The Swiss Front 2020

The Long Swiss Hospital Tour I
21.09.20 - 05.02.2021

ACTUAL OUTCOME 2020 / 21

Before I start with this chapter I want to thank all my friends and family members for the active and passive support given to me and Nancy (it was very hard for her!), during this trying time. Accommodation became a pressing issue because of my failing state of health. All budget targets came crashing down due to unexpected expenses. The needless prolonged fight over my Health Insurance Card, resulting in my heart-attack and a vastly prolonged stay in various hospitals. The No Show (forfeiting all costs like tickets, Corona tests, etc.) to our planned flight home, due to an emerging fresh medical emergency on the way to the ZRH airport, brought us at our limits. Therefore help with accommodation was really highly appreciated and in Corona times certainly not a given!

To the Hospital in Baden I give Thumbs DOWN for to the unacceptable attitude, by no means by the nursing staff and doctors, but by the top administration of this institute!

After the flight via Brussels and Frankfurt we landed in Zurich where I took possession of the rental car and drove to our Apartment Hotel in Spreitenbach. I noticed than that my strength is leaving me and I just made it to the room. The next morning I could no more get out of the bed and had a major problem with my bladder. To check on the condition on my prostate was a goal on this trip. It seemed that I just bypassed the planned visit to the urologist. 144 took care of the transport albeit at a fee of CHF 1'000-- for the 10 min. trip to the Hospital in Baden! My wive was forced to make a CHF 3'000.-- deposit for admittance. The problem was that I had no chance to go to the city hall to report my return to Switzerland and thus could not finish the application for the Health Insurance (mandatory for Swiss Citizens). I got an opportunity to leave the Hospital for my registration, by a friendly hospital staff, at the city hall (which has to be visited in person even when dead sick!). After I also finally got the papers from my home town Basel, my son, could complete the Health Care application and we got the Insurance Card, the object of desire by the hospital authority (it took 4 weeks!). My live as "Selbstzahler" or as a dubious patient ended. In the meantime I suffered a heart attack as a result of the undo stress (1st in my live!) This also after I was 2 times sent home and dismissed as healed, together with the inserted Catheter, all the tubes, urine bags and the just survived heart attack. Again re admitted (144) at another the charge of CHF 1'000.-- after yet another emergency not recognized and attended to by the Baden Hospital!

Since we where unable to manage the situation in our apartment, I decided to seek a solution with Social Security but got utterly frustrated by bureaucracy and indifference. Oliver brought me than to the Triemli Hospital where I got examined and after convincing the Doctor that I was "dead-sick", I was transferred to the Waid Spital (free of charge) and finally admitted. That was the first time I felt somehow secure and taken care of. t took than a long time to fix all the damage. The heart became a prime concern but because of a severe septic the "heart pacer" could not be implanted and surgery of the bladder and removal of the gall bladder had to be postponed.

I was sent to The REHA Clinic in Seewis (Graubünden) where I got very competent and friendly attention (Dr. med. RU Irina Elayashi) in a very pleasant surrounding. Thumbs & Toes UP The septic and the bugs in the bladder was taken care of and after 4 weeks I was returned to the Waidspital where I got the "PACER" implanted by Dr. Tobias Höfflinghaus (Leitender Arzt, Leiter Kardiologie, Stadtspital Waid) a very competent and helpful man!. After the emergency on the way to the airport I went to the Waid Spital and was transferred to the Triemlispital to check the bladder problem and finally sent home. Still pending bladder and gall bladder problem to be taken care of in June / July 2021.