Gift Suggestion for Friend in Germany

[Cypress]

I have a dear friend on social media who is having back problems. She complain for a long time about neck and lower back pain. Lately, it became so severe it forced her to go to the doctor for treatment. I finally hear back she had a surgery and is in recovery for three weeks. She is not at home yet, in Germany she is in rehab center. Also, she lives alone so would need support in recovery. I am not sure what kind of back surgery she had but I am hopeful her pain is being treated and she will recover.

What on earth can I send to cheer her up? I already sent a get well card last week before I heard about the surgery and new treatment she is undergoing. What would a person in this condition appreciate? It has to be small, significant and helpful. It cannot add to troubles but be a little something in relief.

[frugal-one]

A card would be sufficient IMO. You let her know you were thinking of her. I am sure it is appreciated. She does not need stuff to have to lug home.

[Mary B.]

I had a friend who was very ill and essentially immobile in the lead-up to a (fortunately very successful) kidney transplant. A group of his friends from a social media site put together a playlist of music for him to enjoy when he couldn't focus on much else.

Cypress, your friend's situation is quite different, but I wonder if something like this might work? You'd need to set it up in a document with links, and I would think annotations too. A curated play-list of music, or videos, or whatever, could be a thoughtful and entirely clutter-free gift. For me people's choice of music tells a lot about them, too, so it can be a way to deepen a friendship.

[KayLR]

I love the idea of music....or maybe some audiobooks?

[Dhiana]

Puzzle books, adult coloring books, art supplies, etc...

Knitting/crochet/cross stitching, weaving, etc.

Are there any online games you can play together such as Words with Friends, or card games?

[SteveinMN]

I know enough German that, when an exchange student from DW's past got married, we sent them an Amazon Germany gift card (http://www.amazon.de). With one of those your friend could get whatever she wanted/needed. It wasn't very complicated to do it; if you don't know German you might just have to run the pages through an on-line translator or someone who can speak German (school teacher, relative, etc.). But it worked out very well for us.

[Williamsmith]

I am in my 11th week of recovery from a back injury. Is there such a thing as Netflix in Germany? Does she have an iPad? I spent my hours lying in bed with my iPad on a pillow on my stomach watching Netflix movies and documentaries. It took my mind off the pain and it was very convenient to stop and return later to finish. A subscription is reasonable.

[Cypress]

Overuse of computer was one of the sources of her pain. She is at the keyboard way way too much. She was able to send a message but said computer use is off limits now. She is in rehab care. The coloring book sounds pretty good. I'm not sure if she would think that was childish or have an interest. She loves astrology and is a whiz at understanding how all the stars and planets influence people. She also has a fantastic music collection on YouTube already. These are good ideas, it's hard to know what to send. I thought about good old flowers once she gets back home. Too bad I cannot send maid service or a good meal to Germany some how. Her needs may be very practical for a while.

Maybe just another get well card and consistency in good wishes for recovery.