Some 8 years ago I was on mountain rescue training; in my special alert rescue teem. I was subsiding down from a 50m high cliff, when my gear broke and I was free-falling down the cliff. For rescuing myself I grabbed my line (rope) as hard as I could, with my bare hands (I must confess it was not very professional of me).

By doing this I could save myself from a major mayhem.

 

The result was 2nd and 3rd degree burns of both hands.

 

In the ER I was told:

I could as well forget my planned trip 4 months later to Mount Mckinley (Denali).

I could kiss my rescue team goodbye and would have disabled hands for the rest of my life, due to the burn reaching the joints on some of my fingers.

 

My mother had heard about a lady living in north Iceland, some kind of a witch who could make a miracle balm. And that it  healed burns. I was ready to try everything, in order to get on my mountain journey. I discussed this with my doctors and they did not expect much, but did not oppose this.

 

Thuridur sent me the balm immediately, and I used it on my wounds twice daily for the next month. To make a long story short, I could join my expedition. My  hands did not hurt, and I have almost no scars after this.

My ability to move my fingers is the same I had before my accident and this is something that my doctors did not expect.

After this incident I was hired to the fire brigade in the Reykjavik area, where I worked as a fireman and a first aid person on the rescue team. I am a professional diver, so I am also rescuing people in water.

I am in the International ruin rescue team of Iceland and for example I went to Algeria for assisting after the earth quake in 2003.

 

This injury has not prevented me from doing what I want to do and I am heading for further mountain climbs.

 

When I review what my doctors told me at first, there is no doubt in my mind about that the balm saved my hands, and made it possible for me to prosper and live my life.

 

I sincerely thank Þuríður for everything!

Haukur Grönli

Fireman

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