Ulrika update

Thanks for all the emails, phone calls, text messages offers of help etc.

Everything has helped to keep my morale up at this rather difficult time.

At the risk of repeating myself to some of you, here's a bit of an update.

I was up at the hospital for about four hours today. There was actually nothing useful for me to do. But I did get a briefing by two doctors and got to spend about two minutes with Ulrika. She's been sedated to enable her to rest. They woke her up briefly this afternoon and she responded appropriately but there's a long way to go.

So what did the doctors say?

Well, her condition is still very serious and she certainly isn't out of the danger zone yet. But thanks to lots of different tests they have a fairly clear picture of what's happening and they described things as under control. They've run tests on other organs such as heart, kidneys etc and there appears to be no damage.

She's on a respirator and there's a pipe into her skull to prevent pressure building up.

No indication as to how long recovery will take once the drugs start kicking in and winning the battle with the bacteria.

Back here in Kärrtorp we are in good spirits.

Gitte and dog picked up Zoe today which was a big hit. And yesterday Kai got picked up and ate at Tycho's and that was an enormous hit.

Neither of them have any problem being picked up by someone else, in fact Kai felt it a bit of letdown when I turned up today. But he doesn't want to go to the hospital. He thinks it sounds scary. Can't really argue with that. Seeing Ulrika with tubes in every orifice like something out of a sci fi film and great walls of computers with flashing lights doesn't exactly boost my spirits either!

Once again, I am very glad to be living in Sweden where there's such a great public health service. I dread to think what this wonderful care that she's receiving is costing.

I won't be complaining about paying my taxes this year!

So keep crossing those fingers, holding those thumbs, saying prayers, lighting candles, dancing naked round magic trees, sacrificing small animals etc: it all helps. we aren't out of the woods yet! But maybe we've made a few faltering steps in the right direction.

PS for music nerds

I spent my idle hours reading a fascinating book about Americana music: South by South-West by Brian Hinton.

Maybe not a masterpice but it has filled in some of the gaps in my knowledge about western swing, honky tonks, Appalachia, cowpunk etc.Understanding things like the link between Harry Smith's Anthology of American Music and the Grateful Dead brightened up my day.


I now have a list of about 200 albums I'd never heard of that I now just have to get hold of. Which of course is just what I needed!