'Get well' card ettiquette

_ · May 2011

Is it appropriate to send a "get well soon" card to someone who is in a coma? :?

redrock · May 2011

Of course. He/she will see that people thought of him/her at all times. My husband got loads when he was 'out of it' for weeks. He was happy to see them when he was able to.

PARSONSPLACE · May 2011

Sure why not it shows that your thinking of them.

zarocat · May 2011

I think that it would also help out the immediate family as they see that it is not only them who are affected by the situation.
Maybe you can mention something along the lines of YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY WAITING FOR YOU etc., because his/her family will definitely read the card, so the card can impact the now. :idea:

JaneNY · May 2011

Of course - it can always be a card telling the person they are in your thoughts/prayers. It is also for the family of the person, that you send the card.

_ · May 2011

Thanks, y'all! And great idea, Zarocat! I'm just worried that he'll never wake up to see it, or that he'll die before it arrives & it will be hard for the family when they get it too late. But I really do want his family - and him, if he ever wakes up - to know how much he is being thought of.

What about a card for the family? "I'm sorry" is usually proceeded by "for your loss," and that wouldn't be good. Are there cards for the family for things like this?

chime · May 2011

How about a card that is blank on the inside?

A beautiful landscape or seascape?

zarocat · May 2011

_ wrote:

Thanks, y'all! And great idea, Zarocat! I'm just worried that he'll never wake up to see it, or that he'll die before it arrives & it will be hard for the family when they get it too late

Solution to your worry: Get a card that is simple i.e. Thinking of you. Then, instead of using first names, address the envelope to the (last name here) family. At the end of the card, say (his name here), you are in my thoughts. Works if he's dead or alive <-- don't mean to sound brass

Who Princess · May 2011

_ wrote:

What about a card for the family? "I'm sorry" is usually proceeded by "for your loss," and that wouldn't be good. Are there cards for the family for things like this?

I agree, a "Thinking of You" card is always appreciated and works for many kinds of situations. The family needs support too.

When my mother was critically ill several years ago, she received over 150 cards! Even though she couldn't read them until she got better weeks later, she was very moved that so many people cared about her. We were too.

_ · May 2011

Thank you!! Duh... I forgot there are cards that just say "thinking of you". I don't send a lot of cards. :oops:

zarocat · May 2011

_ wrote:

Thank you!! Duh... I forgot there are cards that just say "thinking of you". I don't send a lot of cards. :oops:

I just thought of this moments ago while I was on a walk ---> If you love this person, keep it simple as you address the 'thinking of you' with the last name coming beforehand, and then before you sign your name, put I love you ______ (Just the first name) of the person in the coma. That works regardless if the person is alive or not because it's just a statement of affection.

Cheers man. And I'm sorry for your conundrum.

_ · May 2011

zarocat wrote:

_ wrote:

Thank you!! Duh... I forgot there are cards that just say "thinking of you". I don't send a lot of cards. :oops:

I just thought of this moments ago while I was on a walk ---> If you love this person, keep it simple as you address the 'thinking of you' with the last name coming beforehand, and then before you sign your name, put I love you ______ (Just the first name) of the person in the coma. That works regardless if the person is alive or not because it's just a statement of affection.

Cheers man. And I'm sorry for your conundrum.

Yeah, smart thinking. My main problem is that I don't really love the guy; I've never even met the guy or any of his family (though I am his Facebook friend, for what it's worth

). He is the fiancé of my cousin, who I'm really close to, but who lives across the country. Last time I was there, I just missed getting to meet him. But I care a lot about him because my cousin loves him, and he has become part of our family (most of the rest of our family live out there too). He moved here from Ireland to be with my cousin. They're only in their 20s, but on Monday he suddenly suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm & has been in a coma ever since. His family has flown out from Ireland & everyone's just waiting to see if he'll wake up. The prognosis doesn't look good, and my cousin is devastated. :(

zarocat · May 2011

_ wrote:

zarocat wrote:

_ wrote:

Thank you!! Duh... I forgot there are cards that just say "thinking of you". I don't send a lot of cards. :oops:

I just thought of this moments ago while I was on a walk ---> If you love this person, keep it simple as you address the 'thinking of you' with the last name coming beforehand, and then before you sign your name, put I love you ______ (Just the first name) of the person in the coma. That works regardless if the person is alive or not because it's just a statement of affection.

Cheers man. And I'm sorry for your conundrum.

Yeah, smart thinking. My main problem is that I don't really love the guy; I've never even met the guy or any of his family (though I am his Facebook friend, for what it's worth ). He is the fiancé of my cousin, who I'm really close to, but who lives across the country. Last time I was there, I just missed getting to meet him. But I care a lot about him because my cousin loves him, and he has become part of our family (most of the rest of our family live out there too). He moved here from Ireland to be with my cousin. They're only in their 20s, but on Monday he suddenly suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm & has been in a coma ever since. His family has flown out from Ireland & everyone's just waiting to see if he'll wake up. The prognosis doesn't look good, and my cousin is devastated. :(

That's fucked up.

Um, just replace the 'I' with 'We', love you. That is, in my opinion, definitely the way to go.

Waiting to see if he'll wake up ? Wow. That is a tough go.

My thoughts go out to you and your family.

_ · May 2011

zarocat wrote:

_ wrote:

Yeah, smart thinking. My main problem is that I don't really love the guy; I've never even met the guy or any of his family (though I am his Facebook friend, for what it's worth ). He is the fiancé of my cousin, who I'm really close to, but who lives across the country. Last time I was there, I just missed getting to meet him. But I care a lot about him because my cousin loves him, and he has become part of our family (most of the rest of our family live out there too). He moved here from Ireland to be with my cousin. They're only in their 20s, but on Monday he suddenly suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm & has been in a coma ever since. His family has flown out from Ireland & everyone's just waiting to see if he'll wake up. The prognosis doesn't look good, and my cousin is devastated. :(

That's fucked up.

Um, just replace the 'I' with 'We', love you. That is, in my opinion, definitely the way to go.

Waiting to see if he'll wake up ? Wow. That is a tough go.

My thoughts go out to you and your family.

Thanks. And you should totally write an etiquette advice column.

'Get well' card ettiquette

Comments