4 Gift Ideas for Mesothelioma Patients this Holiday Season

Mesothelioma patients are always searching for non-medical ways to help soothe side effects from treatment. One item that is big on this Christmas list is a hot or cold pack.

One hot & cold pack that is well-known is called Fishbellies. Can you guess the shape of this pack? You guessed it – it’s a fish.

This fun little fish is a hot & cold pack comes in a wide variety of prints and colors. The shape of it makes it easy to drape and wrap around your body.

Fishbellies are made with all natural materials right here in the U.S.A. The goal of this hot & cold pack is to help patients manage their pain. It can also help reduce swelling.

Sometimes mesothelioma treatment can take a lot of time out of patient’s day. For example, a patient may experience hours of chemotherapy.

Giving a friend or loved one a coloring book provides them with an activity to do during their treatment sessions. It can always help them escape and free their mind from thoughts of cancer.

There are a wide variety of coloring books available on the market. You might want to consider books that have subjects that your gift recipient would enjoy. However, there are some coloring books that are made specifically to provide encouragement and affirmations to cancer patients.

Researchers believe that creative outlets can help cancer patients express themselves. In fact, a study in 2015 discovered that coloring may be beneficial to patients.

If you decide to give the gift of a coloring book, don’t forget to pick up some coloring pencils to go along with it.

Face it, we all know how cold a hospital can be, but if you haven’t experienced it, then you honestly can’t even begin to imagine how cancer treatment can affect your body on top of that zero below doctor’s office.

Sometimes a patient may experience being cold or chilled as a result of their treatment. For instance, during radiation treatment, a patient can have a difficult time getting and staying warm.

Socks are a great gift idea because they can help provide warmth and comfort to your loved one. Many patients enjoy warm fuzzy socks. There are also styles that have non slip grips on the bottom, which makes them perfect for wearing around at home.

One company that has a variety of socks to reflect anyone’s personality is the Sock Drawer. From animals to inspirational people, you can find a little bit of everything for anyone.

Having a blanket can provide a patient with comfort through stressful situations, such as surgery and hospital stays. There are many types of blankets that are sold by retailers, like quilts and fleece.

However, perhaps you are someone that is crafty. In this case, you may want to consider making your loved one a throw blanket.

Gifts that are homemade and that come from the heart can be some of the best. Here is a way that you can create your loved one a no-sew blanket. This blanket is also sometimes called a tie blanket.

How to Make a No Sew Blanket

What you will need:

• 
  Scissors
• 
  2 yards of fleece
• 
  4×4 inch piece of cardboard
• 
  1×4 inch piece of cardboard

Steps:

• 1
  
  Lay both pieces of fleece together. Make sure that you have your patterned piece on top and facing you.
• 2
  
  
  Make sure that both pieces of your fleece are the same size. Make any trimming or cutting with scissors that you think is necessary.
• 3
  
  
  Take your 4×4 inch cardboard and at each corner of your fleece cut a square.
• 4
  
  
  With your 1×4 inch cardboard begin cutting strips all the way around your fleece. You may want to cut a few and stop, or you may want to continue cutting all the way around. Make sure that your two pieces of fleece remain together while you are cutting.
• 5
  
  
  Starting at a corner of your fleece begin tying your cut strips together. You will want to double knot them to make sure that your blanket stays secured together.