Hi, dear friends, if I haven't gotten back to you by name, its not
because I don't love you, its because I'm still plagued by pain and
weakness. I just wanted to add a few things to think about when going
to Germany. Remember they speak German and the idea that "everyone
speaks English" is wrong, so take an English/German dictionary. Also
take someone to care for you. I had both my husband and mother and
needed them both, my surgery was almost six hours and Dr. Kruchinski
does not give comforting morphine drips like I'm used to here. But I
need to get away from all those pills anyway, so as a concept its good.
It's just hard. They make everything as easy for you as possible, with
his nurse available to help you and lodging provided right across the
street from a great little market. My husband LOVED the food there,
especially at the hospital where they fed my whole family. Unfortunately
(not at the hospital) but in the entire rest of the country, everybody
smokes cigarettes. I'm not used to this in California, its illegal in
public places here. So if you have allergies, be prepared to spend a
lot of time on the wonderful river Mein next to the lodging where there
is a bike path and fresh air, and ducks and swans. I changed money
before I left the U>S>A> but you can also change it there, though if you
do it in advance its one less thing to worry about. You need to put a
coin deposit down for grocery market carts, but its refundable, which we
never figured out til the last day, so I'm sure the kids loved us.
Enough "ramblings" for now. I wish you all luck in your pursuit of a
life with no pain. Love, Sally