85-1
KK/yk
Professor emeritus Alf Brodal
Anatomical Institute
University of Oslo
Karl Johans gate 47
Oslo 1, Norway 4 May 1985
Dear Alf,
Spring has come here, and in Oslo it will start from 17th of May. We hope that
you have recovered from lumbar hernia and adenoma, and also that Inger is well.
Two months ago, Okayama University offered me a chair of Neuroanatomy after
Professor K. Niimi. It took me sometime to finally decide to move from Morioka.
Because our lab has now installed to do transplantation work in the cerebellum.
I have been here twelve years; teaching duty for macroanatomy and dissection
every year is very hard, particularly after the age of 50 (I am just 50 now),
when one decided to go into the new field (a sort of neurobiology). I need much
more time for reading in addition to experiments than I have it here. A great
deal of information emerge every week in coming journals. In Okayama, I can use
more time for research and the climate is mild, although very hot in summer, and
good for Takakofs health who has chronic nephritis as you may know.
Okayama is located 150 km west to Osaka. Academic milieux is certainly better
than here. We will move in the end of July.
Takako and Yoko are also fine. Takako works 2-3 days in a week in a private
hospital. Yoko is now thirteen and belongs to the swimming club in her
middle-school, just the starting age of independent in thinking and behaviour.
As for me, I may say that I stand at present in a transition zone between the
axonal transport work and regeneration study: writing HRP papers doing
translation and tissue culture experiments.
We all sincerely hope that your health-conditions getting better and better as
it becomes milder in spring.
With kind wishes and warm greetings to Inger and to yourself from three of us.
Yours,
(Koki Kawamura)
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85-2
June 9th, 1985
Dear Koki,
Thank you so much for your letter of 4th May, telling us that you are going to
move to Okayama University. According to what you tell, you will get better
opportunities for research than you have at present, and since the climate is
also better for Takako, I understand your decision very well. You must of course
count with some special difficulties in changing your gmilieuh, but these will
probably be transient. We hope to hear from you when you are settled in your new
place, and to get the new address.
As to ourselves we are experiencing how it is to get old, but after all, we
manage. My lumber disc protrusion does not trouble me very much, except that I
cannot do heavy work, lifting suitcases etc. as before. I may not have told you
before, that in September 1983 Inger was operated on for a rectal carcinoma. She
recovered well after the operation, but in February this year a control
examination showed there to be a metastatic module in the right lung and in the
liver. There have so far not given any local symptoms, but Inger is often very
tired and needs to rest. Of course this sets certain limitations to our
activities, but on the whole we lead a rather normal life, and try to keep
physically fit, also to make excursions by car and walking trips. The garden, of
course does not receive the same attention as it did formerly. All the children
and grandchildren are well, and we see them quite often. At the institute work
is going as usual. With a very slow pace I am now busy with examining the group
in the rat and to see if this, as in the monkey (but not in the cat) projects to
the cerebellum (particularly the uvula). So far the situation appears to
resemble that in the monkey.
In case you are having a chance for a trip to Europe, we hope you will be able
to make a detour to Norway. I wonder whether you are planning to take part in
the international congress in London this fall?
With our best wishes for Takako, Yoko and yourself.
Yours,
Inger and Alf
Fred and Per send their best regards.
@
85-3
24 July 1985
Dear Alf,
Thank you for your kind letter of June 9th. I am sorry that I have not been able
to write you earlier. Takako and I very often speak about Inger and you, your
hospitality shown to us while we stayed in Oslo. We are sad and sorry to hear
the status presence of dear Inger. We feel very close to you. But geographical
distance is different. Immediately we could fly to you with roses.
In reality, we are occupied with preparation for moving to Okayama (date is
17-20th of August). We will not visit London for the Anatomistfs Congress (12-16
/ Aug f85).
My new address from the middle of August is:
Office: Department of Anatomy
Okayama University
Medical School
Okayama 700, Japan
(Tel 0862-23-7151)
Home: 107-7 Akoda
Okayama 700
Japan
Here I am enclosing a picture of Takako and Yoko, taken about 1 1/2-2 years ago,
found in a drawer of my office.
With our best, best wishes and warm greetings to Inger and yourself, and your
children and grand-children.
Yours, as ever
Takako and Koki and Yoko
June 9th, 1985
Dear Koki,
Thank you so much for your letter of 4th May, telling us that you are going to
move to Okayama University. According to what you tell, you will get better
opportunities for research than you have at present, and since the climate is
also better for Takako, I understand your decision very well. You must of course
count with some special difficulties in changing your gmilieuh, but these will
probably be transient. We hope to hear from you when you are settled in your new
place, and to get the new address.
As to ourselves we are experiencing how it is to get old, but after all, we
manage. My lumber disc protrusion does not trouble me very much, except that I
cannot do heavy work, lifting suitcases etc. as before. I may not have told you
before, that in September 1983 Inger was operated on for a rectal carcinoma. She
recovered well after the operation, but in February this year a control
examination showed there to be a metastatic module in the right lung and in the
liver. There have so far not given any local symptoms, but Inger is often very
tired and needs to rest. Of course this sets certain limitations to our
activities, but on the whole we lead a rather normal life, and try to keep
physically fit, also to make excursions by car and walking trips. The garden, of
course does not receive the same attention as it did formerly. All the children
and grandchildren are well, and we see them quite often. At the institute work
is going as usual. With a very slow pace I am now busy with examining the group
in the rat and to see if this, as in the monkey (but not in the cat) projects to
the cerebellum (particularly the uvula). So far the situation appears to
resemble that in the monkey.
In case you are having a chance for a trip to Europe, we hope you will be able
to make a detour to Norway. I wonder whether you are planning to take part in
the international congress in London this fall?
With our best wishes for Takako, Yoko and yourself.
Yours,
Inger and Alf
Fred and Per send their best regards.
@
85-4
Bl.holm Sept. 15, 1985
Dear Koki,
I am sorry that it has taken so long for me to reply to your letter of July
24th. But the last months have been very difficult time, because mainly of
Ingerfs illness. Following a depressive period, she turned into a moderate
maniac phase, and I got quite worn out by taking care of everything and in
addition to function permanently as a psychiatric nurse. Three weeks ago Inger
was admitted to a mental hospital. In addition to her psychic disturbance there
are changes of a general deterioration of her mental functions, with
disorientation and defective reasoning powers. To what extent this may be caused
by cerebral metastases or is only a general reduction of brain functions is not
yet clear, but presumably she cannot any more manage alone or even with my
assistance, the more so since I have just heard that my prostatic cancer, which
has so far been quiet has now spread to the skeleton with several smaller
metastases. Probably this may be halted for some time with hormone treatment,
but how long this will last, is impossible to know.
As you will understand the situation is as present rather gloomy. It has been
good to experience that our children have all the time been very helpful and
understanding.
I am sorry to tell you these rather sad news. But of course, in our age one has
to expect such things and to take them as they come.
We hope you will find the moving to Okayama and improvement and that both your
scientific activity and your private life will be satisfactory. We are looking
forward to hear from you when you are fully established in your new settings.
Inger and I often think of you all three, whom we consider some of our best
friends.
With our best wishes to you, Takako and Yoko from yours as ever
Inger and Alf
@
85-5
2/Oct. f85
Dear Alf, and Inger
Thank you for your kind letter of Sept.15th. We feel very sad to hear that you
have been unhealthy, even though the life is not always happy. Because you have
been very kind and thoughtful, Takako, Yoko and I have many splendid, beautiful
memory on Prestasen. I remember very well the first meeting with you in a
conference-room in Leningrad Congress in 1970, the second at Forneby.
Supported by your kind help and education and encouragement, I have been able to
continue the work on the cerebellum as well as in other field.
Very often we think of, and speak of you. You both, like roses, music,
paintingsc, Oslo fijord, lakes and snow and the spring. Three of us want to
visit you again Oslo, we say very often. As for myself, I wish to take an
occasion to visit Europe; main purpose being to see you. Please take the best
care of yourself.
Yours as ever,
Takako and Koki and Yoko
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