Weds., Nov. 12, 2008, Norway~

Dear Karissa James~

Hello from the frozen northland!  Thank you for taking the time to write back to me; you are a very beautiful young woman!  (I say young because you are; I could be your mother!! LOL)  It was nice to hear from you!

I am sorry you have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; that is a horrible disease/diagnosis to have to live with!  You do sound like you're giving everything to the Lord; that's about the only thing you can do--that, or pray a lot!  I am glad you have a good attitude about it; that always helps!

I have four brothers and four sisters; they all live close by to me.  I am glad; that way I can see them just about every day, or at least every few days.  It's not like they're way off in Oslo or somewhere like Finland or Sweden!  LOL  I can see my nieces and nephews, and it is always a wild, crazy, happy time when we Schoenfeldters get together!  LOL

You are the fourth one I write to that lives in the States.  I write to three in Tennessee (Louisiana Sandusky, Lindsay Maureen Bauer, and Frekka Hoelsen); now I write to you in California!  I think that is so neat that you can make new friends around the world, either by cyberspace or by post!

My family, they have been supportive, as have Lindsay, Frekka, and Louisiana.  They have all been praying for me, which I greatly appreciate, particularly on those days where my symptoms are especially ugly or maddening!

I also have the Love of the Lord to lean on; I know He will get through whatever my disease will throw in my way!  As long as I have Jesus in my life, why even worry??  :)

Today I got a beautiful card from Louisiana Sandusky; she also sent me a book that she'd written.  She has a very big family of adopted kids, and they are all beautiful:  they remind me of a living rainbow or perhaps the northern lights:  they are all colors!  I will have to write back to her to thank her for thinking of me in such a warm, loving way!

I do hope you have a chance to meet this dear woman:  I met her when I was in hospital in Tennessee; she was one of my nurses, and she was very tender, very loving towards me.  She made sure I was comfortable, and she prayed with me before I had all the tests, which was most welcomed!  She eased some of my fears; you need that when you're in hospital!

How is the weather there in California?  Is it warm there?  Here in Norway, where I live, it's cold; we've even had some snow here.  Weather forecasters are predicting a colder than normal winter with lots of snow.  I can handle that, especially on my good days; I can go skiing, which I love!  To me, there's no better feeling than schussing down a snowy mountaintop, the wind whipping at your face, through your hair!  It's so exhilerating!!

I just wonder how much longer I'll be able to ski before I end up wheelchair-bound or on crutches....guess I won't worry about that; have to learn to live one day at a time, you know??

I have been looking at crutches or wheelchairs now, but it's too depressing.  I know I will need them in my future; I have to do this, but I don't like to (or want to) do it.  I do have to say this:  there's so many styles, colors to choose from!  Thank God I don't have to pay for it; my insurance will cover most of the costs.  What I will pay is very little, which is a huge relief on my pocketbook!

I have found a pair of bright pink crutches that I want, but have to save up for them; crutches are expensive!  I had no idea they cost so much!  YIKES!!

Until then, I'm walking under my own power, pray I don't cut a flip, end up on my face!!  Or pray that I am not alone when I fall; that would be disasterous!  I would to have to call one of my sisters or brothers (or the fire or medical departments) to come help me up!!

That's a reacurring nightmare I've been having at night; it's no wonder I lose so much sleep!!  That is not good!!

Well, Karissa, I've talked too much so I will let you go.  Please write back to me; I get lonely sometimes, especially when my family isn't here!  God bless you always, and hope to hear from you soon!

~Love, your new Norwegian friend, Ingrid E. Schoenfeldter. :D