May 31st, 2023

Today, I went back to the hospital. The staples and stitches were removed, and I was fitted with a new cast, as the swelling in my foot had gone down. However, the scars are inflamed, and I’ve been told to see a wound care specialist on Monday. In the meantime, I’m continuing the antibiotics and all the other prescribed medications. In a month, I’ll be back for another CT scan.

It’s also a day worth noticing: my health insurer, KPT, finally responded! Three weeks later, I received a very generic reply. Of course, it’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have used the chat feature, which apparently isn’t meant for emergencies, even though a “doctor” (probably a virtual one 😉) did reply, and I most likely called the wrong number. They also reproach me for not having sent any emails, although I must have sent around ten! Not a word about coverage, compensation, or any form of acknowledgment for the lack of support. As for Head Office, they still haven’t responded to my registered letter. The KPT saga continues…

Back to Deniz’s story: the first six months in the orthopaedic ward are now behind him, and the Lindenhof Clinic has offered to keep him on, this time in the surgery department. The team spirit among his colleagues is excellent. They often meet outside work to share meals, and Deniz feels truly at home. The work is also more interesting and varied.

Sadly, the owner of his flat, who had lung cancer, passed away. Deniz was deeply affected, as they had become quite close. Her death raised once again the question of housing.

My mother, who follows Deniz’s journey from a distance, lives alone in a large house with a big garden. At 93, she offered Deniz a room in the attic that she no longer uses, a solution that suits everyone.

The final step before starting his training: a C1-level German test. I find this requirement completely over the top, especially since that level is normally needed for university-level study. At a time when Switzerland, like its neighbours, is suffering from a severe shortage of healthcare staff, it’s hard to understand. After the COVID crisis, medical staff received a wave of public and media support. In Switzerland, a law was even passed to encourage training in the care professions. And yet, we still put up these kinds of barriers…