Drodzy i Drogie / Dear Friends (English below)

Bardzo, bardzo dziękuję Wam za urodzinowe życzenia! Im jestem starsza tym bardziej je doceniam :) 

Urodziny w tym roku miały wyglądać zupełnie inaczej - mieliśmy zapoznawać naszego synka z koleżankami i kolegami w Polsce, miał bawić się na trawie z psami i kombinować, jak rozumieć rodziców mówiących tyloma różnymi językami. Niestety rzeczywistość zaproponowała nam zupełnie inny scenariusz - i to wcale nie związany z pandemią. Niektórzy z Was wiedzą, co się stało - w październiku 2019 roku okazało się, że mój Jużmąż Kim choruje na złośliwy nowotwór mózgu.

Dowiedzieliśmy się o tym w trudnym momencie (chociaż nie wiem, czy jakikolwiek byłby łatwy) - Kim podczas szukania pracy, a ja kilka miesięcy przed rozpoczęciem urlopu macierzyńskiego. Dodatkowo, ponieważ życie i pracę dzieliliśmy między różnymi krajami, to wpadamy często “między systemy” - jesteśmy ciągle sprawdzani, a ubezpieczenie nie chce wypłacać nam należności. Myślę, że ostatecznie sprawy ubezpieczeniowe zakończą się po naszej myśli, ale na to potrzebny jest czas. Na razie spędzamy sporo czasu na rozmowach telefonicznych, wypełnianiu papierów. Stresu nam nie odejmują.

Chorowanie, a zwłaszcza poważne chorowanie, jest drogie - w każdym kraju. Nawet przy świetnie działającej opiece zdrowotnej. W Szwecji trafiliśmy na wspaniałych lekarzy, którzy są otwarci na nasze pomysły i razem z nami szukają sposobów, by zatrzymać guz. Kim jest po 2 operacjach mózgu, od początku roku przyjmuje chemię, skończył naświetlania. Teraz zaczął terapię polem elektromagnetycznym (stąd te “sexy” elektrody na zdjęciu, które nosi non stop). Stosujemy też terapie wspomagające - i te już niestety nie są refundowane. Wszystkie konsultujemy z lekarzem, który podpowiada, jak wszystko robić lepiej. Bazujemy na leczeniu konwencjonalnym, które łączymy z każdym wspomaganiem, które ma szansę pomóc (jeśli jesteście ciekawi szczegółów - piszcie do mnie :) ). Mimo tego wszystkiego Kim od początku choroby nie przegapił ani jednego deadline’u, nie zawalił żadnej pracy. Mimo mega trudnej sytuacji daje z siebie 110%. Jestem z niego przedumna.

Generalnie: radzimy sobie, chociaż nie jest lekko. Nie toniemy.

Pomyślałam, że z okazji swoich urodzin poproszę Was o wsparcie - nie ogromne, ale takie, które dałoby nam trochę oddechu. Nie chodzi mi o zbieranie ogromnych kwot - to byłoby zbyt dużym zobowiązaniem. Ale gdyby ktoś z Was chciałby zaprosić mnie na urodzinową kawę - to taka równowartość kawy byłaby ekstra prezentem, który ja przeznaczyłabym na terapie wspomagające leczenie Kima. I dlatego założyłam zrzutkę.

Jeśli ktoś wolałby zamiast zaproszenia mnie na kawę wspierać leczenie Kima cyklicznie, np.  5zł miesięcznie, to założyłam konto oszczędnościowe, którego nr wkleję w komentarzu. Chociaż takie 5zł to brzmi jak bardzo niewiele, to w perspektywie skali staje się realną pomocą. 

Nie szukamy dużych kwot - to by było zbyt onieśmielające. Ale kilkanaście/dziesiąt drobnych pozwoliłoby nam trochę zejść ze stresu.

Z jednej strony mam nadzieję już nigdy o nic takiego nie prosić - niechaj zdrowie zagości w naszym życiu. Z drugiej strony, chciałabym prosić o wsparcie jak najdłużej, bo to by oznaczało, że terapie działają. Więc mam nadzieję, że będzie wiele okazji przed nami, gdy zapytam, czy nie zaprosilibyście mnie na symboliczną kawę - chyba, że znajdą lek na ten nowotwór - i wtedy będę sama kupować cykliczne kawy każdemu potrzebującemu.

Na zakończenie: nie czujcie się w obowiązku nas wesprzeć! Jeśli możecie - cudownie, będziemy wdzięczni. Jeśli nie możecie, to będziemy wdzięczni za ciepłe myśli/życzenia/modlitwy. W końcu wszystko jest energią, prawda? Bądźcie dobrej myśli - my tak myślimy codziennie. I staramy się cieszyć z każdego dnia - brzmi jak banał, wiem. Ale okazuje się, że banały są w życiu najlepsze. 

PS: jeśli znacie życzliwych nam ludzi, którzy chcieliby nas wspomóc, to oczywiście możecie udostępnić im link (zbiórki nie chcę robić publicznej - to w końcu moja urodzinowa kawa :) )

PPS: nie oczekujcie proszę regularnych update’ów na temat zdrowia Kima - chorowanie jest szalenie intymne, często bardzo trudne i bolesne - i nie zawsze jest w nas gotowość, by o nim mówić. Na pewno podzielę się dobrymi newsami <3 

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Thank you very, very much for your birthday wishes! The older I get, the more I appreciate them :)

This year's birthday was supposed to be completely different - we were supposed to introduce our son to his friends in Poland, to encourage him to play with dogs on the grass and to let him figure out how to understand parents speaking so many different languages. Unfortunately, the reality offered us a completely different scenario - one that is not related to the pandemic at all. Some of you know what has happened - in October 2019 it turned out that my now-husband Kim suffers from a malignant brain tumor.

We found out about it at a difficult moment (although I don't know if any would be easy) - Kim was looking for a job and I was a few months before the beginning of maternity leave. In addition, because we shared our life and work between different countries, we often fall “between systems” - we are constantly checked, and the insurance does not want to cover us. I think that ultimately the insurance matters will be over, but it takes time. For now, we spend a lot of time on the phone and filling out paperwork. This doesn’t take away stress.

Getting ill, and especially seriously ill, is expensive - in every country. Even the one with great healthcare. In Sweden, we met wonderful doctors who are open to our ideas and together with us are looking for ways to stop the tumor. Kim is after 2 brain surgeries, he has been taking chemotherapy since the beginning of the year, when he finished radiation. Now he started TTFields (electromagnetic) therapy (hence the "sexy" electrodes in the photo that he wears non-stop). We also use supportive therapies - and these are unfortunately not reimbursed. We consult all of them with our team of doctors who help us do everything better. We rely on conventional treatment, which we combine with any support that possibly can help (if you are curious about the details - please do not hesitate to write to me :)). Despite all this, Kim has not missed a single deadline since the beginning of his illness, he has not failed any work. Despite the mega difficult situation, he gives 110%. I'm not able to describe how proud of him I am.

In general: we manage, although it is not easy. We're not sinking.

I thought that on the occasion of my birthday I would like to ask you for support - not huge, but one that would give us some air. I am not talking about raising huge sums - that would be too much of a commitment (and stress). But if any of you would like to invite me for a birthday coffee - this coffee equivalent would be an extra gift that I would spend on therapies supporting Kim's treatment. We are not looking for large amounts - it would be too intimidating. 

On the one hand, I hope to never ask for anything like that again - let health be a part of our lives. On the other hand, I would like to ask for support for as long as possible, because that would mean that the therapies work. So I hope there will be many opportunities ahead of us when I ask if you would invite me for a symbolic coffee - unless they find a cure for this tumour - and then I will be buying many coffees for people in need.

To sum up: please don't feel obligated to support us! If you can - it’s wonderful, we will be grateful. If you cannot, we will be grateful for warm thoughts / wishes / prayers. After all, everything is energy, right? Be of good spirit - we try to be every day. We try to appreciate every day - I know it sounds like a cliche. But it turns out that clichés are the best in life.

PS: this donation page should allow for Paypal. However, if you would like to support us in some other way (Swish in Sweden/bank account in Denmark/specific Paypal link, etc.) - please write to me and I will make it happen :) 

PPS: if you know people who would like to support us, then of course you can this link with them (I don't want to do the fundraising in public - it's my birthday coffee after all :))

PPPS: Please do not expect regular updates on Kim's health - being ill is extremely intimate, often very difficult and painful - and we are not always ready to talk about it. I will definitely share good news, when they arrive <3

English below:

Thank you very, very much for your birthday wishes! The older I get, the more I appreciate them :)

This year's birthday was supposed to be completely different - we were supposed to introduce our son to his friends in Poland, to encourage him to play with dogs on the grass and to let him figure out how to understand parents speaking so many different languages. Unfortunately, the reality offered us a completely different scenario - one that is not related to the pandemic at all. Some of you know what has happened - in October 2019 it turned out that my now-husband Kim suffers from a malignant brain tumor.

We found out about it at a difficult moment (although I don't know if any would be easy) - Kim was looking for a job and I was a few months before the beginning of maternity leave. In addition, because we shared our life and work between different countries, we often fall “between systems” - we are constantly checked, and the insurance does not want to cover us. I think that ultimately the insurance matters will be over, but it takes time. For now, we spend a lot of time on the phone and filling out paperwork. This doesn’t take away stress.

Getting ill, and especially seriously ill, is expensive - in every country. Even the one with great healthcare. In Sweden, we met wonderful doctors who are open to our ideas and together with us are looking for ways to stop the tumor. Kim is after 2 brain surgeries, he has been taking chemotherapy since the beginning of the year, when he finished radiation. Now he started TTFields (electromagnetic) therapy (hence the "sexy" electrodes in the photo that he wears non-stop). We also use supportive therapies - and these are unfortunately not reimbursed. We consult all of them with our team of doctors who help us do everything better. We rely on conventional treatment, which we combine with any support that possibly can help (if you are curious about the details - please do not hesitate to write to me :)). Despite all this, Kim has not missed a single deadline since the beginning of his illness, he has not failed any work. Despite the mega difficult situation, he gives 110%. I'm not able to describe how proud of him I am.

In general: we manage, although it is not easy. We're not sinking.

I thought that on the occasion of my birthday I would like to ask you for support - not huge, but one that would give us some air. I am not talking about raising huge sums - that would be too much of a commitment (and stress). But if any of you would like to invite me for a birthday coffee - this coffee equivalent would be an extra gift that I would spend on therapies supporting Kim's treatment. We are not looking for large amounts - it would be too intimidating. 

On the one hand, I hope to never ask for anything like that again - let health be a part of our lives. On the other hand, I would like to ask for support for as long as possible, because that would mean that the therapies work. So I hope there will be many opportunities ahead of us when I ask if you would invite me for a symbolic coffee - unless they find a cure for this tumour - and then I will be buying many coffees for people in need.

To sum up: please don't feel obligated to support us! If you can - it’s wonderful, we will be grateful. If you cannot, we will be grateful for warm thoughts / wishes / prayers. After all, everything is energy, right? Be of good spirit - we try to be every day. We try to appreciate every day - I know it sounds like a cliche. But it turns out that clichés are the best in life.

PS: this donation page should allow for Paypal. However, if you would like to support us in some other way (Swish in Sweden/bank account in Denmark/specific Paypal link, etc.) - please write to me and I will make it happen :) 

PPS: if you know people who would like to support us, then of course you can this link with them (I don't want to do the fundraising in public - it's my birthday coffee after all :))

PPPS: Please do not expect regular updates on Kim's health - being ill is extremely intimate, often very difficult and painful - and we are not always ready to talk about it. I will definitely share good news, when they arrive <3