring book in the mail. She had no idea who sent it to her (and still doesn’t) but we were all amused.

    jojoco thanked Sueb20
  • Annie Deighnaugh
    4 years ago

    Do her the major favor of suggesting a knee roller if she hasn't got one. I learned about it here and it was radically life changing when I had my broken ankle...I was so much more mobile and it was so much easier to deal with than crutches. I was even trucking around the mall with it. Hard for me to believe that was 6 yrs ago already.

    jojoco thanked Annie Deighnaugh
  • salonva
    4 years ago

    Great ideas! I am particularly in awe of the paint by stickers Off to google!

    jojoco thanked salonva
  • Annie Deighnaugh
    4 years ago

    Also wanted to mention that we have a gift shop that has a lot of local made products like salsas and jams and honey and such. One of the things they have is a locally made hand lotion that's all natural ingredients, smells wonderfully of lemon grass and works so beautifully. I think hand lotions are so wonderful, esp in the winter, when you're laid up...just a touch of spa feeling. I'm sure you can find something like that in your area as well...and so many luscious things in the longwood gift shop!

    jojoco thanked Annie Deighnaugh
  • bbstx
    4 years ago

    A subscription to the electronic New York Times Crossword Puzzle. When we were trying to fatten up my BIL after his chemo, I had Nothing Bundt Cakes deliver a sampler of mini-bundts to his house. He is a choco-holic and the cakes were appealing to him.


    This group is so clever! The toe-puppet made me laugh.

    jojoco thanked bbstx
  • hhireno
    4 years ago

    Fun2bhere, the long charger is such a great idea!


    jojoco thanked hhireno
  • mtnrdredux_gw
    4 years ago

    oh phooey and i worked so hard on my list


    Jojo, I'm sure she will love getting a surprise gift!

    jojoco thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • Yayagal
    4 years ago

    I always bring a complete manicure set and ask if she would allow me to do her nails. Been doing this for years and not one person has ever said no. lol

    jojoco thanked Yayagal
  • jojoco
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    The package is going out today. I was waiting on amazon for the window sill flower garden kit and the coloring book with drink recipes. Well, the garden kit was sort of, kind of delivered yesterday. It was delivered to the side of my house in a secure spot (long driveway, not visible from street) and I picked it up within 20 minutes of its arrival. But the envelope was empty! It was easy to open the envelope and close it up again. Amazon refunded the purchase price. Under "tracking" I see that it was sent by "Amazon deliveries." I wonder where it was pinched? I imagine the driver might have wondered why it was so light, but people order decals, stickers, photos, etc that weigh almost nothing. Worth noting, though, the envelope weight said .4 lbs. I don't think it was a porch pirate thing as it wasn't visible from the road and I would think most thieves would take the whole envelope and not spend the time carefully opening it and removing the contents.


    The coloring book was delivered via USPS and arrived with my mail.


  • just_terrilynn
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I know you have the gift ready but I was just thinking... wouldn’t it be neat if one could buy a tray like this but with a strap? Sort of like a vender tray setup only more shallow. I could have used something like this when I broke my toe. One of the cup holders for a drink, the other two or three for colored pens or a cup of snacks. The tray could be used for eating, reading, crafts or coloring. I think I’d need the straps to hold it in place.



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