I am home from our recent visit to our son living in Switzerland. When I look at all the gorgeous pictures, I still have a big smile on my face. Some highlights...My son played his violin for me! My daughter in law(Rina's) family made a very special meal for us that included a paella from her uncles region of France and a very special Japanese Soufflé baked in a water bath...it took 4 of us to carefully lift it out of its waterbacth so it wouldn't fall. Oh brother it was fancy...I barely manage to bake brownies for my dinner guests so this was very much appreciated. They also served was an abundance of fruit (pomegranates!) and the finest Swiss Chocolate. Speaking of Swiss Chocolate, we visiting the most delicious museum that I have ever been to! The Lindt Chocolate Museum in Zurich. So interesting to learn about the process and how it has been around for hundreds of years as a bitter drink...but smooth melted chocolate wasn't discovered until late ...I literally acted like a kid in a candy shop when we were given one each of every flavor of those wrapped round balls of Lindt chocolates.
Another big highlight for us was going to the top of the Jungfrau which is the highest point in Europe...the new Eiger Express Gondola takes only 15 min and remarkable shaves 47 min off the previous cog railway train to the top..This new gondola carries up to 26 people all in a glass bubble with tremendous views of the Swiss Alps as you are whisked up up 6.5 km with only 7 support pillars on the way up. At the top, the remarkable Swiss Engineers have built a building that houses an Ice Palace, restaurants and amazing outdoor viewing platforms.
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Thanks so much Jackie-my feet held up pretty well for that window.. and currently back to blistery feet. My onc let me drop down to 2000 mg Cape/ day and luckly my heavy travel days were both on my week off. I
I have been very blessed by great timing … I did catch a nasty coughing bug.. and visited a Swiss Doctor- hotel fixed me up…when I was in Grindelwald which was fascinating.. nice young man who spoke very good English… they didn’t think antibiotics needed but gave me cough and dryig up meds… saved me a trip to find a pharmacy.. all for under $100! Swiss francs about equal these days.. good value!
I’m trying.. but dealing with the HFS from Cape… and awaiting the effects of spread to liver snd tummy is a source of anxiety… which is the understatement of the century… but I try not to let the worry of the future wreck my pretty normal “now” as I am grateful for like bowels still functioning and pain thst is managed without opioids and especially being able to ride my ebike. I can’t be sad that I can’t do as much as before.
please tell me what health insurance you buy!! I have to go to geneve to visit a friend. I am worried about health insurance as I have heard with meta it’s complicated. I am a US citizen. Thank you for sharing these wonderful details!! You are also my inspiration😻😻😻😻
I am not sure how good the insurance is as I didn’t get sick and use it but it is called 1cover travel insurance… I don’t know how to send a link… but should be easy to google. Good luck!
Goodness! Funny you should say that as last yesr, I did actually get high by accident eating a few squares of what I thought was ordinary choc in my 30 year old daughter’s refrigerator after a long day of medical appts… it was THC choc! A lot of THC! About 30 min later while driving through the tunnel in Boston I was high as a kite… and thought I was passing out! I called my family and begsn trouble shooting… reaction to the flu shot I just had? Carbon monoxide poisoning perhaps? And then I said very softly “I feel drugged”… my Molly then barked at me. “MUM!Did you eat anything in my refrigerator?!” Oh dear! I did this to myself snd I was driving! I pulled over and my family drive up to rescue me. It was the absolute worst experience of my life as I wasn’t a drug user in my youth snd had not ever experience Bed Spins. Oh brother that was not fun!
oh my goodness! Thank goodness they were able to come to help you lol. I bet they won’t let you forget that story in a hurry 😁 I can imagine though that it was very a very off-putting experience for you !
Sounds alarming to have the effects hit you by surprise on the Boston highways ... but this is also a pretty hilarious story!!! You can bet it will be re-told over family dinner tables for a long time 🤣🤣
What a wonderful trip! I could feel your enthusiasm and joy all through your post! I am so happy for you and your son and the in-laws - what an inspiration you are to your son and to all of us MBC’ers.!
thank you so much- it was kind of a miracle my feet held up! One tip that worked for me was that we stayed at a nice resort with gorgeous views and wrap around balconies to view the mountains-just in case I couldn’t walk much.. plus our lovely room came with 1 1/2 hrs per day of time in the spa! This was brilliant! They had such lovely facilities and I cycled thru the sweet pool, outdoor stainless steel hot tub, then various temperatures of various saunas and steam rooms. I found it very relaxing. Each day I would pick one outing into the mountains.. and come back to the spa and relax.. I have never relaxed on vacation before… usually I like to go go go.. but with blistering feet from cape.. i needed to pick out exactly what I most wanted to do.. one night we walked to the village for dinner.. but luckily the hotel had really great veg food so we only decided to leave the hotel for dinner once… and the hotel had the BEST breakfast with endless fresh cut up fruit, omlets, mimosa and hot choc ect!!! This becomes surprisingly important like it never has been ..(when you are a bit impaired from walking wherever you want to go this becomes really important to choose the facilities that are available in the hotel.. so that you don’t feel like you missing out on anything…It was a bit of a splurge but not that much more than an average hotel.. and so very worth it!
I remember going on a scary but wonderful gondola ride, high above the deep valleys, many years ago in the Swiss Alps!Such a beautiful place. My son will be doing a 2 week workaway (free board and food for part-time help) on a self-sustaining property next month!
Anyway your trip sounds really wonderful. I'm so glad that worked out for all of you!
He will be in a place near Zofingen. Not actually in the Alps I don't think. It's just run by a couple on their own property vs a farm, but it will be fun and in an isolated place with forest next door, and lovely views of alps. At the moment they are on a different 2 week stint on a property in Nth Germany near Oldenberg where the woman grows medicinal herbs and gives lectures and tours on permaculture. A great experience for my son and his gf, both just newly graduated from college
Wow, that sounds amazing! I'd love to go to Switzerland again, it's so beautiful. How is your HFS? I just read a study showing that voltages gel is both safe and effective at preventing it. Presumably it works after the fact too. Wish I'd known that when I was on capec!
Hi again! My HFS is bad just at the moment. I read that study and tried it BUT… it was not good for me with already hot sore feet… maybe better for newbies… but it had alcohol in the gel! So that was no good for me as it stung so I stopped right away. I foolishly went in a hot tub last week and think I am still suffering even though I have been a whole week off! I am in celebrex and the HFS is mediated through Cox 2 so is very helpful to keep me moving… what are you in now?
Oh celebrex should help, fingers crossed. After capecitabine failed I had paclitaxel for a bit then doxorubicin then now oral vinorelbine and finally seem to be getting a result 😊
I have good things about vanilla bean… glad for the good result… do you think swimming in a chlorine pool the other day could have brought on these hot red feet? I skipped restarting after week off and will wait to hear back from Dr… see if I can take an extra day of two. Usually after a eeek off I can walk more comfortably before starting up again.
Ouch! It's possible but I think that with many of these chemotherapy treatments the adverse side effects gradually accumulate. Hopefully your oncologist can either dose adjust or recommend something, particularly if the capecitabine is working well.
Sounds like a fabulous trip. So glad you had so much fun (and chocolate) and that you arrived safely back home. Hope you are feeling well, too, and that your HFS has lessened. Sending hugs and prayers.
I am doing ok. I have a week a month that I have nausea and extreme fatigue. Usually the first week of my meds. I have scan again July 6 so will see then. Always a bit of anxiety.
sounds like a wonderful trip! I was always amazed at the rail transportation in Zealand and Europe. We took the Euro train from London to France once right after it was built, too bad train travel is not as accessible in the US. We lived there in London for two years with only one car. We lived three blocks from the train station. Then we moved to the country. Glad you had the time to enjoy your son. Those moments are precious!
Sharon- how fab! Which tube station? Love London.. had a friend at Clapham common and visited my daughter when she exchanged to Westminster uni near Baker st. Those few years must have been so awesome!
They were awesome, thanks! The train to Paris left Waterloo. We were there for six and a half years, from 91-97. We lived in Ascot the last four and the RF would go right by our house in the open carriages the week of the races, which were this past week. I saw Diana and oh how I wish we were still there to see Kate, she and William are the best thing to happen to the RF! Have a good week!
What a great trip! Can you post some ofyour photos? I went thru the Alps on Eurail in 1987 and didn't take any pictures, so dumb of me, LOL! Oneof my two best travel days ever (other was on Glacier Bay on Alaska Cruise with Holland America). I don't know if this will help you, but you might try putting Vit E oil on your feet. Years ago one of my drs told me that Vit E oil helps surface tissue heal. I've had good luck with it. Also on incision sites as soon as stitches/staples out and that's really minimized scarring! I hope your feet feel better soon. I'm on cap and my hands are alot more tender than my feet. I've found finger gloves and white cotton gloves helpful. This cancer is sooo hard to live with!
I am sure I wrote a long appreciative response and now gone! Will try the vit E thank you so much! I will try to get some pics up.. not working on this thread… I think I will try to send a link to a YouTube with hubbys help when it isn’t 1239pm!
Another wonderful trip! I’m glad you were able to manage so many excursions, and spending time with family is precious. You gave us some good tips on traveling and how to cope with limited walking. I still hanker after a trip back to Scotland but walking is a must so I might just keep looking at photos. We’re off in our trailer tomorrow to Dosewallips on the Hood Canal for a few days. Loading the trailer has gone ok so this is our first trip in 3 years. Fingers crossed. Hope your blisters aren’t too painful and you find a remedy. Our dog hates a disruption of his routine and is not a happy camper but it’ll do us all good. Chris
it’s actually on the way to Port Townsend and the town is Brinnon. Dosewallips State park is lovely and we often wake to the elk grazing through our campsite. I tried to upload a photo but couldn’t do it. There’s a lovely waterfall nearby and you can pick oysters from the beach. Hope you can share some pictures when you have time. Chris
I'm so happy to hear about your wonderful adventures!! How lovely the special dinner you had with family sounds. How are you doing now with your hand/foot? I just got back from a trip to Disneyland with my daughter, husband and two grands. We walked about 8 to 12 miles per day, and got lucky a couple of the days it was cool with perfect weather, the other three days were a bit hot. My doctor had me take a second week off of Xeloda for all the walking and to be able to feel my best for the trip. No problems with my feet taking that second week off of Xeloda....I felt so good!! But had to start back on this last Friday night (end of the trip), darn!! Still feeling good though. It is interesting, my whole family caught a bad, bad cold while at Disney, I only got light sniffles that lasted 2 days. I guess some memory cells from my immune system must have kicked in? Anyway, happy to hear about your wonderful adventures!! Take care!!
so happy to hear about your Disney trip… so much walking! Amazing! Great idea to take one extra week off… my onc just asked me to take -4-5 more days off Cape cuz I sent him a pic of feet and was complaining.. after foolishly going on a hot tub! Don’t do that as my feet burned all night. Better now. Glad you system fought off the cold so well. Love to see a pic of you at Disney. Such a happy place! Would love to go again!
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