Amazon digital gift card that she can use to rent a movie, buy a book, etc.

Can you do something nice for her family while she's away? They'll let her know you're thinking of her.

Maybe send a card to the hospital but then have a food delivery, or as suggested a gift card , her home.

Some kind of lunch or dinner food delivered to save her from a hospital meal.

When I was visiting a friend in the hospital, someone had given her a trio of remote control battery-operated candles. She enjoyed them, and could operate them from bed. She had them I think on a sill, and it was almost like a little fireplace. The glow was nice and homey.

You would need to know if she can have out sourced foods and what kind. A person having this procedure's immune system is major compromised. I like the idea of a gift card for movies and such. Safe.

She will be in isolation for some time.

Look on etsy. They have some ideas for cancer patients...one a pair of socks and on the bottom is printed "Cancer picked the wrong woman." Another is "Getting back on my feet one step at a time". You might call the hospital and see what these patients can receive. I would imagine anything would have to be sterilized or cleansed in some way.

Send a great card with a list of services that you can help with when she gets home. This advice comes after I had a month between hospital and rehab some 20 months ago. I couldn't use anything in the hospital, but I sure appreciated someone to run errands or to bring dinner after I got home.

I would check with the hospital first. I think they are in a sterile environment for a while and things from the outside may be limited because their immune system has been destroyed to allow the new cells to take over. But if you are allowed, I think the battery candle idea is great. They can be mesmerizing and calming. Make sure they aren't scented (do they make scented battery candles)?

If you are allowed to do the battery-operated candles, I recommend highly the Luminara brand, as they have a moving wick "flame" that is the most realistic of these type candles. They aren't inexpensive, but are wonderful.. I have many and love them for the effect. I believe that a few of this brand does come scented -- do check that and get the plain ones!

I saw the Luminara at Container Store and fell in love! I think they were the candles at a holiday party I went to, so realistic. Do they have remote control? I hope so, that feature was so nice for my friend.

Yes, Luminara do have remote control!

I heartily support the idea of a gift card. To Amazon or to a food delivery service like DoorDash or something similar. Or Instacart for grocery delivery if they operate in your area. I have sent flowers to a hospital before, but I hesitate to send "stuff" that people have to remember to pack up and take home.

Hospitals here don't allow flowers because of allergies, bacterial growth in the water and the risk of spillage or broken glass. I would send a personal handwritten letter rather than a gift.

Yes to a card and a handwritten note. In that note suggest something that you can do for her when she is out of the hospital - such as making meals on a specific night of the week,

taking care of her garden, walking the dog, doing the grocery shopping, taking her for walks when she's ready, driving her to appts. something that works for your schedule and that is something she doesn't have to worry about when she gets home.

When my sister was ill she most appreciated newsy letters. What her friends had been doing, whats new in the neigborhood, that kind of thing. When I stayed at her house, i weeded her garden.

She had plenty of people tomtake care of food but i suppose they liked a break from that, so healthy prepared food that just needs to be rehatec is good.

One of her daughters gave her a crystal hummingbird to hang in the window and she liked that.

A received a tv streaming subscription (Britbox) from a group of good friends when I was in hospital for a few months (longer recovery at home). It really helped pass the time as I couldn't really concentrate enough to read or do much else.

I would love to send you one of my bags for your friend. They are great to hold a chapstick, pen and small pad of paper and a small package of Kleenex.

I looked on your page, but you don't have messages on, so please message me your address on My Page and I will get one out later this week. Color preference?

KathyGinMI

kathyg - that is a great idea.

If she just recently had this stem cell transplant she will be more than tired. She will be profoundly fatigued. My husband just went thru this in feb/mar of this year. We thought we knew what we were in for because his sister in law had a stem cell transplant 7 years ago. We had no idea! It is shockingly horrendous. Tired is one thing, so tired you can't open your eyes is another. She won't even be up to watching tv for awhile. I doubt she would be allowed to received anything at all in the hospital while in a neupogenic state.

She has had her entire immune system wiped out. The common cold can kill her right now because she has No white blood cells. She will be in a sterile environment with masked and gloved drs and nurses and no visitors. She will be on a neupogenic diet for awhile, even after coming home. So many foods that she can't have right now. No hard cheeses. No fresh fruits or vegetables. All meat must be cooked Well Done. Only hard fried eggs, no runny yokes. No deli meats. No leftovers. Once she eats something, that's it. If there's leftovers someone else can eat them or pitch them. Not even if you refrigerate them right away. No alcohol. Everything has to be cleaned and sterilized. The home will need scrubbed from top to bottom. Sheets changed frequently if not daily. And she can't have visitors. Not for a long time. At least til her 100 day ck up. At the 30 day ck up, depending on her white blood cell count, her neutrophil count, and a few others, they may ease up on the neupogenic diet.

Does she have a spouse, kids, family that can clean the house? I would get her alcohol wipes and masks and lysol. (I used straight isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle to spray the air and surfaces coz I can't deal with the other sprays)

Depending on her dr. and hospital once released she will have to get blood work done at least twice a week til her 100 day appt. Maybe you could offer to drive her if needed. You will have to wear gloves and a mask. Maybe stock her up with bottled water (if they are on well water), gatorade, Boost, canned chicken noodle or whatever kind of soup she likes etc. Very important to drink even when she won't feel like eating. Soup is easy to heat up and fix. Crackers, especially saltines, gets something in your stomach so not taking meds on an empty stomach and they help with the nausea.

I am very sorry your neighbor is going thru this. It is hell. It really is. But if it's for multiple myeloma the results are very promising and a high percentage of remission is achieved. That's what we are praying for now. Best of luck to your friend.

Edited to add: She will probably have a lot of meds also. You could pick up her meds for her and

anything she needs at the store. Also, a nice throw, she will be cold if she's on blood thinners. It will have to be washed well first, using vinegar in the wash along with detergent if possible.