<p>I wish your daughter the very best as she faces her surgery tomorrow! Her amazing spirit will see her through all of these tribulations with flying colors, I'm sure. I hope her pain level has been manageable and that they've managed to find a more comfortable room for her out of ICU. Thoughts and prayers headin' your way from KS.........</p>
<p>Voronwe--I guess I haven't been on this site long enough to know that your daughter had been so ill. I am so glad that she is in remission, and I hope and pray that things continue to go smoothly for her in the months and years to come. How very frightening for all of you. I admire your strength.</p>
<p>I agree that real cards and letters are much nicer then cyber notes. Could we send them to ariesathena and then she could send them once a week in a large envelope? Ariesathena would you be willing? We could pm you to get your address and send money via paypal to pay for shipping. Is that too complicated?</p>
<p>If ariesathena is willing, she could rent a P.O. Box, we could send stuff to her there (she could even use a fake name, say "Athena Aries", so as not to compromise her own privacy), then she could send a big envelope of mail to Soozie every week or so. ???</p>
<p>If none of these other possibilities work out, I have a PO Box that could be made available for mail to Susan. If it becomes necessary, folks could PM me for the address, and then send mail to Soozievt c/o Mezzomom (believe me, my post office has seen stranger things!) I just hate to see Ariesathena have to shoulder too much of this, since she's probably got her hands full with law school. Something to keep in mind in case we can't come up with a better solution.</p>
<p>SoozieVT, although I am not a parent, I can imagine what you are going through right now. You are too nice of a person for this to happen to you. I wish you all the best and a quick recovery for your daughter.</p>
<p>I was thinking it could be possible for me to grab a PO Box and to try to forward things (can you get a PO Box and then fill out a forwarding address thing?) - so y'all could send it there (in VA) and it would meander its way to VT. </p>
<p>I'll see if I can get a PO Box here in town and if things can forward elsewhere or if I'll have to do it by hand.</p>
<p>We use a mail forwarding service in the US...but a personal mail forwarding service would be, well, more personal. I think that my hope is that we can just sustain our expressions of hope and concern for SoozieVT's daughter, and Voronwe's daughter as well...</p>
<p>Ariesathena, I like Mezzomom's idea - could that work for you?</p>
<p>I could be wrong, but think that under FOIA anyone who wants to can go to any post office, pay like $3, fill out a FOIA request, and retrieve the name and address information from an address forwarding form. Therefore (if I'm right), if forwarding the mail via USPS (vs. manually) is the best method, whatever initiating post office box address is used should be sent to people via email or IM etc. - not posted here.</p>
<p>Obviously, it's not the regulars here that are the concern, it's the other potentially devious/dangerous internet traffic etc.</p>
<p>What about the idea someone mentioned a few posts ago---sending it directly to the hospital? Well, on second thought, I guess that wouldn't work either. We would have to know the name of Susan's daughter in order to address the envelope, wouldn't we? </p>
<p>Messomom, if you're willing to act as our middleman (woman--LOL!), I'd be happy to participate in this CC "love bombing". I'd love to send a little gift to brighten Susan's D's day. I wonder what kinds of treats and snacks she likes, magazines, books, music, etc.<br>
I'd also be willing to send messomom (or someone whom Susan is willing to trust with her personal information) money so that she can send flowers. </p>
<p>Veronwe, for some reason, I too had no idea you were having to battle the parent's nightmare of an extremely sick child. I'm so happy to hear that she appears to be out of the woods for now. I pray that she continues to grow in strength and health.</p>
<p>Hey all you WONDERFUL THOUGHTFUL CC FRIENDS! I came home to sleep tonight as my D's surgery is not first thing in the AM but is for midday though we are going back early in the AM. She is doing great and finally got a new room out of the ICU. She has had many friends visit. Of course the next couple days won't be so great but she is anxious to get on with it and move forward. </p>
<p>As mentioned on the other post....I already am entirely warmed by the quantity and quality of the posts on the Parent Forum which I printed out last night to show my daughter. Truly that is ENOUGH by far and no more is necessary. Because some wish to go further...as I said before, we can just make this easier and just send me an email at SoozieVT at aol.com and if I recognize your posting name as someone who has regularly posted here, I can try to send out a mass email mailing this weekend with contact information. Too tired tonight plus it would be best if I wait another day if anyone else wants to send an email (some of you have already, thanks, sorry I can't respond to each one at this time but they mean a LOT). Also, guess what? In my daughter's new room, there is a computer, believe it or not! I have no idea if I will have time and we will be sitting elsewhere during the hours of her surgery but maybe I can get this together over the weekend when I am there. My 18 is coming in from Brown tomorrow night as well and meeting us there. </p>
<p>Your outpouring of kind thoughts means so much, truly. I am not stressed out any longer as she is beyond any dangerous or questionable stuff in this matter. She now just has to get through this ordeal which is tough but at least these are all things that heal and where full recovery can be attained over time. I am sorry to see her endure it (especially the pain) but she is in good spirits. </p>
<p>So, if you wish to email me, I will figure a way to get back to you via email as a group with more contact information . I am just talking of whomever emails me (and by the way, include your posting name in the email so I can tell you are a regular poster whom I "know"). By the way, do not send to my private message box on CC as it is full and I can't deal with that. Send to my aol email. Thanks everyone sooooooooooooooooooooooo much!
Susan</p>
<p>If you all set up a physical PO Box just put the address up here. I for one would love to send something fun. I dibs sending beauty products....</p>
<p>Susan, you are very kind; I respectfully ask you to not consider proceeding the way you offered, I do not believe that is a good idea because of safety issues. </p>
<p>If I send you an email, and identify myself as "Latetoschool", you have absolutely no way of knowing if I'm really "Latetoschool", or if I'm a bad person with malicious intentions who lurked this board, read these threads, and pretended to be "Latetoschool" in order to gain your personal information. </p>
<p>There are close to 200 interested identities on this board, and you cannot be sure that each and every identity who might send you an email are really who they present themselves to be - because you have no "master" list to check registered usernames against legitimately corresponding email addresses.</p>
<p>CC is a very nice internet community, however, there are some very bad people in the internet world. Email forwarding and various forms of spoofing is stupendously easy, and difficult to prosecute. Collateral crimes can occur too easily - for example, a person with malicious intentions would be able to suss out that there is a residence available that may be vacant much of the time due to the family spending time at a hospital that is known to be a 50 minute drive away; you can imagine the rest. Therefore, I simply think it is much better if only one person, or perhaps a very small, verifiable group of people have access to your name and address. </p>
<p>I apologize sincerely for my negative, alarmist post; I do not intend to create additional stress, but I respectfully ask please let the persons who are a bit closer to your geographic location have just a bit of time to try to work this out in a way that does not compromise your personal information and security. </p>
<p>Mezzomom has a good idea and perhaps she can work with Ariesathena, etc. - please Susan let these two and others who are perhaps "known" to them work this out.</p>
<p>Will be thinking of you all as the day progresses and daughter begins her recovery.</p>
<p>I agree with latetoschool - I'm not very internet savvy, just a little naturally paranoid, and think you should proceed VERY VERY cautiously with information that is put out there. Everyone naturally wants to rally around when a crisis occurs, but until a secure route for 'tangible' expressions of support can be found (flowers, etc.) I think you should wait. This is not the kind of question you need to be thinking of right now. There will be plenty of opportunities in the next few months for people to go further with their support. We want you all to be safe.</p>
<p>Susan,
We will continue to be thinking of you and you your daughter throughout the day. I am so glad to hear of how well she is progressing. She definitely sounds like a strong and determined young lady! Thoughts and prayers during the surgery today. Looking forward to hearing another positive report when you are able (and try to get some rest for yourself!)</p>
<p>Sending you more good thoughts, from the Pacific NW. We will remember your daughter when we do the mishebarach tomorrow too! </p>
<p>I agree with the posters about taking care with your personal info. While we all are eager to send you something, my guess is that you have many people locally who know you and your D and they will rally round with cards, casseroles, etc. Perhaps when things are a bit more normal and she is home and getting PT, we can work out some system to send you more personal greetings than the virtual ones here. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, good luck to you all today. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.</p>