Karesuando 2012

On Saturday morning we travelled to Karesuando to spend a day with Teres’ relatives.

Unfortunately a 26km section of the E45 which runs from Karesuando – Gela in Italy.

The road was very rough to drive which wasn’t so good for my back and it was not always so obvious exactly where to drive!!

Teres’ dad Ingvar came with us to tell us about the area and it’s history and stories of things he did when spending summers there with his parents and family.

The village is actually just outside  Karesuando and is called Mertajärvi. The old house on the left of this picture is where the family used to live (built in the late 1800’s) and then the new house was built in the 1950’s.

We spent a lot of time talking with Ingvar’s aunty and traditional remedies for various ailments and illnesses and I will be testing and writing about some of them in the future.

 

It was also hemvändardag  (I can’t translate this word but the event is about people who have lived there, returning gathering to see friends and family).

The event was held in the school where there were many pictures of family and relatives (the family name is Gunnare)

and Ingvar enjoyed talking with people about the family history.

We also drove across the border into Finnish Karesuando

There were some wonderful chainsaw carvings in a field next to the border

Thanks to all the family for a great day!!!

Nattavaara children’s activity evening

Yesterday evening was a time of food, fun and games in Nattavaara for children of all ages from 9 months – 83 years old,

hosted by Nattavaara Hembygdsföreningen.  There was a fire

where everyone could cook food including; pinnbrod (bannock), baked banana with chocolate and popcorn.

The children played on the swings and climbing frame

and there were games to play such ass kubb.

It was the first “Barnkväll” for Nattavaara Hembygdsforeningen, organised by 3 girls from Germany Katherina,  Simona  and Sara

who are spending their summer holiday working in the summer café in Nattavaaraby, serving food and drinks to tourists visiting the area.  The girls came up with the idea last weekend to organise an evening for all the family.  Sara said “we did not have much time to organise the event and we were not sure if anyone would come, but with 16 children and 21 adults attending the evening was very successful and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time”.

I taught the girls to make Whimmydiddles and each child was given one to play with and take home.

PICTURE LATER TODAY!!

 

Reindeer calf marking again

Fortunately, yesterday evening there was a reindeer calf marking at a location where we could drive with the car and I only had to walk a couple of hundred metres.

We took Sara and Mona with us who are two girls from Germany, spending their summer working here at our summer café here in Nattavaara.

Preparations started at 7pm, with each family making  a fire, cooking coffee and grilling reindeer meat or sausage over the flames and children playing.

After this it was time for the work to begin.  First the number of calves was counted

The animals were not at all stressed and many calves to the opportunity of a quick meal.

Unfortunately I could only stand outside and watch but Emma enjoyed being involved

People were busy identifying and catching their calves to mark the calves ear with the individual owners mark.

The work continued long into the night, but unfortunately we could not stay.  I really enjoyed being able to get out again!!

Recovery continues…..slowly

Can’t get out and about much just now so not a great deal to write about.  We have had a couple of young Hares on the garden

My recovery progresses but on Friday I started to get numinous and pins and needles under my foot and pain between my knee and foot.  I called the hospital and they told my that I was doing too much too quickly and so I have to rest more.

I thought I would write a little about my operation….

Here is the x-ray that shows very well the slipped disc (marked with a red ring) that was causing all the problems (but the disc immediately below is slipped but on the opposite side of my back, so you cannot see so well).

This next picture is from my MRI scan and is a cross-section of my spine.  On the right you can see the nerve, but on the left (again marked by a red ring) the nerve is obscured by the disc compressing on it

Last week Teres’ sister changed the dressing on my operation so here you can see the operation location on my back

and here you can see the stitched.  The operation scare is about 5cms long

On Wednesday I go to my doctors surgery and they will remove the stitches.

I will write again when I have more to report.

Much has happened

Hello everyone!

I was still in so much pain that on Tuesday 26th June Teres drove me back to Gällivare A&E.  AS we were driving to Gällivare I received a telephone call from the specialist hospital in Sunderby near Lulea, saying that they had just seen my MRI scans and that I was a priority one patient and must get to Sunderby as a soon as possible to be operated on.  Sunderby is three hours drive away and we explained that we were on the way to Gällivare A&E, so transport from Gällivare to Sunderby was arranged by the hospitals for the following morning.

When I arrived at Sunderby I was met by the doctor who would do my operation and he showed me my scans, explained that I had two slipped disks; one that had ruptured and one that was pressing on a nerve.  He said I was very lucky that during the last three months the nerve had not been severely damaged.

They could not understand why Gallivare had waited so long before doing an MRI scan and referring me to Sunderby. They were even more concerned that for one month I had been given exercises to do by the physiotherapist that could have resulted in nerve damage!!

My operation was planned for the same evening (Wednesday) but due to an emergency it had to wait until 7am the next morning.

The operation went very well and I came home yesterday.  The doctors were very pleased that I have complete feeling and use of my left leg again and the only pain I have is of course in the area where they operated.

I had taken some pieces of leather and my leather sewing kit with me so I had something to do while in hospital

I will put up a picture of the completed bag soon.