Smiles From The Inside Out

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Retired

So...15 months are we were selected to be the 2006-2007 GSE Team for District 5150...we completed our final presentation.

My team also shared dinner this week with the 2007-2008 GSE Team headed to Japan in a few short weeks. They are a fantastic team...it was pure pleasure to watch them squirm in their seats with curiosity and anticipation just as we were about 10 months ago! They seem to be starting off with a nice, strong bond with each other.


So, with the passing of the torch, the final presentation...here is my final farewell to my uniform!

It was a nice run...

Back to normal...

Almost...

I am home (with all my luggage!) and I am trying to return to normal. I will go to work in just a few short minutes...should be an interesting day!

I am working with my photos and will post them here very soon!

Perhaps I will keep blogging beyond this GSE project...what do you think?

I have nothing to wear...

It is a quick flight from Frankfurt to Hamburg (59 minutes to be exact) and Lufthansa managed to lose my luggage between Frankfurt and Hamburg.

I was so impressed with the baggage handling center when we visited and toured the Frankfurt Airport and that impression has disappeared.

Damn...this sucks.

It's a good thing I am in Denmark with good friends who don't care if I wear the same jeans for three days in a row.

Oh...and another thing...I had too much luggage for an internal flight in Germany and they made me pay 50 Euro before I let them take my bag so they could lose it.

Jerks.

The end?

Ok...it is hitting me.

Today was the last program day and I am sad.

I will always treasure this time here learning more about Germany.

The country is beautiful and the people are even more beautiful.

I will miss you Deutschland...

Homeward Bound

Almost done...

Less than week left...

Six days from today, from this very moment, I will be headed back to my beloved SF, the City By The Bay, my beautiful Golden State.

I have loved it here in Germany...very, very much...but I can feel the countdown to return home.

The official program ends on Friday and last night was the last Rotary Club presentation and the last time we wore our uniforms. Sniff, sniff...

If I did not have such a wonderful family, special friends and a beautiful place to call home, I would be sad. But I am excited to see my friends, family and my favorite walking trails.

I am looking forward to seeing the SF skyline from my United Airlines window seat....

I will update again a couple more times, but just wanted you to know I am eager to see you soon!!

Having a heart attack in Germany

Remember the place I told you about called Bad Wildegun? The spa place where we had the district conference???

Well, there is more to that place than I knew when I was there...

Today we visited a cardiac hospital ward. This place was quite interesting, there are big and obvious differences in the hospitals at home and the hospitals in Germany.

First of all and most notable was that the MD's are super, super friendly here. They talk to people in the hallways, a patient stopped one to ask directions and the MD showing us around politely and humoursly answered the patients question and carried on with us.These two MD's were big shots and had every reason to be far too busy and not spend time with us. One is the Dean of the University Professors and another guy was the Chief of Cardiology. They share the nurses station often having breakfast together while discussing cases. The MD's at home are super ego-maniacs and this was quite refreshing to see the MD to Nurse comraderies that are so evident here.

Some other things are quite different, wide open windows in patient rooms, things in the hallways like decorations and odd things that don't need to be there collecting dust/germs and creating hazardous situations in an emergency, we could take photos if we wanted to (confidentiality, what???), the drugs are not locked up, the nurses were wearing Birkenstocks with open toes and socks and closed toe shoes with no socks. Odd....

Ok, back to Bad Wildegun...when you have a heart problem in Germany, you are sent directly to the ICU, then you go to an intermediate care unit, then in the US you would be sent home rather quickly to have your friends and family care for you and hope for no pain or wound infections. Here in Germany, you go to the spa for three weeks.

No shit...the spa for three weeks. Just like the place in Bad Wildegun. When a town's name begins with the word "Bad" which means bath in German it means you are in a healing place designed to improve health. These places like the Sonoma Mission Inn or Calistoga or Napa and are mixed use for healthy people and also for people who just want to relax and feel better. When your doctor sends you here, it is paid for by your insurance.

Let me say that again...IT IS PAID FOR BY YOUR INSURANCE!! Your three week spa visit is paid for by inusrance.

Seriously, a cardiac surgeon does not ever discharge someone to their home. They either go to the spa or possibly if they are not well enough to go to the spa yet, they will go back to a smaller hospital for a couple more days until they are strong enough to endure spa treatments.

I am not sure having a heart attack is worth it, but right about now I would take a three week paid spa visit for almost anything.

Oh well, there is always winning the Lottery...and that will be a lot less painful than having a heart attack.