Max Bill-Platz, Oerlikon
OK. Let's cancel yesterday's post. The ripples aren't receding after all.
I went to the doctor today about my arm which had been hurting and which I couldn't raise very far. I've had it for about 6 weeks now, but I've tried not to let it affect me too much. I did a charity swim with it, I moved house with it (which probably did it no favours as it got worse afterwards), I transported lots of wine and food with it for my party (more on that later, maybe). So, I wasn't really treating it very well, but I couldn't avoid most of it. Anyway, when Yuen heard me reporting back to Rajashree that I felt my arm had got worse with the move, she suggested I get a doctor's appointment.
I acted upon this and, in true Swiss fashion, my doctor's appointment was for 08:45.
After examination, it turned out that I have a frozen shoulder and it will take up to 2 years to heal. Two years!! And my range of movement will probably get worse before it gets better. I mentioned that I was moving to Egypt and I was hoping to do a lot of swimming. Actually, (I didn't say this) being able to go swimming in the open air on a daily basis was a major reason for choosing Egypt and the location of my flat. And guess what the doctor said? Yes, that's right, she was concerned that, although exercise was a good thing, swimming may be too much and may hinder my recovery. Two years without swimming? Aaargh!
I went to Starbucks at Max Bill-Platz to get my head round things and guess what happened? Go on, have a guess...
Let's put things into context first.
I've had lots of miraculously good things happen in the six years that I've been in Switzerland.
When I first arrived, I accidentally left my laptop behind in a café in the main station. I didn't notice for three hours, returned in a panic at around 11pm, and it was still there.
And then there was the afternoon when I left my purse/bag on the tram. A woman travelled over an hour to my flat that evening just to hand it back to me, completely intact.
On another occasion, I left my bag on the tram on the way to the airport and so found myself without a passport for check-in. With Hye-Youn's help (thank you, Hye-Youn!), an announcement was put out on the trams, the bag located, and whisked back to the airport for me (again, completely intact).
Switzerland is not a place where things get stolen. I'm not the only person with stories like these. It's without a doubt a great country!
But today, in Starbucks, my purse got stolen. In Switzerland!
I managed to cancel all my cards. Fortunately, I still had money at Markus's, so I wasn't completely stuck. But if I want a replacement travel card (and I'm only here for another 13 days), it will cost me 30 CHF, if I want a replacement half-tax card giving me half-price travel, that will be another 30 CHF. I've put my bank account on temporary hold, but if I have to make it permanent and want a new card, that will be 40 CHF. And I have to explain to all these people that I have no fixed address.
Really, just how much can continue to go wrong... whoops, no, you'd better not answer that one...
As for my arm, well I've decided denial is the best policy. I'm sure I have only a mildly frozen shoulder and that actually gentle swimming every day will help. After all, my arm improved after the charity swim. I refuse to believe that I am moving over to Egypt and am not able to swim!
In my next life, I will be an ostrich.
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