What do you give a dying person?

Question

My friends father is dying from Cancer. We are going to visit him. What kind of present do we bring? It’s a custom to bring something when we or they visit. A bottle of wine/candy/flowers don’t seem to be appropriate. Any ideas?

Answer 1

I think the gift of time is the best thing you can give. If you have photos or something that might remind him of a particularly happy time, bring those.

Answer 2

If you know the person, anything that would cheer them up or lift their spirits. Just your company, conversation and holding a hand can make a difference. They may want a human touch or reminiscing about the past and possibly photos.

Bring them a friend they haven't see in a while. Foods that they can tolerate but love. I have had old co-workers/friends that I have spent time with before they died.Spending the time with them is usually enough. But, giving them something special as listed above is the best along with your touch and visits.

My guess is that many terminal people wonder why everyone left them and don't visit. It is natural that we don't want to be around our eventual end. This is where your spirit can make a difference. When you are present at the moment of death for a friend or loved one, it is a gift from God.

Answer 3

Whatever you bring will just be a customary token, so don't worry too much about what you choose. Your real gift will be your presence, time, and attention. It's an awkward and difficult situation. Just do your best and spend time with your friend's father and his family. It will mean a lot to them. If you want to offer more then ask the family what they may want or need. Maybe bringing them dinner, running an errand...? Blessings to all of you.

Answer 4

first off, im sorry to hear about your dad's friend. We lost someone in our family a couple of years ago to cancer, so I know it's not an easy thing to go through. A material gift may make your friend a little more at ease, but really some true hope for the future will help him build up his faith.

Write these scriptures down and read them with him:

Isaiah 45:18: For this is what Jehovah has said, the Creator of the heavens, He the [true] God, the Former of the earth and the Maker of it, He the One who firmly established it, who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.

Do you think that Jehovah God’s purpose for people to live in an earthly paradise will ever be realized? “I have even spoken it,” God declares, “I shall also do it.” (Isaiah 46:9-11; 55:11) Yes, what God purposes he will surely do! He says that he “did not create [the earth] simply for nothing” but “formed it even to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) What kind of people did God want to live on the earth? And for how long did he want them to live here? The Bible answers: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”—Psalm 37:29; Revelation 21:3, 4.

Those scriptures in Revelation are great and I know are widely used by many faiths, they talk about a time when death and sickness will be no more.

Comfort can come in many forms, Im sorry your family has to go thru this right now.

Answer 5

When my dad was dying of cancer, we just got him anything we thought he may enjoy. A nice dessert, candy, ice cream, etc.

The Father's Day before he died (we knew he only had a few weeks), we still got him silly gifts. After all he was dying, but we certainly wanted life to seem normal for him until he died.

Answer 6

You are over-thinking this one. Everything you mentioned is appropriate for your upcoming visit. Why would you act as though there are "exceptional gifts" for someone who is dying--what else did you have in mind--a contribution to some charity of his choice in his name? He still enjoys everything he did before he was handed this death sentence. If I was on my death bed, I hope my family doesn't forget that I absolutely love Russell Stover's dark chocolates--and for heaven's sake, don't bring me the low carb ones that I presently eat because no one is going to care if I put on a few pounds.

Answer 7

A hug, a kiss on the cheek and a simple, "I love you." is all he needs. If you're not close enough with him to tell him you love him, just a hug, kiss and a smile will do. Why would you bring him a physical gift? He's dying...

Answer 8

Bring a card and write a nice note inside of it something about what he meant to you and what impression he made in your life. Expressing your feelings in person too is a good idea.

Answer 9

My mom in law died shortly after christmas of cancer- My sympathies with you here.

The last gift we gave her was a book I made, taking a whole bunch of family pictures, scanning them and making a book at one of the online book creation sites. It was time consuming, it was not exactly cheap, but to her, it was the BEST gift she had ever gotten - a retrospective of her life.

She showed it to everyone, insisted we order more to give to each member of the family, and insisted that they be available for her wake for guests to view.

We ordered several more post wake, because people loved them and wanted them as a memorial of her.

Answer 10

In each and every 10 seconds, 3 a million/3 human beings are born. In that similar 10 seconds, one human being dies. So 2 a million/3 human beings are born each and every 10 seconds. Tripling each and each and every of those to round numbers 7 human beings are born each and every 30 seconds. therefore, dividing the time between them, it takes 30/7 2d for each of them to be born.