I don't know what would be useful for your BIL so cannot answer your question other than to consider things that give him a little bit of "home". If he likes reading, books and magazines; if he likes doing things with his hands, a model of some sort; movies, a portable DVD player. This is all dependent on what his living arrangements will be. Will he be responsible for feeding himself, can he plug in a computer for example?

May I suggest you talk to the people at the healthcare facility and ask for their advice. They may be able to put you in touch with other patients who have been through this procedure who may give you some insight. My Alex offered his services at our healthcare facility and has always said he was happy to anyone about to commence treatment about what to expect, tips and tricks etc.

Is your BIL going to be treated as an inpatient, going to be in a hotel, renting a house/apartment? This information may have an impact on what would be useful as some things would be dependent on what services he will be able to access and how much room he has.

I suspect the ability to stay in touch with loved ones would be high on the list as well as comfort foods (soft) and drinks to keep his hydration and nutrition up.