What we've done in recent years is to create a pre-packed travel bag for the patient to take to treatments. The idea is to keep it packed, ready to throw in the car for both expected and unexpected trips, or treatments that are supposed to be a couple hours and turn into a week.
Start with a sturdy but inexpensive duffle bag. Sturdy, because it will get a lot of use, but inexpensive so it can be trashed, guilt-free, when the course of treatment is over.
Then fill it with things that will come in useful during treatments, and fun surprises that the patient (or family/friends) will enjoy. Some of the basics are:
- socks (for chilly feet)
- lap quilt/blanket/afghan (for color and chills)
- flip-flops or shower sandals (for showers)
- hard candies (for treatments that may produce dry mouth)
- chocolate
- non-perishable snacks (e.g., nuts, trail mix, granola bars)
- books (especially anthologies of short stories for short attention spans)
- magazines
- playing cards
- puzzle books
- CDs or DVDs
- subscription to Netflix or an itunes card
- heavy-duty hand cream (e.g., Neutrogena)
- anti-bacterial gels for visitors' hands
- high-quality tissues (softer than the hospital brands)
- notepad
- pens and pencils
- art supplies (e.g., small sketch pad and colored pencils)
- travel-sized toiletries (e.g., toothpaste, shampoo, shaving supplies)
- disposable camera
- something for the patient's family members
- scrapbook or album for collecting cards with good wishes
A somewhat expensive addition, but nice if you can get several people to contribute to the cost, is a digital picture frame, to which you upload as many pictures as you can collect from friends and family.
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