Answers to today’s questions at thefridayfive@dreamwidth

1. Have you gotten everything done that you had hoped to do during the first half of 2024?

Most of it, but there’s one thing still unresolved. Namely the I’m-one-of-my-biological-father’s-heirs-but-shouldn’t-be-because-my-adoption-as-a-baby-in-1975-was-supposed-cut-all-legal-and-otherwise-ties-to-my-biological-family-completely-but-law-was-changed-5-years-later-and-we-didn’t-know-until-he-died thing. It’s still unresolved, and there’s a question mark about whether my bio siblings have done the death bureaucracy things they said they have and are required by law. Although I can’t imagine they haven’t, because they too will face consequences down the line if the things required by law aren’t done. But I can’t trust what my bio sister the executor says – she’s promised to deliver the appropriate papers after claiming she has delivered them to the tax office, but so far hasn’t delivered to me and has gone silent. And the tax office says there’s no perunkirja in existence. So it’s all unclear and I’m still having to work on this fucking thing, made difficult because it’s a rare situation so finding pertinent information is hard and I have zero money to hire a lawyer or something. These bio family are all people I have never met, I have no idea of what if anything my bio father left behind if anything (was told he was a drunkard and had debts), and I’m not taking their word any more.

I haven’t seen any papers or signed anything, and I don’t know what my legal status regarding this fucking thing is. I have to talk to the tax office to see if there was an error in the way I worded my information request, and maybe apply to free legal aid just to find out what the current situation is and then go on from there. I did talk to a free lawyer advice meeting, but that’s only for quick things that take about 15 minutes and she guided me to contact the tax office to get a copy of perunkirja (which tax office said doesn’t exist when I did). And she said that while extensions are given to create the perunkirja, 1,5 years is too long and unlikely to happen. 

This is the one thing I hoped in general to be done with at least a year back now and certainly by now.

2. Did anything exciting or unexpected happen to you during the first half of 2024?

Nothing unexpected. But participating in AKSE in April and May was exciting, and we formulated in collaboration the next steps in regards to my chronic illnesses re: unemployment and general functional ability.

3. What big plans do you have for the second half of 2024?

Because of AKSE, there are now options and directions that I can try and take steps towards. Something good may or may not come out of them, but at least I’m not hanging in limbo and waiting for nothing right now. It’s been years of that! There’s something to look forward to after a long while, a possibility of more clarity. Probably will take until late fall or even later to start on most of them because I may have a hysterectomy surgery coming up (at least I very much hope so!), depending on what the university hospital doctors think about my gynekological bleeding and dropping ferritin and hemoglobin. I myself I’m completely ready for it – I’m so fed up with problem periods and bleeding and iron infusions and iron tablets. But in any case, lots of medical and rehabilitative things that will hopefully improve my basic functional ability are planned for my near(ish) future. But really does depend on that possible surgery or whether the doctors figure out the gynecological bleeding thing as well as how quickly I can get all the needed doctor appointments, how quickly KELA will process the applications after the things they need from me and my doctor(s), and when a suitable rehab would start.

The rest of the year is looking interesting, all in all!

4. Have you taken, or are you planning, a vacation this year?

Nope, and nope. I don’t work or study so I’m “free” all the time. And I have no money to make a vacation of any sort. I’ll just enjoy fresh strawberries, ice cream and new potatoes as much as I can!

5. Have you ever wanted to be one of the people writing and posting these questions?

The thought has occurred to me once or twice.