thank you gifts for the nursing/doctor staff?

needhope1
needhope1 Member Posts: 29
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband has approx 2 1/2 weeks of radiation left, and he asked me to ask all you kind folks a question...is it appropriate to give a thank you gift of some kind (like a box of candy) to the staff who have helped him get through this horrible process so much easier?

Just curious what everyone else has done, if anything.

Thanks.

Comments

  • newbride
    newbride Member Posts: 142
    #2
    Absolutely
    These are the people who are helping you get by. By all means recognize them! Definately do something to recognize the entire staff and not single one person out - unless of course there is only one person you consistenly deal with. But if you deal with the scheduling person who always is pleasant and gets you in when you need to and the actual doctor and his assistant and the technicioan, etc then get soemthing they all can enjoy - a box of candy, a platter of cookies, etc. If you don't want to carry something in, I have sent a can of popcorn from the Popcorn Factory as well.
  • ljoy
    ljoy Member Posts: 94
    #3
    Thank you gifts
    I volunteer at our local Cancer Center and the nurses receive gifts constantly. Everything from home baked goodies to flowers and lots of cards and letters. I still send updates to the wonderful staff that treated me four years ago in Texas. So by all means give them a big thank you of your choosing.
  • train-nut
    train-nut Member Posts: 101
    #4
    Gift
    Cookies for the entire department...fresh from the best bakery in town. They really appreciated it and I enjoyed doing a little something special for those who did so much for me. Highly recommended. Best of health to you and yours. Rich
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #5
    Gifts
    During my treatment at Johns Hopkins, we were able to spend weekends at home, where our garden was producing a lot of vegetables that I couldn't eat. We'd bring them to the nurses in the chemo ward. They really appreciated it -- and a couple of them actually had never had a nice home-grown tomato before. It was a real eye-opener for them.
  • pattyanny
    pattyanny Member Posts: 544
    #6
    delnative said:

    Gifts
    During my treatment at Johns Hopkins, we were able to spend weekends at home, where our garden was producing a lot of vegetables that I couldn't eat. We'd bring them to the nurses in the chemo ward. They really appreciated it -- and a couple of them actually had never had a nice home-grown tomato before. It was a real eye-opener for them.

    Gifts for staff
    great idea ! TY! I will make a basket a tomatos peppers, cukes, and jalapenos.
    Starbucks they appreciated also!
  • Jan Trinks
    Jan Trinks Member Posts: 477
    #7
    gifts
    Go for it with gifts!

    My husband was having chemo during Christmas last year and I love to bake. I made all kinds of goodies and took to them. They were so appreciative and told me nobody had ever done this much before. I did go overboard. I made fudge, chex mix; coconut candy. Charlie had a treatment on the Monday before Christmas and we took it in then. Believe me it was worth every penny and the time and effort. They were so good. When he finished his radiation in April, we got that staff a cake from Sam's and they also were very appreciative. So, yes, I think it's fine to do that. Good luck.

    Jan Trinks
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #8
    Jan Trinks said:

    gifts
    Go for it with gifts!

    My husband was having chemo during Christmas last year and I love to bake. I made all kinds of goodies and took to them. They were so appreciative and told me nobody had ever done this much before. I did go overboard. I made fudge, chex mix; coconut candy. Charlie had a treatment on the Monday before Christmas and we took it in then. Believe me it was worth every penny and the time and effort. They were so good. When he finished his radiation in April, we got that staff a cake from Sam's and they also were very appreciative. So, yes, I think it's fine to do that. Good luck.

    Jan Trinks

    Gifts
    I sent a cookie basket to all my surgeons and nurses with their names on the cookies. The cookies were decorated like doctors and nurses, and I thought it was fitting. I would always give lollipops to the nurses in the chemo lab, even well after my treatments were over.
  • naturenaw
    naturenaw Member Posts: 26
    #9
    thank you goodies
    As far as thank yous go, if your hospital or doctor's office has comment cards or some method to input comments, use them and include nice comments about your nurses or any staff that helped brighten your day (like "I especially liked it when they always had a warm blanket ready for me", etc.) Include the names (this was always tough for me since I was so out of it on pain meds I had a hard time remembering names). But if the hospital has an incentive program for the staff, these comment cards can be invaluable for the employee often and can result in awards or raises for them.

    Everytime I have a follow-up appointment I try to bake or drop by the bakery of our local grocery store and bring in cookies or muffins or treats for everyone. I put them in separate small plastic containers and carry a bag of containers and give one to the receptionist, one to the person that drew my blood, one bigger one for the nurses to share, and one big one to bring back to the radiation folks and one for the doctor too. Some times when I've had more time, we even bring one for the hospital parking lot attendant - it's amazing how very much joy you can get from giving others a treat like that. There's also a family waiting room / patient area where food can be left, so I'll bring some for that room too.

    So yes, anytime you want to a thank you gift is appropriate and it doesn't have to be huge or monumental, just saying thanks and that they made a difference in your life is the main point.
  • healingbaskets
    healingbaskets Member Posts: 1
    #10
    naturenaw said:

    thank you goodies
    As far as thank yous go, if your hospital or doctor's office has comment cards or some method to input comments, use them and include nice comments about your nurses or any staff that helped brighten your day (like "I especially liked it when they always had a warm blanket ready for me", etc.) Include the names (this was always tough for me since I was so out of it on pain meds I had a hard time remembering names). But if the hospital has an incentive program for the staff, these comment cards can be invaluable for the employee often and can result in awards or raises for them.

    Everytime I have a follow-up appointment I try to bake or drop by the bakery of our local grocery store and bring in cookies or muffins or treats for everyone. I put them in separate small plastic containers and carry a bag of containers and give one to the receptionist, one to the person that drew my blood, one bigger one for the nurses to share, and one big one to bring back to the radiation folks and one for the doctor too. Some times when I've had more time, we even bring one for the hospital parking lot attendant - it's amazing how very much joy you can get from giving others a treat like that. There's also a family waiting room / patient area where food can be left, so I'll bring some for that room too.

    So yes, anytime you want to a thank you gift is appropriate and it doesn't have to be huge or monumental, just saying thanks and that they made a difference in your life is the main point.

    Unique Sympathy & Well Gifts Baskets
    We have assembled a selection of get well gifts that are perfect for letting people who are sick know that you are thinking about them. Healing Baskets will give you something, whether gifts, words or just the confidence to reach out, so that you can 'touch' and 'connect' with someone when they need it most. Often that's all it takes for someone to begin their healing journey. Check out the idea section if you need inspiration.
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #11
    healingbaskets said:

    Unique Sympathy & Well Gifts Baskets
    We have assembled a selection of get well gifts that are perfect for letting people who are sick know that you are thinking about them. Healing Baskets will give you something, whether gifts, words or just the confidence to reach out, so that you can 'touch' and 'connect' with someone when they need it most. Often that's all it takes for someone to begin their healing journey. Check out the idea section if you need inspiration.

    Fruit Basket
    I gave a huge fruit basket, one to the hospital ward nurses and doctors and one to the cancer centre staff (all in one building).

    They were appreciated (& healthy).

    Scam
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #12
    Scambuster said:

    Fruit Basket
    I gave a huge fruit basket, one to the hospital ward nurses and doctors and one to the cancer centre staff (all in one building).

    They were appreciated (& healthy).

    Scam

    Vegetable Lasagna
    Glenn has already asked if we could make two large pans of my Vegetable Lasagne (a couple weeks from now).
    He likes it and I think he's really missing cooking.

    He'll take it in with some paper plates and plastic ware.
  • j3rey
    j3rey Member Posts: 57
    #13
    Thank you gifts.
    I baked organic wholewheat choc. chip cookies for the whole office :). They presented hubby with a 'graduation certificate' signed by the all the staff.
  • friend of Bill
    friend of Bill Member Posts: 87
    #14
    gifts
    My wife is a very talented floral arranger. We wanted to do something everyone could enjoy and that would last. She made an (artifical) arrangement. We are so happy and honored on our return visits to see it in the window by the patient check-in area where the patients can enjoy also. It is very colorful. The waiting area is not! So it really brightens up the area.

    Vince

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