(no subject)

[rivka]

If you were going to be spending several days in the hospital at the side of your sick toddler, what could someone bring you that would make things easier?

My friend Emily's husband decided to cancel his business trip, so she's at least going to have someone consistent to help, and give her breaks. But she's going to be the one spending nights at the hospital and so forth. Zoe's still very sick - they've given up on the idea that she'll be able to go home before Thursday or Friday at the earliest.

I'm going by to visit tonight. I'm planning to bring coloring books, crayons, and stickers for Zoe, and my electric kettle filled with herbal tea and cocoa packets for Emily. (I suspect that all they'll have on the unit is a coffee pot, and Emily is an observant Mormon.) I'm also going to bring by a light and frivolous novel.

Any other suggestions?

Comments

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

My niece was in the hospital for about a week last December - she was younger than Zoe but was also completely bedbound because of a shunt in her foot, so we had to make sure to keep her amused and sedetary.
Someone should ask if the hospital can bring in a tv with a dvd player - and friends can loan dvds. The 5 inch LCD screened dvd porto-players are at target for about 50 bucks these days, too, if nobody has one to lend. If someone in your circle can lend a video ipod, you can stock it with things like Dora, Little Einsteins and Ruff Ruffman from itunes - and if someone has the cable ot link it to a tv it's even better.

If not, an ipod with kid-friendly songs and audiobooks is great.

A booklight so Emily can read without turning many lights on is good, and it's also useful for walking around the room in the evenings. If there is an on-floor microwave, then popcorn is good too - and those nifty new "brownie in a bowl" things for one that you just add water too.

There are also those little "computers" with 3 inch b&w screens with alphabet/shape/matching games that are easy to play in bed. My daughter loves her Star Wars one, and we have Barbie and Spider Man ones too. And there's a similar thing that's Diego with lots of info about animals.

Make sure she has her phone charger, too.