Between Hope and Homesickness - My First Weeks in Denmark February 27, 2024
Settling into my new Danish home has its highs and lows. The darkness is affecting me much more than I initially thought it would. It gets dark here so early... Strangely enough, the nights sometimes seem brighter than in Germany, but I still miss the daylight terribly.
The winter here shows its harshest side. We've had so much snow and it's incredibly cold. On the other hand, I have to admit that the house has a much calmer, more even warmth than I'm used to from Germany. A small comfort during this dark season.
Walks with Ebbi are my bright spot right now. I'm glad that at least I get out a bit and get some fresh air.
But as if that weren't enough, I have a new problem: there seems to be something wrong with my elbow, where I injured myself. I initially went to my GP, who practices at the hospital in Frederikshavn. I had hoped everything would go smoothly, but I was wrong! He referred me for an X-ray, which meant driving 40 km to Hjørring. After the examination, I was told there was nothing to see and that I must be mistaken.
But the next morning at 8:00 AM, the phone suddenly rang. A doctor explained to me that it was very important to come back—they wanted to do a CT scan. So there was something wrong after all! This time Michael drove me, because driving 40 km with only one functioning arm had been quite difficult for me the first time.
The CT apparently showed concerning results, because I was told that an MRI absolutely had to be done. I'll be getting an invitation for that. I'm waiting for it now.
In the meantime, I've improvised a splint for myself and taped up my elbow. At another visit to my GP, I asked for something for the inflammation and the pain. To my surprise, he said that what I'd done myself was professional enough—there was nothing more needed.
I have to be honest, I'm a bit disappointed by this casual approach to my injury. I'm used to things being handled differently in Germany. Right now I'm not particularly happy with the situation, and I feel a bit sad. Yes, sometimes I feel terribly alone here.
But I'm trying to stay positive. Hopefully the MRI will bring some clarity, and with each day it stays light a little bit longer. Spring will definitely come to Denmark too.
