December 23rd, 2025

On Monday morning, the week began with a now familiar ritual: Professor Krause’s visit. As always, he arrived calm and precise, carefully examined the scar that continues to be somewhat uncooperative, and then changed the bandage. His assessment was clear: the wound is not yet healing as expected. Nothing alarming, but unpredictable enough to warrant close monitoring.

Nevertheless, and this was the good news of the day, he made an important decision: to discharge me. Returning home was therefore authorised as early as Monday afternoon. A small victory, certainly, but one accompanied by clearly defined conditions. A stubborn scar is not something to be taken lightly.

The SPITEX home care service will now attend twice a day. In the morning, they will check the wound and change the bandage; in the evening, they will do the same, along with administering an injection of Clexane, an anticoagulant used to prevent thrombosis. This is a task I am very happy to leave to professionals; self-injection is clearly not my new hobby. At each visit, photographs are taken so that Professor Krause can monitor the progress of the scar remotely.

Once the green light was given, I began packing my bag before being taken to the plaster room, where a new cast was applied. In the meantime, a nurse brought me the discharge documents: the detailed medical report of my stay, as well as the prescriptions for an impressive collection of medications. I also received a letter for the insurance company so that taxi transport would be covered, my driving skills will have to wait a little longer.

After lunch at the hospital, around 1 p.m., Urs, my mother’s neighbour, came to collect me. I said goodbye to the nursing staff, whose attentiveness and kindness had once again been exemplary. On the way home, we stopped briefly at the pharmacy to collect the medications and bandages. Then, at last, I arrived home, with the added bonus of the post that had accumulated during my absence.

Once my bag was unpacked, I rested and waited for the evening visit from SPITEX for the injection and dressing check. The nurse knew the hospital where I had spent the past week very well: she had worked there for many years and was therefore familiar with most of the doctors who had cared for me in recent days. The medical world can sometimes be surprisingly small.

At this stage, there was some good news: the wound was less irritated and dripping far less than before, which was clearly an encouraging sign. After taking my medication, slightly different from what I had received in hospital, I went to bed. One of the painkillers proved particularly effective: I fell asleep quickly and slept deeply, almost as if my pain had agreed to a ceasefire for the night.

This morning began calmly. Coffee, medication, and then waiting for SPITEX to arrive. At around 9.30 a.m., a nurse accompanied by a trainee examined the scar. This time, it had started to drip more noticeably again. The photographs were taken and the dressing changed. A wound care specialist will visit this evening for a more detailed assessment.

I then wrote an email to Professor Krause, attaching the photographs he had requested. After that, I lay down again, with one simple goal for the rest of the day: a shower later on… everything in its own time.

At around 8:00 p.m., the visit from SPITEX marks a new chapter in the day. Bandage change, prophylactic injection to prevent thrombosis, the routine is now well established. This time, the intervention is carried out by a nurse specialised in wound care. Her assessment is clear and direct: the progress of the scar is not satisfactory. Based on her clinical evaluation, an infection is highly likely, and flushing of the wound should be considered.

For the time being, she opts for a conservative approach: the application of a silver-based bandage. A perfectly sound therapeutic choice and, given the steadily rising price of silver, I am almost tempted to keep the bandage once it has served its purpose. If it does not shine, one can at least hope that its antiseptic properties will do their job.

Tomorrow morning, following the next SPITEX visit and the taking of new photographs of the scar, all images will be sent to Professor Krause. He will then be able to assess the situation and decide on the next steps.