Sunday, 3 May, 2009, Ivalo, Finland~

Dear Journal~

Terve!  Miitu kuuluu?  Kiitos hyvaas!

Sari Annike here.  Hope this finds you well!

Sorry I haven't written; been busy with the children (Erick, Ilsa Magdalina, and Birtta); plus Ilsa and Erick both had spent a week in hospital:  both had respiratory synctial virus, or RSV; both were very sick.  I thought for a while one (or both) were going to die; they had serious difficulty with their breathing; they both had to spend some time in Intensive Care.

It was a very scary time; it is only by the grace of God that they survived their illness.  During the worst of their illness, I spent most of my time at hospital, sitting, waiting, praying for a miracle.  Nik did come some days, but he works, so he, more or less, stayed home, only relieving me for a few hours.

Thank God my brothers came to stay with me; if it were not for them, I would have gone crazy!  Or suffered a nervous attack (whichever came first!).

I am happy to say that both Erick and Ilsa have recovered; I do watch them like a hawk, though, especially since this flu outbreak is going on now.  It started in Mexico; then it spread to the United States, and now cases are popping up here in Europe and elsewhere; it's a pandemic.  I pray we don't get it; it sounds very serious!

The weather here in Ivalo is coolish, temps in the fifties, with rain and wind.  Not a very nice weather pattern; it makes my fibromyalgia hurt worse.  I'm just glad it isn't hot; hot weather only makes my multiple sclerosis act up worse.  It's a no-win situation!

I hope it clears out by this weekend; a week from today is Mother's Day, and I want it to be nice!  Hopefully the children (or Nik) will do something nice for me! :)

I have been trying to get the housework done; it still looks like a bomb went off in the middle of it!  With a little baby and two active toddlers, keeping it clean is next to impossible a lot of the time!

Well, I know this isn't much, but nothing really has been going on with me other than Ilsa and Erick ending up in hospital!  I'm just glad that's all over with; now I am going to have to come up with the money, so I can pay their bills!  (Sigh!)  Medical care is not cheap!  I will go for now; time to go to bed; late here in Finland.  Very tired; need to sleep more than I have done lately!  Take care, and until later, this is Sari saying Nakemiin!

~Love, your friend in Finland, Sari Annike.  ::)