Sometimes, I do nice things

I mentioned the other day that a co-worker's grandson was diagnosed with leukemia. I was able to spend more time talking to her this evening, and decided that I needed to do something for the kid. Originally, my thought was to grab a teddy bear and a coloring book and some crayons, but then I decided that that wasn't enough. That especially wasn't enough when I learned that his parents are staying at the hospital with him, 'round the clock. Their other three (thankfully healthy!) kids are staying with different relatives for the time being, but the parents don't want to leave their sick kiddo alone at the hospital. Which is, of course, entirely understandable.

I learned that the mother is sleeping on a cot - except when the little guy wakes up in the middle of the night crying, and she climbs into the hospital bed with him to console him - and that the father is sleeping on the floor. I started to think about all of the things that they might need, since they are going to be basically living in the hospital for the next three or four weeks (the estimated amount of time that he will be there).

So, here's what I threw together for them:

• stuffed animal
• coloring book
• crayons
• Dr. Suess book
• Yo-Gabba-Gabba DVD about going to the doctor
• two hotwheels cars
• bandanas (cool-looking ones. Eventual hair loss is inevitable)
• granola bars
• animal crackers
• goldfish crackers
• Capri Sun juices
• Pop-Tarts
• Dum-Dums
• toiletries for mom & dad (shampoo, body wash, loofahs, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, ibuprofen, antacids)
• twin-sized air mattress
• set of sheets for the air mattress

 

And then, of course, I had to make it look pretty. So I got a laundry basket (I figured it was more practical - and easier to carry - than the wicker basket I originally planned to buy), some cellophane wrap, and some ribbon - which matched the color of the laundry basket handles quite nicely! My co-worker really seemed to like it! I hope her grandson and his parents can get use out of everything in there! If not, maybe there's someone else there at the hospital who would enjoy some of the stuff!

I only took a picture of it because I thought it looked nice when it was done. My cashier who rung me up was shocked when I told her I had never done this before (as I organized the stuff into the basket to make it look cute. Or at least reasonably cute).