If any of you remember, my friend is battling leukemia for the second time, I want to get him something for christmas, but not sure what is most useful in the hospital. He has a nice laptop, but its not working properly, I'm probably going to leave him mine and try to get his fixed. Aside from that, what is good to have in the hospital?

Not sure you want to spend this much, but handheld systems are great, like gameboys, PSPs, a DS or something.

Well, I have those I could let him borrow. He really only plays computer games, he even has an xbox360 he never plays at home.

Maybe figure out what kind of games he likes, and arrange to have that Xbox360 brought to the hospital. Is he going to be there for an extended stay? They most likely would find someway to hook it up. I know having a X360 in there (regardless of if I played it at home) would be a lifesaver.

Well he has his laptop, and he uses steam, but the hospital's network wont allow it to connect... that alone would save him if anyone thinks they could help with that?

Tell him to ask the nursing staff. They sometimes have special internet hookups for patients to use. They're the only ones that could really help though, unless you want to cough up big cash to get cellular wireless which may or may not work (and will probably annoy them).

That said, just about anything entertainment is good. It gets incredibly boring when you have an extended stay there. Also, I don't know how wore out he is, but when I was in the hospital, gaming wasn't really the best choice for entertainment all the time for me. Even that would wear me out. I found the best way to pass time was to watch stuff like MST3K. Something that's consistently funny, kills a lot of time, and doesn't require too much energy.

There's also the other usual choices, like cards, music, etc.

When my brother was hospitalized 5 years ago, we brought him an iPod (they were still new and cool at the time), a portable DVD player anda box of movies we had, and brought him his Gameboy. We also bought him some of those "cloth posters" to pin to his wall and curtain.

We also got him a babelfish so he could watch the Korean and Spanish channels >.>

Yeah laptop. I was basically on the internet all day every day. Laptop can also double as infinite TV due to Hulu, Youtube, etc. The hospital SHOULD have wifi access. DS was also good as I blew through an entire Final Fantasy game.

He's hard to buy games for, as he only likes games that 'could be real' as he puts it. Like COD, MOH, BF1942 ect ect... He likes the sims, rollercoaster tycoon, company of heroes he liked.

I agree with CM, games can be really tasking in the hospital. They take the kind of energy that you have none of, especially if he's there for a long period of time. I am 100% on board with the things that take up a long period of time, you don't miss anything if you nod off, and you can watch a million of. A season of a show he might like would be a better gift than he probably knows. I remember finding it easy to completely forget about pain when a good movie was on at the hospital [and I think I just realized that's why I feel the need to watch movies nightly before I sleep.]

Books are a better idea than you might think, although he could be personally offended. I found it easy to get bored because I did everything already, and a book may seem like the least interesting thing until he's bored out of his mind.

Good Idea Edit: Netflix. Get him Netflix and show him hulu and he can stream at least SOMETHING. Buy him a month and if he likes it he can pay for it himself, or you could get him more time for his birthday/christmas. I'm sure he could even have the films delivered to his room. In fact, hospitals should sign a deal with netflix, that seems so obvious.

Should totally get him all of Arrested Development!

Lending him your laptop is excellent. Books, maybe some movies with accompanying rifftrax. But seriously? If you know his taste in books, you should definitely get some for him.

And, like someone else said, a season or 2 of a tv show.

Knowing the state of some hospital food, food would be excellent if you know what he can and can't have. Otherwise don't. When I was in the hospital after I'd been diagnosed with diabetes, my classmates all got me get well soon cards with chocolate and candy. -_- The thought was nice, but it was torture. (of course, now I can eat all the chocolate and candy I want and does anyone get me any? no. :P)

Wish him the best from us!

I wonder how many pervy Massassians will send Sugarless candy.

Wasn't Steven selling her address?

Massassians should know I enjoy combinations of chocolate and peanut butter.

Steven (and anyone else who knows my address) should know I will break his kneecaps if he gives out or sells that information.

TV shows! Keep an eye on slickdeals and you can find great prices on entire shows. All 9 seasons of Seinfield are at Amazon for $84.99 now. Maybe get a few people to pitch in, keep an eye out, and you just might come across something he really likes.

I would think books, TV shows and movies are probably best as people have said. Maybe one of those Amazon Kindle things? I don't even really know what they do but it might be nice.

those are about $250-$300 and they store books and allow you to buy a book from the device no matter where you are. Cool device, but I don't know if you're willing to drop that much money when the guy would still have to buy any book he wanted to read on it.

Food (Unless leukemia effects appetite)

Hospital food blows.

Give him credit with a food delivery joint or something.

Over the years, I've probably spent about 2, 3 months total in a hospital bed. The food is horrid.

A marijuana source for the chemo.

Chemo can affect appetite and also cause nausea

You have the hardest ****ing time forcing yourself to take in enough nourishment day to day ... all the foods that you normally would enjoy eating (burgers, fries, pizza, unhealthy stuff) suddenly becomes extremely nauseating

that's what the weed is for

I'm not even kidding, it's astonishing the effects it has on people that take it during chemo. It's like you aren't even sick at all.

The last time I was in the hospital I was on 600mg Percocets every few hours. It didn't matter what was going on it was entertaining. I watched a movie double feature on TNT that was The Rundown and Walking Tall. I was thoroughly entertained.

Not all hospitals are the same, keep in mind.

Our local children's hospital started a whole new food program about 10 years ago. You could order a huge variety of things off of a menu (as long as it was blacklisted by the doc). Eggs, sausage, donuts, cereal, turkey sandwich, burgers, fries, pizza, chili, salads, spaghetti & meatsauce, ice cream, yogurt, cookies, and a heck of a lot more that I can't remember.

Of course, before that, it was the usual prepared meal of spinach + whatever crap they found on the road.

Children's hospitals over the last several years have adopted more kid friendly menus. Hospitalized adults have a tendency to just eat the crap food because they know they need it. They'll ***** about it, sure, but they'll still eat it. Kids, on the other hand, will refuse to eat food if they don't like it. Hence, children's hospitals generally have pretty rockin' food.

DVDs IMO

Good to hear that kids hospitals got the idea.
Cuz 16 years ago they sucked.