When a friend or relative is in the hospital, the list of get-well gifts can be about as common as the stethoscopes hanging from the doctors' white robes.

But get-well gifts need not be so humdrum, as we found out from one of our TakeThemAMeal.com users. This user, a school teacher in Virginia who is preparing for surgery in a week, received a pleasant surprise when she showed up to her classroom one day before her weeks-long sick leave: two baskets of get-well gifts, showered upon her before she had even been to the doctor for her pre-op appointment.

Fellow teachers had stuffed the baskets full of items their co-worker may find handy in the days leading up to and following her surgery:

Other thoughtful items included in the baskets were puzzles, a coffee mug stuffed with several small samplers of coffee flavors to enjoy trying, scrapbooking paper, notecards and a plaque about friendship. The teacher was blown away by the thoughtfulness of her pre-op gift; it provided a much-needed boost of confidence heading into her medical procedure.

It got us thinking that this could be an ideal gift for someone facing a planned surgery or even for a mom-to-be as she prepares for her due date. The only thing we'd add: a handwritten note to let them know some home-cooked meals will be provided as they recuperate.