No Flowers, Please – Most Hospital Patients Don’t Want Them

As crazy as it might sound, I recently spent quite a bit of money on a bouquet of flowers for a loved one, knowing full well they’d not be allowed to have them in their hospital room.

One of my loved ones was in the ICU and I knew they didn’t have much time left to live. I had a huge bouquet of daisies sent to him with instructions that hospital staff should stand outside his window and hold up the flowers for him to see. Daises had a special meaning to him and I wanted him to know that while I couldn't be with him in person, I was there in spirit.

I knew when my loved one saw the daises, he would understand the significance and that it was my way of telling him that although his time here on earth was short, his new life in heaven would soon be beginning.

I do not regret a single dime that I spent on those flowers and given the chance, I would do it again and again, but apparently not everyone wants flowers when they’re in the hospital.

According to PR Newswire, the majority of people, when sitting in the hospital recovering from major surgery or facing the end of their life, do not want flowers. They don’t want a card or chocolate, either. As a matter of fact, flowers, cards, and candy are the very last things that they want.

So, what is it that people DO want? They want the support of their family and friends to help them stay connected with others. They want someone to offer to help them with household chores and cooking, and when facing the end of their life, they want help to get their legal affairs together.

While I agree that it's nice to have someone offer to help with cooking and cleaning and such, I have never received flowers while in this hospital and wished I hadn't. As a matter of fact, whenever flowers have been sent to me, I've been grateful and felt loved. So, so loved. My suggestion would be to take the results of this survey with a grain of salt and follow your heart. If you think someone would like flowers, send them.