posted by Kamala on Apr 28
Dearest Friends and Family,
It is often said that “No news is good news.”
In the last several weeks, I have started this blog several times, then stopped, as events were changing, and I felt I should have the `upshot’ of it all before writing. Sometimes a `writer’s block’ sets in. As I write this, Link is cranking away on the conclusion of one of his jillion deadlines.
Its a very heavy course of study actually, very. In January when we returned, the lakes were frozen, and people were using them as direct roads….Link and his friend had lots of fun. But the climate is unstable, and after a few days, warnings were out to stay off the ice.
Here in Stockholm,Sweden, as of yesterday, the earth has become carpeted in green, a lovely green. The little woods around us is full of forest floor blossom, here are some pics of the early bright beauties!
There are quite a few more, but, I think people may not have time to see them all. These are all from our immediate area. Daylight is on now until 9PM. 21:00.
- Since coming back from India, Link has had some sort of weird condition that comes up whenever he gets chilled. At the end of January, it happened, and he had over a week of heavy night sweats. We sought medical help, to no avail. Then, he was off to Barcelona and Lisbon in late February and March.
From Lisbon, he called and told me that his appetite had gone down. When he came back there were two occasions where he was chilled, and the heavy night sweats came back, with fever, exhaustion. He began losing weight.
By the end of March, he entered a state of constant heavy night sweating, so much that we had to change the whole bed, his clothes, everything. We ended up in the hospital where they kept him for a couple days, 17th - 19th of April for ease of scheduling tests. We tried getting a message to Amma immediately.
The good news is, that all the tests showed negative -ish, for all that they can test for. There were some minor things, but nothing big deal.
But, we don’t have a treatment plan because they don’t know what it is.
Anni had had night sweats too. So, in all this, I had to deal with my mind, which was no fun. But, I think, on some level, when we can get through our dark times, its like that story Amma tells, of people watching a swimmer in a river who all of a sudden starts swimming frantically, but going nowhere. When he finally gets to shore, they say to her, `What were you doing? You weren’t getting anywhere!’
Then the swimmer tells them an flood current had come up, and she were just trying to keep from getting swept away.
The mind can be like a flood current. In those situations, I think just being able to tread water instead of sinking, is some sort of attainment, if one wants to call it that.
Then, on top of it all, a Wise Earth Publisher’s team member had given a copy of Earth Ethics to the founder of Sarvodaya Trust, former Ambassador P. A. Nazareth of India (to at least 15 countries.) He planned to come to Sweden, and consequently, we had been invited to a reception at the home of the Indian Ambassador to Sweden and Latvia, H.E. A. Sajjanhar, on the 18th.. We were going to release our two new books there.
The 17th night, I spent on some stools in Link’s solitary confinement room in the infectious wing. I assumed we would not be going, and made plans for other people to take our books on our behalf. Link was not in favour of my plan and wanted to go. I didn’t see how, and felt our main project was finding out what was going on with him. On the 18th, I came back to the flat to take bath, and get a mattress pad and sleeping bag for the upcoming night on the stools.
While home, Link sent a message that the Dr.s had found him not contagious, and had told him he could go to the reception and dinner. So, I got dressed, and headed back to the hospital – about 1 hr. a way by bus, with the mattress pad and sleeping bag, and clothes for Link, and books to be presented.
Link was commissioned to collect all of his urine for 24 hours, so, he had to carry his rather large jug with him, which he kept in a black bag, and still had the IV sticks in his arm. A friend picked us up, and off we went.
It was a gala affair, and we presented our new books to the Ambassadors. Here’s the photo:
We were setting up the books presentations with Srimati Madhu and H.E. Ashok Sajjanhar, Aunty Kamala, H.E. Ambassador P.A. Nazareth and Link.
Then, we had our formal shot L-R, Dr. Istiaq Ahmed, Mr. Nasser Faridoon, Srimati Madhu, Ashok-ji, AK, Our Dear Dr. Maria Bylund, Alan-ji - H.E. P.A. Nazareth - and Link. I felt very honoured to be by the flag of India, the Ambassador’s suggestion, Jai Mother India!
We got back to the hospital around 10 PM, and the next day, the 19th, four hours after a heart ultrasound which was also, thankfully, showing no abnormalities of any sort, we were discharged. The night sweats continued, and the following Monday, we had a Dr.’s appointment, and more tests, now on out patient basis. All the results are not in, but things look OK so far.
Ambassador Nazareth also asked me to arrange a talk for him at the University of Uppsala for the 20th, our Anni Jayanti.
Now, it should be borne in mind that I know NO ONE really in Sweden who could help with this matter. But, by God’s Grace, our umbrella project sewing circle is full of Grace, and one of the participants, Dr. Maria Bylund, used to work at UU, and had many connections there, and was able to arrange a talk in a classroom, as well as with a student organization, Pax et. Bellum, for Alan-ji, the Ambassador. Here is photo of our Grace filled Umbrella Project sewing circle having a meeting at the home of Ammika Uhlin.
Ammika is one of those very rare cooks, whose hand turns every morsel into something very delicious and nutritious! And we were all glad to be there, it was also a sort of house warming at her new place.
Our Wise Earth Publisher’s People Distributor for Sweden is dear Therese, and we set up tables at the events so people could see our works. Here are some photos of those events:
This was the table at Pax et Bellum, Steffan and Oinni Utas came also. Beautiful People!

Therese is part of our People’s Distribution Network, for Sweden. She was kept busy answering questions by students who were genuinely concerned about the lack of ethical focus in their studies. Below: H.E. Ambassador P. Alan Nazareth (Retd.) speaking about Gandhi’s Outstanding Leadership at Uppsala University, Anni Jayanti, April 20, 2012.
The next day, he emailed and invited us to Intiative Asia, and WEP was there for a few hours. We presented the Ambassador from Bangladesh, H.E. A. F. M. Gusal Asam Sarker, a copy of Amma’s speech, Cultivating Strength and Unity. But I was worried about Link, and with other factors combining, we closed up and came home early.
On the last day of the AU tour we received word that Amma knows about Link’s condition. She wanted to contact us, but, the contact information did not reach her in time there.
Now, Saturday, April 28th, we are on the third day of NO NIGHT SWEATING! Link’s appetite is a little improved, and he feels he is on the mend. Some chest congestion is still there….
I feel it is a very nasty virus that has gotten to him because he was a little run down. We are trying to take care to build him up nutritionally. With our Lord’s blessings, we will carry on.
So, that’s were we are now. He’s not back to biking yet, and the Earth here is slowly warming up, and by Anni’s Grace, the books had a nice release. I do feel it was Anni, I felt her adjust my sari as she used to on occasion, a tug here and there…before we went. Thankfully, it wasn’t raining nor below freezing, as I had no shoes but my Bata sandals from India. It was either that or black high top sneakers or knee high rubber rain boots. It wouldn’t have mattered, but, was a rather funny twist on the whole event.
Would love to hear how your spring has been so far!
Loving you,
Aunty Kamala, Anni and Link













