July 9th, 2026

A long silence has settled over the blog since 7 June. It was not because I had forgotten about it, but simply because life took over for a while. Switzerland experienced an exceptional heatwave, with temperatures reaching as high as 35°C in Bern, while the River Aare warmed to 24°C. Perfect conditions for swimmers, far less so for gardeners, and certainly not for anyone wearing an orthopaedic boot.

Our vegetable garden suffered particularly badly. With my foot still immobilised, carrying a watering can is simply impossible. As for the garden hose, its use is prohibited because of drought restrictions. I must admit that I bent the rules ever so slightly, reasoning that with two crutches nobody was likely to criticise me for trying to save a few thirsty vegetables.

Despite these difficult conditions, the garden has rewarded us with plenty of satisfaction. Deniz harvested the first vegetables of the season. This year our vegetable patch is even more diverse than last year, with peas, cauliflower, beetroot, beans, fennel, cucumbers, aubergines, potatoes, cabbage, radishes, peppers, onions, Swiss chard, strawberries and many other crops. Everything has been grown naturally, without a single pesticide. We can therefore proudly claim to have a genuinely organic vegetable garden. The vegetables are bravely holding on, although the extreme heat and lack of water remind them every day that the summer of 2026 is showing them no mercy.

As for Deniz, the news could hardly be better. He has made a full recovery from his appendicitis operation and has returned to his placement in the geriatric ward. In August he will begin the next stage of his training in the psychiatry department. Seeing him regain his strength and energy has been a great relief.

The weekend of 13 June provided a particularly enjoyable break. Our Zurich motorcycle club, of which I have been a member for many years, celebrated its 40th anniversary in Murten. As this beautiful medieval town is only about twenty minutes from Bern, I had the pleasure of helping to organise part of the event.

On Saturday, the motorcyclists set off on a ride through the Swiss and French Jura. As I am unfortunately still unable to ride my motorcycle, I organised the group of participants who were not riding. We enjoyed a fascinating guided tour of Murten. This charming little town is celebrating the 550th anniversary of the famous Battle of Murten this year. In 1476, the Swiss Confederates won a decisive victory there over Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy (https://terapixelpanorama.ch/?l=en). Walking through the beautifully preserved streets of the old town, it is easy to imagine this important chapter of Swiss history. The past still seems to linger among the ancient ramparts and medieval façades.

Our excursion then continued with a boat trip across Lake Murten to the village of Praz. In the wonderful setting of Restaurant Bel Air, we enjoyed an excellent meal of freshly prepared perch fillets, one of the region's best known specialities.

Late in the afternoon we were reunited with the motorcyclists as they returned from their ride, and together we shared a wonderful anniversary dinner. Although I was unable to take part in the motorcycle tour this year, the weekend reminded me just how valuable these gatherings are. They bring friends together, celebrate a shared passion and, above all, prove that there is always more than one way to enjoy a motorcycle rally, even when your bike has to stay in the garage and you are still getting around in an orthopaedic boot.

For me personally, an important appointment awaits next week with my surgeon. I am hoping that I will finally be able to say goodbye to my famous VACOped boot. During this heatwave it has become nothing less than a portable oven. Its generous padding does an excellent job of retaining warmth as well. I sometimes think it could almost be certified as a portable sauna.

Beyond the physical discomfort, this long period of recovery has also taken its toll emotionally. I have been through what could best be described as a real low point. This is now the fourth summer in which the accident has continued to shape my life. At times it becomes difficult to maintain the same sense of optimism. That probably also explains why the blog has remained so quiet over the past few weeks. I sincerely hope that this difficult period is now drawing to a close and that the coming months will finally mark a fresh start.

My mother, now 95 years old, has also given me a few anxious moments. She has fallen twice in recent weeks, fortunately without suffering any serious injuries. For a long time, I had suggested that she wear an emergency alarm button on her wrist, similar to the one her sister used before she passed away. Like many people of her generation, she considered such a device unnecessary, complicated or simply superfluous. Then one night she fell and remained on the floor for quite some time, unable to call for help. That experience completely changed her perspective.

She finally accepted that such a system could provide her with greater security. I therefore installed a complete emergency alarm system consisting of a home base station, a wrist worn alarm button and a small pendant with an integrated loudspeaker and microphone. In an emergency, pressing the button automatically contacts a monitoring centre, which then calls the registered contacts one after another until someone answers. If she is near the base station or wearing the pendant, she can immediately speak to the person responding. I registered her two closest neighbours as well as myself as emergency contacts. Unfortunately, I do not live close to her, but simply knowing that help can quickly be arranged provides enormous peace of mind. At the age of 95, every new habit requires an effort, but some are unquestionably worth adopting.

Finally, one more delicate matter has occupied many of my thoughts. A doctor colleague believes there are valid grounds for taking legal action against the hospital because of the many complications I have experienced over the past few years, including the staphylococcal infection, the fractured tibia and the problems caused by the stitching of several surgical scars.

I sought advice from both my legal expenses insurer and my family doctor. Both recommended caution and do not believe that legal proceedings would currently be the best course of action, particularly because it would be extremely difficult to establish certain causal links.

There is, however, one point on which everyone agrees. The quality of some of the surgical sutures was clearly inadequate and resulted in complications that could most likely have been avoided. At this stage, an acknowledgement of what happened, together with a sincere letter of apology, would mean far more to me than a lengthy court case. After all, anyone can make a mistake. The important thing is having the courage to admit it. As for the surgeon responsible for those stitches... I would happily recommend a short sewing course. After all, legal proceedings will never give me back the mobility I once enjoyed.