Hopefully, I will be finishing radiation in the coming month. After I'm done I feel like I want to t

BobsProstate
BobsProstate Member Posts: 56
edited April 2020 in General Cancer
I'm lost as for something to do for them, give them, etc. Ideas? I think a box of chocolates or a dozen donuts just misses the point.

Comments

  • legaljen1969
    legaljen1969 Member Posts: 763
    edited April 2020
    Give something you find appropriate. If you think chocolates or donuts will miss the point, maybe give something that they can continue to enjoy and maybe something they can share with patients in the future. If you want something edible, try an Edible Arrangement (they are expensive though). My supervising attorney gave me the book " I Really Needed This Today" by Hoda Kotb. It has a little quote or a little story every day. I still pick it up as an inspiration each morning to get my day off to a positive start. Maybe it would be something they would enjoy picking up from time to time when they need a little shot of "good feelings." Maybe they could share it with patients in the waiting room.
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited April 2020
    I noticed my infusion center had inspirations artwork on the walls, some with notation, "donated by -------". ( Or, " in memory of"). That might be a good idea to encourage not only the staff but future patients.
  • fusilier
    fusilier Member Posts: 22
    edited April 2020
    In addition to what Bengal and legaljen 1969 said, try and find out the names of everyone you interacted with - nurses, aides, respiratory techs, imaging techs, _everybody._ Write a short note to each of them.

    "Thank You for Everything," should be more than enough.

    Then send them each another note next year; repeat as needed.

    fusilier

    James 2:24
  • legaljen1969
    legaljen1969 Member Posts: 763
    edited April 2020
    @fusilier, I think you are so right about notes of thanks. I have written them to all of my care providers that I can easily identify. Some of the nurses after my surgery got a thank you by shift because I couldn't recall all of their names and no-one wrote them down for me.
    My surgeon's nurse told me that in 10 years of doing this job, no-one has ever written her a thank you note and very few have ever expressed verbal appreciation for what she does. Sometimes we think people KNOW that we appreciate them, but if we don't tell them- maybe they don't know. Even if they do "know," it never hurts to hear it or see it in writing.
    Her daughter is in 8th grade and was supposed to have her first "social" this year. Because of coronavirus concerns and school closures, she missed it. My nurse was telling me how much it broke her daughter's heart. I ordered her daughter a shirt that says "8th grade. The one where they were quarantined." I took it to my appointment yesterday and told her to give it to her daughter. She called me today and said her daughter was so surprised. She couldn't believe someone cared that much about her mom and about her.
    You never know what is going to speak to someone's heart.
  • legaljen1969
    legaljen1969 Member Posts: 763
    edited April 2020
    I am not saying you to need to buy things for family members. This nurse has just been exceptionally wonderful to me and encouraged me to keep smiling throughout this journey even when I was getting bad news at breakneck speed. She always tells me she appreciates my smile because not many people come with a smile. It means a lot.
  • SandiA
    SandiA Member Posts: 14
    edited April 2020
    The morning of my last radiation appointment I went to Panera got some bagels, cream cheese and Assorted pastries. I also had individual cups of fruit and an assortment of juices. I also included a card. Basically wrote on the card how much they all meant to me. They seemed pretty pleased.
  • cllinda
    cllinda Member Posts: 153
    We bought a large bouquet of flowers so the entire staff could enjoy them.
  • Lynne-I-Am
    Lynne-I-Am Member Posts: 89
    My last day of infusion my husband bought in a sheet cake for all to enjoy.
  • smlroger
    smlroger Member Posts: 16
    Well my first response didn't go through so I will shorten and repeat.
    After 35 visits to radiation on my first round I too wanted to do something for the team. After seeing all the "gifts" they received during that time I didn't feel a gift was for me. So, each time I am in the building for chemo, doctor visit or just in the neighborhood, I walk back to the control area and say hello, give a small status updated, ask them how they are doing and then thank each one for their hard work and dedication. During the current virus world this may be a little harder to do.

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