Hey all - a close friends baby was born full term with some very serious medical issues, the gravity of which were not fully understood until birth. I don't want to get into specifics, but things took a bad turn recently and this little one is fighting for his life. There a few states away and I wanted to send my friend and his wife a care package of some sort. I spent a month in the NICU with Lo2 so I understand the things that would have been helpful to me (snacks, wrap sweater, water bottle, magazines) but they all seem so trivial given the seriousness of their situation. I don't know, I'm just at a loss. Anyone have any ideas?
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Trust me, there is nothing that you can do that will make them feel better because all they want is their child to be better. They will feel loved and supported through any loving gesture you perform. I urge you to do something, anything, and include a note, short or long, that explains that you love them and are there for them. It is seriously the most important thing you can do. You can also send texts every once and a while and not expect anything back. Whether they want to talk or not can be very personal and very moment to moment.
On the trivial but useful side, gift cards for food within walking distance can be helpful.
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@Ms.Badger: thank you. I've been so worried about doing/saying the wrong thing, that I haven't been saying much of anything.
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Yeah I would google restaurants and stores next to the hospital and send gift cards for those places and maybe rolls of quarters for vending. Perhaps a nice name sign for the isolette with a picture of mom and dad on it if you think it's going to be an extended stay. Extra long iPhone charger cord (if you know they own one) can also be useful.
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We had a short PICU stay with our daughter at two months - I most appreciated people who were willing to bring food and sit and talk with us, and the portable device charger that didn't need to be plugged into a wall to charge our phones, computers, kindles, etc. Perhaps an Amazon gift card would let them make quick orders of any random items they need, or allow them to get reading materials/videos/music for all the time they'll just be sitting and waiting?
Since you can't be there in person, with whatever you send, I urge you to offer to "be there" virtually for them via quick texts or emails, in which, as @Ms.Badger: says, you tell them they don't have to respond, but also invite them to call/text you whenever they might need to talk.
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