Mail Call!: A Plea for Letters, Cards, and Other Forms of USPS Love

As many of you are aware, I'll be checking into Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati for a second stem cell transplant on April 11, 2012 to try to kick this latest recurrence of Hodgkin's Lymphoma (and to keep it at bay for good!) The transplant process itself is simple, but the preparation and especially the recovery are much, MUCH longer processes. In all my stay will be 3 weeks at the very *minimum* and could stretch out as long as 12 weeks. It's a difficult time, as I will not be allowed to leave the transplant unit (my room and 2 short hallways). Frequently people are quarantined to their rooms, which happened to me during my first transplant. "Stir crazy" and "cabin fever" don't even begin to describe it. What's worse is that Brynn will not be allowed to visit me the entire time I'm in the hospital since the rules of the unit require visitors to be 14 years old. She'll celebrate her 11th birthday without me, since I'll be in the hospital. I missed Christmas with her during my first transplant. We skype, but it's not the same.

And so, I've decided to ask a favor.

Two favors actually.

First, I would love for everyone to send Brynn a birthday card. Her birthday is at the beginning of May, but you can send a card anytime between now and then and I'll hold onto them for her until the big day. A belated card or two would be fine as well. Who doesn't love for their birthday to stretch on for a few days afterwards? For friends who would like to send Brynn a little something, she likes art supplies, journals, fun writing utensils (like gel pens and clicky pencils that click on the side not the top), hair accessories, and anything having to do with fashion design. She loves books, music, and clothes too, but she's a lot pickier about those! Must be a tween thing. Again though, I'm just asking for folks to flood her with birthday wishes (in card, letter, or postcard form), no gifts required or even requested.

Those can be sent to:
Brynn Ensminger
P.O. Box 598
Burlington, KY 41005

The second favor is similar, but more selfish. I'd like you to send *me* cards and packages. Days in the hospital are monotonous and the room itself is unexciting and impersonal. Mostly my stay is just a waiting game. My donor's stem cells will take some time to get into my marrow and create a new immune system for me. In the interim I have to hang out at the hospital and, let's face it, a person can only check facebook so many times a day (though I'm entirely unwilling to admit how many times that is). So entertain me! Here are some things I think it would be fun to get:
- a fun postcard from where you're from to hang up in my room
- any sort of card (get well and encouragement are great, but creative and funny cards are more than welcome too!)
- letters (same as with cards, I'd love anything from encouragement to snarkiness)
- a copy of your favorite cd or a mix cd of your favorite songs (go on, expand my horizons)
- your favorite book (unless your favorite book is Homi Bhabha's The Location of Culture)
- fun activity books, like logic puzzles, sudoku, etc.
- small decorations to put around the room. I don't have much counter space, but I have a bit and I can hang things
- your favorite movie (I believe the room has both a VHS and a DVD player). Movie recommendations from Netflix are great too!
- anything else a person can do when confined to a single room for 3-12 weeks. Be creative!

There are a few restrictions though, for health purposes. Please DON'T send:
- any plant materials, including live or dried flowers
- homecooked foods. This one really hurts. I loved baked goods, but I'm only allowed to eat foods that are ordered off the hospital's menu or food that is individually packaged and sealed (like frozen dinners, cans of soup, or small bags of chips/cookies).
- germs. Please wait to send stuff if you or a family member have the plague.

My address at the hospital (starting April 11th) is:
Shawntel Ensminger
c/o Bone & Marrow Transplant Center
4777 E. Galbraith Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45236

If any cards or packages arrive after I've been discharged the hospital will forward those to me at home, so don't worry about my check out date (though you'll be sure to hear about that on the blog!)Every single card and letter will be appreciated so much!

A few of the cards and decorations from transplant 1.0

Also, feel free to share this entry with others. The more cards, letters, and well wishers, the better!