September 16th, 2026
Two weeks ago, I had a visit from René, my fellow motorcyclist from Cologne, who now lives in Berlin. He came to stay with me for a week. René is not entirely innocent when it comes to my motorcycle adventures: a few years ago, he gave me the book that first inspired me to embark on a long motorcycle journey. You can read more about that under “About Me” on the homepage of this blog. It just goes to show that giving someone a book can sometimes have consequences you never quite anticipated!
His visit was also an excellent opportunity to put my new walking abilities to the test. After more than three years marked by operations, periods of immobilisation and various mobility aids, it was time to find out what my leg was actually capable of.
Our first test was Bern Zoo. We started cautiously with a visit there. The aim was not only to see the animals, but above all to find out whether I could once again walk a reasonable distance.
The result was very encouraging. I had no significant pain in my foot. My muscles, however, were quick to remind me that they had enjoyed more than three years of enforced holiday. They seemed rather less enthusiastic about suddenly being expected to return to work.
We also visited the Botanical Garden in Bern. It is perhaps nothing spectacular in the conventional tourist sense, but it is always fascinating to see such a diversity of plants, climates and landscapes brought together within a relatively small area.
Then came the real test. Since these first outings had gone so well and without pain, we decided to attempt something considerably more ambitious: a hike through the Areuse Gorge, from Noiraigue, at the foot of the Creux du Van, to Boudry, near Lake Neuchâtel. I had never done this magnificent walk before, although I had heard about it many times. The weather conditions were ideal, so we drove to Noiraigue and set off on foot towards Boudry.
The walk is relatively easy, but the surroundings are simply magnificent. The scenery, the gorge and the riverbed create a spectacular setting. Much to my surprise, everything went extremely well during the first part of the walk. Halfway through, we stopped for a well-deserved break at Restaurant La Truite (The Troute), near Champ du Moulin. Up to that point, I was feeling rather confident. Perhaps even a little too confident.
I had assumed that the second half would be easier. That turned out to be a slight error of judgement. The path follows the side of the gorge, climbing, descending, climbing again and then descending once more. In places it is narrow and, above all, there are numerous flights of steps. Going up steps is already less than ideal for me, but going down them is considerably more difficult. As my ankle is now fused, it can no longer move naturally with each step. In other words, this magnificent trail gradually turned into a sort of training course that I certainly had not ordered.
Eventually, we left the hiking trail and continued along the road. This was much easier, although tarmac obviously has considerably less charm than the Areuse Gorge. The road, however, had another surprise in store for us: it climbed towards the hills above Boudry. At least our efforts were rewarded with a superb view over Lake Neuchâtel and the Alps. But every climb generally comes with a descent. We therefore had to make our way back down towards the village, only to discover that the railway station where we were supposed to catch the train back to collect the car was located... up on the hillside, on the other side of the gorge. At that point, a sense of humour becomes a particularly useful quality.
We decided that intelligence was preferable to heroism. After a refreshing drink in the centre of the village, we took the bus up to the station. In total, we had walked more than 14 kilometres!
I was, of course, exhausted. After more than three years with very little physical activity, that was hardly surprising. But the important point was something else entirely: despite the distance and the sometimes demanding terrain, I had experienced virtually no pain in my foot.
For me, that was excellent news and, above all, an important milestone. After everything that has happened over the past few years, simply being able to walk 14 kilometres represents far more than completing a successful hike. It feels like regaining a small piece of freedom. The following day, the muscle aches did not take long to make themselves felt, reminding me that some of those muscles had not really been required to do any serious work for more than three years.
Last Sunday, I drove René to Basel Airport. Rather than returning directly to Bern, I continued on to Strasbourg and then Stuttgart, where I met up with some old friends.
The journey back to Switzerland was considerably less romantic. From the German Swiss border at Schaffhausen almost all the way to Bern, I had the impression that I was driving through one enormous traffic jam. Switzerland appears to have decided to renovate all its motorways simultaneously. This is undoubtedly excellent news for future generations. For today's motorists, however, it is primarily an excellent exercise in patience.
On Sunday, Deniz also returned from his holiday with his family in eastern Turkey. On Monday, he began his second year of training, armed with numerous resolutions and good intentions about how to improve his studies. It remains to be seen how many of these good intentions will survive everyday reality. Experience suggests that he is generally highly motivated when he returns from holiday!
He is also moving to a different department at the hospital. After geriatrics, he is now joining psychiatry. The work there is different, with the purely medical aspect sometimes less visible, but with an even greater emphasis on human relationships, listening and empathy. It is certainly not the easiest field, but it should be an extremely valuable experience as part of his training. In three months' time, he will return to college before moving on to another placement, this time in surgery.
As for me, my week began in a rather less spectacular fashion: an appointment with the dental hygienist. Everything was going reasonably well until she discovered an old filling that will have to be replaced next week. After spending so much time in doctors' surgeries and hospitals over the past few years, I would quite happily have left my teeth alone. Unfortunately, they appear to have decided that they, too, would like to join the renovation programme.
On Tuesday, I went to see my mother and brought her the gifts Deniz had brought back with him: several different teas and some baklava.
Then it was my motorcycle's turn to receive some attention. After more than three years during which it has remained almost completely unused, a thorough service has become essential. Among other things, the various fluids need to be replaced, particularly the brake fluid. Over time, brake fluid absorbs moisture, which can reduce braking performance. Honda also needs to replace a component as part of a manufacturer scheduled intervention.
After my foot, my teeth and now my motorcycle, September seems to have become the month of general maintenance. And to round things off, I have an appointment with the ophthalmologist in two weeks' time.
Wednesday, however, was the real highlight of the week: my follow up appointment with Professor Krause. As usual, the consultation began with X rays. After all the operations, complications and months of immobilisation, these images have taken on a particular significance. They no longer show me only bones, plates and screws. To me, they now tell the story of more than three years of my life.
Then came the follow up consultation with the professor. This time, after everything I had been through to reach this point, I was particularly eager to hear what the images would reveal... The appointment began with the questions that have now become almost routine: “Are you in any pain?” For once, I was able to give a simple answer: no. After everything that has happened over the past few years, being able to give such a short answer already feels like a small victory in itself.
I did, however, mention an ongoing problem with the scar. Since the operation at the end of last year, this area has never really stopped causing difficulties. It remains particularly sensitive and painful to the touch. For the time being, I protect it with a dressing to prevent irritation caused by my sock rubbing against it. Prof. Krause advised me to continue doing this. He also prescribed a course of lymphatic drainage therapy. The aim is to reduce the swelling around the ankle, which can still become quite pronounced towards the end of the day.
The X ray also revealed another point that will need to be monitored. The lower part of the leg has an outward angle of approximately 10 degrees. This is not an issue requiring immediate intervention, but it is something that will need to be monitored over the longer term. My next appointment is scheduled for three months’ time. Overall, the surgeon seems satisfied with my progress. And after the medical journey of the past few years, hearing that there is nothing requiring urgent correction is excellent news.
But perhaps the nicest moment came as I was leaving the clinic. In the corridor, I happened to meet Dr Zimmermann, the senior consultant, Ms Pietropaulo, who has made an almost countless number of casts for me over the years, as well as Dr Flückiger.
They were all smiling as they watched me walking freely, without crutches, without an orthosis and without any other walking aid. Their reaction was spontaneous and genuine. After seeing me for so long immobilised, wearing various supports or dependent on some form of assistance to get around, they could finally see me simply… walking. That brief moment in the corridor touched me deeply. Beyond their medical expertise, I was once again reminded of the empathy and genuine human commitment they have shown throughout this long journey.
After all these years, all those operations and all the devices that have accompanied my leg along the way, walking out of a medical clinic on my own two feet feels, in the end, quite extraordinary!
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