My bestie broke both of his arms and wrists two days ago. He’s in his 20s, a gamer, has a pregnant wife and a young kid. Any ideas for gifts I can get to cheer him up? He’ll have no use of his arms for 3 months.

Already got a bidet for him and hooked it up. Looking into accessible gaming controllers, but he said that the pain is so bad rn that even alternative controllers are probably a no go.

  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I’d say audio books, but you can get them the Libby app and a library card and they’ll have tens of thousands available for free.

    • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz
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      2 months ago

      The catch with Libby is that usually all the good books have hold times. This isn’t an issue when you’ve been using Libby for awhile, you put a bunch of books on hold and you reach a point where you always have something available. But it can take weeks/months as a new user to get to that point where you are constantly having waitlisted books coming available.

      • bamboo@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        2 months ago

        wait they make those?? I bet the suction cups don’t hold up. do you have a link, I think I’ll need to test this for myself, for science.

  • Mister Neon@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    So depending on how much hand dexterity he has left with the broken wrists I suggest a back scratcher and one of those reacher grabber arms.

  • dohpaz42@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Gag gift. Since he broke both arms, and wrists, he hopefully can still hold something lightweight.

  • Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de
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    2 months ago

    Cleaning service, any house services really, freezer meals, or other little to no prep foods, offer to play with their kid from time to time, help them relieve stress by unburdening them (by taking on chores), instead of providing an escape (video games)

    • Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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      2 months ago

      I hadn’t even considered cleaning services or meal kits. Those are a fantastic idea! I’ll reach out to his wife and get her input.

      • bradorsomething@ttrpg.network
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        2 months ago

        I’m constantly overwhelmed with no broken arms, and just 1 day a week for someone to come in and “reset the mess” is incredible. You should probably talk with his wife and have the “this person is giving you time to do things that prioritize your family” talk, because some people can feel cleaning service is admitting failure in keeping up their home. (Also her talking with the kid about not treating this as an excuse to be messy isn’t bad either)

    • Empricorn@feddit.nl
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      2 months ago

      That’s a bit of a biased opinion on video games, huh? Maybe some, but certainly not every game and definitely not every gamer is about escapism. Some people destress and chill out with games because they have other responsibilities like kids, work, etc…

      • Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de
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        2 months ago

        I’m in complete agreement, but with two broken arms, they aren’t going to be helping much with house chores (depending on how much mobility they actually have), and having those things done will actually allow for downtime.

        Game thought: DDR?

        • TheRealKuni@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Game thought: DDR?

          I feel like there’s a good chance you’d lose your balance with both arms in casts. Maybe not though. It’s a good suggestion!

    • dohpaz42@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Every hobby can be considered an escape. But that doesn’t make it bad. Even dads and husbands need “me time” for themselves. So don’t tax his gag so hard-core cruster.

      • Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de
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        2 months ago

        I get this, I’m a dad, and I know that me time is wonderful, but I also know that if the house is in rough shape because I can’t do anything even if I wanted, that me time becomes an escape instead of a wind down, and the stress returns the moment the screen is off. Help with the house makes it so the relief lasts longer.

      • krellor@fedia.io
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        2 months ago

        LMAO, I know it’s auto correct typos, but:

        So don’t tax his gag so hard-core cruster.

        Is excellent gibberish.

    • Dr. Bob@lemmy.ca
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      2 months ago

      help them relieve stress by unburdening them…

      Uhhhh what are you suggesting here exactly?

  • Wugmeister@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    2 months ago

    The Powerglove!

    In all seriousness, if you want to be helpful the best thing you can do is spend some time with him in person. He can tell you what he needs, and you can show him you care. If I got seriously crippled like this I probably would start thinking that none of my friends will make time for me because I have become a burden. Prove that nasty self-talk wrong!

  • jet@hackertalks.com
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    2 months ago

    An Alexa or Google voice activated assistant (and setting it up for them), so they can watch movies, play music, etc.

    3 months of netflix, prime, audiobook membership, etc

    Tobii eye-tracker for gaming/mouse movements, foot pedal buttons

    Foot dexterity toys, balls, rocks - so they can get better using their feet and toes.

    A ebook with voice activation


    Gag gifts

    Sign up for you friend to get visited by the mormons or the 7th day adventists (I mean, he has to fill his days doing something, right?)

    Cattle scratcher post

    fleshlight mounted on a pole

  • someguy3@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Can I ask how that happened?

    I think what he and his family needs is help with chores, How well you can help with that depends on how far away you are.

    • Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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      2 months ago

      He locked himself out of his house and crawled up on his roof to try to get in a window, but all of the windows were locked. He tried to get back down and the ladder toppled. He fell 12 ft and had curled into a ball to protect his head and torso, but his arms were shattered. He’s lucky he got away without a concussion or broken ribs.

      • jet@hackertalks.com
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        2 months ago

        Thanks to stories like this - If I lock myself out of the house, I’m going to break a window before I climb onto the roof!

      • seathru@lemmy.sdf.org
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        2 months ago

        Then you should absolutely add one of those rock hide-a-key things to your list just for a laugh.

  • saltesc@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I’ve broken a lot of bones.

    Get him stuff that helps the family so he doesn’t feel useless and guilty. That’s number 1. It’s awful to feel like a burden to everyone, and that doesn’t go away no matter what is said to you.

    Second, stretch bands to put around limbs and pull. It feels amazing. You don’t realise how little you move and how little muscle you use while subconsciously “nursing” a broken bone.

    Something insanely complex that involves both arms to use or solve. It’s just funny as shit. But also, I swear I recover faster.

      • saltesc@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Haha. I think my bone density is fine, I just ask a lot more of them than normal…

        Bones: “This could break us.”

        Brain: “Yeah, “could” but won’t. I got you.”

        collective being does a thing that will be amazing or moronic depending on outcome in the next few seconds

  • 10_0@lemmy.ml
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    2 months ago

    Chessboard, bro can play a tournament by calling his move and having his opponent move his piece. Queen to e7, checkmate, and his opponent has no choice but to move his piece!

  • Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    2 months ago

    A life alert button as a joke

    Maybe 1-2 USB foot pedals? There’s gotta be at least some games that only really require two buttons (assuming PC), all I can think of is OSU! off the top of my head

    • TriflingToad@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      osu requires aiming lol, “A Dance Of Fire And Ice” only requires 1 button but a lot of precision.
      Anyways, one of these fighter game pads would be better:

      But they still might be able to hold a controller depending on how bad it is