August 1st, 2025

Today is Swiss National Day… but it’s also the birthday of my colleague Marco, a long-time friend from Zurich, and of Kaspar, a former workmate with whom, along with his wife, we’ve kept in close contact over the years.

Last night, I headed to the Federal Square, where the city of Bern had organised a big public celebration, complete with DJ, stalls, and entertainment. But the real highlight of the evening was the return to the stage, after 15 years away! of the legendary group Sens Unik, freshly reunited. Their first concert in Bern came as a real surprise for a Romandy-based group! Sens Unik enjoyed major success in the 90s and 2000s with their Rap/Hip-Hop style and charismatic frontman Carlos Leal, who is also known for his acting career. A brilliant concert, full of energy and a beautiful evening altogether.

This morning, 1st August, Switzerland woke up to a shock: Mr Trump has decided to impose 39% tariffs on Swiss products… A disaster for our industry! By comparison, the EU is only subject to 15%. Still, this bad news didn’t stop me from embracing tradition: I took Deniz to a countryside brunch in Krattigen, a lovely little village perched above Lake Thun. A great chance for him to experience the feel of our national day. We shared the brunch with a couple of former colleagues I had worked with for more than 30 years, a warm and simple moment.

As mentioned in my previous blog post, I had an MRI scan on my foot last week. The only unpleasant part of the procedure is the deafening noise of the machine. Luckily, I had headphones with music, which helped me drift off a bit during the 45 minutes of the scan, despite the background racket.

I also saw the gastroenterologist again for a gastroscopy. It’s less unpleasant than a colonoscopy and was done under sedation, thanks to dear Propofol, that dangerously effective anaesthetic that has been used in all my foot surgeries. The result: nothing to report. No inflammation, no abnormalities. The doctor prescribed a powder to mix with water and drink before meals. And, miracle of miracles, it’s the first medication that’s actually had a truly positive effect on my digestion! The only remaining concern is my gallbladder, so I’ll be having further tests with my GP.

As for orthopaedics, I went back to my surgeon for a check-up and some X-rays. No major changes visible, but a 3D CT scan is planned for the end of August to get a more detailed view of my foot. The surgeon is increasingly leaning towards an ankle arthrodesis with the insertion of a nail.

Lastly, I also returned to the neurologist, who took the time to explain my MRI results in great detail. Two things might explain the ongoing pain: during the accident, the fibula was also fractured, and a nerve bundle passes very close to the fracture site. It’s possible that the edge of the break irritated this bundle. In the foot itself, as suspected, the multiple surgeries have had consequences and appear to be “trapping” certain nerves. He performed another electromyogram on a nerve at the back of my ankle, again, nothing abnormal showed up. In summary, these pains are likely to be temporary and should ease or disappear if we manage to realign the foot with the leg.

And to end on a lighter note: last week I surprised Rita-Maria with an apéro at a place she hadn’t been to before, the gorgeous rooftop terrace of the Hotel Bern (https://www.hotelbern.ch/en/gastronomy/attika-bar/). We enjoyed one of the best views over the city, despite the gloomy weather.

And our garden is still rewarding us with a bounty of vegetables!