Monthly Archives: February 2010

scars & shoes

This week I’ve had a bit too much to do and too many responsibilities for someone who is still recovering from a surgery. So the knee has been very painful for a few days and more swollen than is was last week. It’s nothing too serious, I think, but it just reminds me that I should be taking it very easy at this point and it’s for a reason that I’m officially on sick leave. I’m quite fed up with the crutches and to try to take care of any matter with them is starting to get on my nerves. But it’s hopefully only another week with them and then I’ll see how I manage without… The metal ‘stitches’ were taken out on Wednesday and this is how my beautiful leg looks like now.

polvi2

Today I was a bit adventurous and went to visit the Vero Moda store to see if they had the new ‘Very’ collection in Kuopio. Well, they had a few items but of course not the ones I was interested in. I got really fed up with Kuopio because it’s practically impossible to find the kind of shoes & clothes that I like here. Well, not completely impossible, but pretty much. I have no idea when I can wear high heel shoes again but luckily, the Finsk shoes I had ordered online arrived today. They are truly amazing, beautiful and feel very good on the foot. But, the right shoe feels a bit big and I’m a bit concerned about that. I have to try these beauties on again tomorrow and make up my mind whether I can wear them or do I have to return them – which I don’t want to do! What do you think? Should I keep or return them???

Thanks to these big shoe brands now even people who suffer from underpronation can get perfect fitting shoes instead of adjusting in the same old regular shoes.

Finsk 1

Finsk 2

Finsk 3

After the long grey socks I’ve gotten back to knitting. My daughter insisted that I knit these ‘leg warmers’ (have no idea how they are called in English) for her. She absolutely loves them and wears them day and night.
säärystin1

säärystin2

säärystin3

I’ve never knitted anything like this before but I had to try this when I saw the instruction in one magazine. They are very comfy!

kämmekäs1

kämmekäs2

I’m making sushi now and wishing you all a lovely weekend!

Johanna

 

 

knee surgery

So finally, my left knee was operated last week. According to the surgeon, Hannu Miettinen, everything went very well. In the surgery, a ‘new’ ACL was reconstructed from my left thigh muscles. I was about two hours in anesthesia and one night in the hospital. I have one longer cut and 4 smaller ones around the knee and it’s been pretty painful. The knee has been all swollen, I’ve had to keep it up as much as possible and put ice on it several times a day. Next morning after the surgery, physiotherapist Paavo Parviainen gave me instructions for the upcoming weeks how to ‘exercise’ the knee. The exercises are very simple, small movements – but very painful to do after the surgery! The aim of the first two-three weeks is to be able to straighten the knee and to be able to bend it 90 degrees. It’s been a week from the surgery now and I’m pretty much able to do that, just not fully straighten the knee. But I hope I’ll get there soon. I’ll be walking at least a few more weeks with the crutches…

Here are a few images of my knee before the surgery, from MRI. I’m not an expert but you cannot see the ACL at all because it was completely detached.
mri

Waiting for the surgery in lovely pink hospital trousers…
in the hospital

Here a couple of images taken during the surgery by Hannu Miettinen….
leikkaus 1 leikkaus 2 leikkaus 3 leikkaus 4 leikkaus 5

Going home…
in the hospital2

At home…keeping the knee up
after the surgery

Supporting letter from my daughter….

letter

Opening the bandages three days after the surgery…

after the surgery2

after the surgery3

after the surgery4

after the surgery5

Seeing the metal ‘stitches’ for the first time….

after the surgery6

after the surgery6

At the moment the knee is less swollen than in those images but the ‘stitches’ are not taken out until next Wednesday.

Johanna

So, the date of my knee operation is confirmed. In less than a week it’s going to operated and I’ll finally know what kind of damage exactly happened in the third Acts of Clothing performance in November. I feel relieved but also a bit frightened. Depending what needs to be done in order to fix the knee, also determines the length of the recovering process.
The other really terrifying thing is that I have so much work to do and I don’t understand how will I be able to meet all the deadlines and complete all the mandatory work related things in just a few days before going into the surgery. Arghhh…

On Thursday I spoke in a seminar focusing on cultural management and producing cultural events In Jyväskylä. It was really inspiring and exciting and we had a very good conversation in the end. There were many students who study arts management and they were so sweet with their questions. Yesterday I also met Kaisa who will start working with me on ANTI Festival in April. I’m so much looking forward to that! I think we’ll make a good team.

Last week in Helsinki was also very very inspiring. It was simply great to be on the course focusing on international touring and look at the different requirements and aspects of it. I was also inspired by the many conversations among colleagues and it was great to sense the feeling of common concerns, aims and visions. The days were very full, besides the course I had arranged meetings with several collaborators and managed to see some work as well.
Iiris Autio, the managing director of Tero Saarinen company and Suzanne Bilodeau from Cinars:

Cinars

Whilst in Helsinki, I also quickly popped in Asuna and in Minna Parikka’s boutique with Maija. And I didn’t buy anything! The shoes I fancied didn’t fit my foot at all and in Asuna the trousers I fell in love with were soooooo expensive that I managed to stay sane and keep my credit card in the wallet. Yesterday I visited the lovely Minzi store in Jyväskylä and didn’t buy anything either. They had some great shoes (but not the right size) and inspiring 2OR+YYAT clothes but they were not really my style. I wish they’ve had the new collection of Finsk shoes but they hadn’t arrived as yet… And that was probably very good as I won’t be able to wear super high heels for a while after the knee operation.

Johanna