Friday, July 11, 2008, Nashville, Tennessee, 6:23 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Jenna Anderson~

Thank you for writing to me last week.  Please forgive me for not answering until now; have been unbelievably busy.  Between working gobs of hours (last week, as an example, I worked close to 80 hours at the hospital), taking care of the children (plus my husband and my elderly parents), I'm afraid I don't have much free time.  It's a wonder I get anything accomplished, you know?? LOL

Also, I have this adoption community, helping other people with their adoption journey, answering questions that they might have.  I may not know all the answers, but I do try my best.  It's all I can do:  be their support system, as we go through this trial called "Life" together.

How was your Fourth of July?  Did you make it to our city's annual celebration?  Or did you and Adam stay home, watch the fireworks from your house?  We had a wonderful time at Red, White, and BOOM!!; the fireworks were nothing short of spectacular, even better than last year's display (and last year's display was phenominal!!)!

The kids got sunburnt (well, excepting for Ronee', or our darker-skinned children; they hardly ever burn!!); poor Johnathon really got toasted.  He was as red as a boiled crawfish:  he was worried that the cooks were going to add him to the crawfish pot! LOL  He literally glowed!! LOL

Thankfully, his sunburn has healed; he's just left with itchy, peeling skin.  He looks like he has a woolen sweater on, he's got so many flakes on his skin! LOL  Poor Johnny never could get a decent tan, much to his dissent! LOL

Yesterday, I got a very nice letter from Tovah Ben Ami, who lives in California.  He has two children, a little seven year old boy (Hyman), and a nine year old girl (Nashi).  Hyman is healthy; however, the daughter is not.  She was born seemingly okay, but at about the age of six months, problems started setting in; it wasn't long afterwards when the little girl was diagnosed with Canavan disease, which is a heartbreaking neurodegenerative disorder along the lines of leukodystrophy or Tay-Sach's.

It is fatal, although sufferers of Canavan's have been known to live to their teens, even in their twenties.  (Most sufferers aren't expected to live past the age of four or five.)

At the age of nine, Nashi is virtually a prisoner of her own body, unable to see, talk, think, walk, even eat or go to the restroom without help.  She requires twenty-four-hour medical care; it's been hard on both Tovah and his wife, Teresa (Terri).  Anyway, Tovah was updating me on how Nashi was doing; she recently had another hospital stay, is now happily on the mend, doing much better.

I will have to make time, so I can write to Tovah, let him know that I haven't suddenly dropped off the planet! LOL

I am currently helping with getting the information needed for several couples who are in the process of adopting (or just beginning their adoption journeys).  I do this on my days off from work; seems lately those are becoming few and far between. 

Unfortunately, at a job like mine, I'm on call twenty four hours a day; I don't get weekends or holidays off (unless for some strange reason, I'm scheduled to, or have something going on that requires me to take some time away from work).  I have that, too, in addition to all this other *stuff* that keeps me hoppin' like the Energizer bunny! LOL

I am lucky if I get six hours of sleep a night; I'm usually up with the sun (oftentimes before).  God gives me the strength to go on; however, one of these days I'm worried I'm going to collapse from sheer exhaustion.  Let's just say I run on adrenaline (that and nervous energy)! LOL

Well, Jenna, I'm at work now; clock on in a little under fifteen minutes from now (work today from 7 to 2; it's my short day today).  I will let you go; I've rambled on for far too long.  Please write back when you can, and until you do, I'll see you at church. Say helllo to your son, Adam, for me; give him a great big bear hug from me!  I am a hugger; you'll find that out once you get to know me.

God bless you mightily!

~Love, your friend, Louie May Sandusky. :D