Happy Friday everyone! Hope everyone is well?
You may have seen on our Facebook page, Samantha, has very kindly shared 20 tips for on what people can do to help, if they know someone affected by Blood Cancer.
Feel free to have a look here:
https://www.facebook.com/bloodwise.uk/posts/10158138271773243?tn=K-R
Do you have similar tips to Samantha? or anything else you would add?
Do share! 
Su
Making sure there is plenty of credit on their phone. Arrange to pay for the use of TV if they are in hospital for a while…Netflix gift card. Also helping to pay parking charges for hospital visits, which can soon mount up
Hi Sam, I have been thinking since reading your post yesterday and I am really struggling to come up with any other handy hints. Actually I just went to a kitchen cupboard and this prompted my memory and when I was ill the bestest present I ever had was a posh jar of hot chocolate, I can remember it as if it were yesterday. Secondly, prompted by @Pisces56 was the offer to charge up my phone and other items, when it is all too much, that was wonderful. When I read your post it really came over that it is not about financial value, it is the thought behind it, I know I am of a different generation to you, but I love receiving cards. I also have a crazy best buddy and she would send me a little box with different little envelopes in each labelled with things like ’ to have before you go to sleep’ and filled with hot chocolate and baby marshmallows, ‘you are my star’ and filled with sparkly stars and ‘for when you are feeling angry’ and a little cross word puzzle inside. As you say smiling and laughter is the best medicine. xxxx
Oh, forgot some PJs. Far more practical when snoozing on top of your blanket in hospital as nighties ride up and reveal a little too much. Also I have seen some mini beanbags for leaning tablets, phones and books on. Must get myself one sometime
All of the above, plus a V-pillow, with a couple of extra pillowcases. You can use it to support you when sitting up, laying down, under your legs, under your lumbar, in numerous ways when you just can’t get comfortable.
A pack of playing cards. I played patience & we played crib. Dominoes. Puzzle books. Magazines. Things you can pick up & put down, that don’t take too much concentration because that’s short.
I had an assorted pack of flavoured teabags. You never know what’s going to taste good, depending on how you feel at that mo.
@Corfu80 I could not live without my v pillows 
One of the nicest things was when a friend took me shopping. I was in a wheelchair at the time but wanted to buy my husband some Christmas presents. Another friend came round and helped me wrap up presents too. If you’ve seen earlier posts you will realise Christmas is very important to me. This was back in 2006 and I was less into internet shopping then. Another friend also took me shopping which was great,
Yes, Joan, what lovely thoughtful friends you have. As I said above what means so much to me is the thought behind the gesture. Good friends are priceless. Aren’t we lucky.
I think from my experience just being company for them. I’ve found people less willing to socialise with me because they feel awkward when all I really want is to be treated the same way as before.
@Franko, I was and am lucky as I have a good group of friends who tried to include me in as many social things as possible, arranging lifts and pickiing quiet venues for coffee. When we go for weekends away I have always had the room on the ground floor. Being women in our 50s and 60s we have had various health challenges between us, so I think we are probably all more aware…
Hi @Franko, I agree with everything you say, but I think in my case people also made assumptions like ‘Oh, she won’t be well enough to do that’ or ‘she won’t want to do that’ etc. instead of actually communicating with me and asking me. To be honest I think I was rubbish at communicating as well. It was interesting as I could do some things and not others and perhaps that was confusing to others. An example is in most cases I would like to know I could leave early and get myself home.