Munichmaedchen

Red Saturday

Nope I am not talking about a communist invasion. I am talking about tomatoes. I am up to my eyeballs with the red and yellow fruit I harvested from my garden. Today I am gonna can the Beefsteak tomatoes and learn how to make salsa from the little cherry and yellow pear tomatoes. Somehow I also remember a recipe from my grandma for marmalade involving tomatoes - I think it was called 3-fruit marmalade. I have to dig in my recipes, maybe I find it and yes, then I will post it - worth trying , I remember that it tasted great. For dinner, I will have Caprese Salad: Sliced tomatoes, basil leaves from the garden and fresh mozarella stacked up on a plate like the colors of the Italian flag. Pour a dressing made of olive oil, salt, pepper, balsamico and a trace of lemon over it. Tastes awsome to grilled fish, poultry or meat or by itself. Happy tomato day, y'all!

Lake Tahoe - Da Ow A Ga

To bridge my recovery of surgery to the first day of work, we spent some awsome days and nights at Lake Tahoe. I never understood why people living here nearby the Pacific Ocean were ranting and raving about their vacations at a lake. Now I do. Lake Tahoe is truly a treat and yes, please let's keep it as blue as it is.
We stayed on the south shore of the lake where our little hotel surprised us with a scenic, private beach. Although we were only walking minutes away from the downtown hustle and bustle around the Heavenly Ski and Summer Sports Resort of South Lake Tahoe, it was quiet and tranquil.
 
Every evening, we walked from South Lake Tahoe in California over to the casinos in Nevada. The gambling paradise literally starts an inch away from the stateline. It's hilarious. Yes, we got infected by the gambling virus and no, I did not win but had broken even when I walked out. Clay made about hundred Dollars.
Don't I look here like transformed into the past of 1920? At least I felt that way on this porch. My friends know how much I like visiting the locations of movies. Therefore I had to explore the Tallac historic site with its three gorgeous estates. A copy of the script for Til' the River Runs Dry', better known as A Place Called Home signed by Ann-Margret is showcased on site. This visit was definitely one of my highlights and the free admission to the site with gorgeous views to the lake was an additional perk.
The past is still alive on many places at Lake Tahoe. Our next stop led us to breathtaking Emerald Bay where Vikingsholm Castle waits for the tourists to either visit per ship or climbing down a narrow trail. The teahouse of the estate is located on the little Fannette Island but no tea is served anymore. Btw. I did not fiddle with the colors of the below picture - Emerald Bay is that emerald. I skipped the interior of Vikingsholm and the tourist crowds but spend more time just sitting on a rock and taking in this gem of mother nature. I am not able to express the deep gratitude and joy I felt there for being able to see this and being alive and in good health. Places like that are my churches where I feel a higher power surrounding me.
The northwest shore of Lake Tahoe is as beautiful as the southeast. It is more serene and the population definitely mainly consists of old and new money with a few alternative holistic healers mixed into.
Another movie location waited for me here: Fleur de Lac was one of the sites for Godfather 2. The biggest little city in the world was the next stop on our journey.
I so wanted to meet the cops from Reno 911 and waited for them at the arch downtown. Did I meet them? What happens in Reno, stays in Reno.

THE END

Basque Restaurant

Basque Restaurant
Originally uploaded by Munichmaedchen.

We had lunch at the Basque Restaurant in our tranquil neighborhood of San Juan Bautista where more roosters and chicken cross the street than people. I love the little town, not just the gorgeous mission along the original historic El Camino Real. I always call San Juan Bautista, "the Carmel without tourists."

I strongly recommend to order the various tapas for lunch at the Basque restaurant, maybe with a salad with homemade dressing. The iced peach tree is not from this world. Enjoy having a meal in Basque red and yellow colors with Paco de Lucia guitar music playing in the background and a couple of old men talking about the Bilbao and San Sebastian soccer teams on the table next to you in Vasco,  a strange language that seems to melt Spanish, Portugese and Greek into one.

Happy Birthday Sis!

I can't believe my sister Susanne turns 52 today because this means that I will turn 50 on October 8, holy moly.

No Cancer

No Cancer, Tumor classified as benign, 7 days after surgery
Originally uploaded by Munichmaedchen.

I received my final verdict today: the tumor that had been removed together with the left side of my thyroid got classified as benign - no cancer. This means that I can keep the right side of my thyroid and won't have to take pills for the rest of my life.

My surgeon removed the stitches today. Nature will heal the rest. I am off the hook.

Rest in Peace ...

and see you on the other side, Greg. You will stay in my heart as one of the first in California making me feel welcome on my new work place with your smile, helping me to get settled in my classes and my job and the brand new life as a fresh off the boat immigrant in the USA, almost nine years ago.

The Frankenstein Look

The Frankenstein look after Surgery
Originally uploaded by Munichmaedchen.

Maybe I can create a new fashion trend with my fresh scar on the neck that lets me look like one of Frankenstein's monsters. For Halloween unfortunately, it is too early. Yesterday they took my left thyroid lobe out. The surgery went well, I am kicking. The lab they did during surgery could not 100% exclude the possibility of cancer cells being in the nodule. In one week I will know whether I have to go in again or not, My surgeon thinks that it is very unlikely. So we will see. For now I am just glad I have it behind me. I shot this picture right after I woke up from surgery. The nurses just shook their head. I had to stay in hospital for one night but am at home now.

US Healthcare

May 6, 2009:
During a routine check up at the Gilroy Kaiser Permanente facility, I mentioned to my primary care physician Dr. Lisa Yu that since I had lost a considerable amount of weight lately, I had noticed a swelling on my neck. She checked it out and made an appointment with an endocrinologist for ultrasound. I did not have to ask for it nor did I have to fill in paperwork.

May 18, 2009:

Endocrinologist Dr. Patricia B. Kan performed a biopsy on the same day I had my ultrasound appointment with her although it was not scheduled. Within three days she called me and let me know that the large nodule that affects my breathing cannot be excluded of being cancer and should be removed.  She encouraged me to seek a second opinion and scheduled an appointment with head neck surgeon Dr. Jason Biller, again without me having to ask for it or complete additional paperwork.

June 1, 2009:
Head neck surgeon Dr. Biller performs additional tests and explains the surgery, its risk and the fact that the lab test performed during surgery will decide whether or not I will lose half or all of my thyroid gland and what the impact in both cases would be. He helps me scheduling surgery early August as this is the best time for me to leave work for quite a while.

July 22nd:

Pre-operation appointment at Dr. Biller's for the surgery scheduled on August 5, including assistance with finalizing paperwork and hospital registration and "what not to wear or eat or drink". I was also able to walk through the hospital and meet additional staff involved in my surgery and hospital overniter.

August 5th:
Surgery scheduled in the morning as well as my stay in the hospital.

I was able to reach my doctors per my online account from day one and received responses within 24 hours after any request I had.

This is my latest experience with US healthcare.  I am grateful for being in the hands of this very knowledgeable and helpful team of doctors I found in Gilroy and the Santa Teresa Hospital. I feel heard and taken care of.

I never had faster and better medical service in the 41 years I enjoyed government controlled health care in Germany. My all inclusive co-payment for hospital and doctor visits of $ 30 in total is about 100 Euros minimum or more lower as the one I would have to pay for a government sponsored hospital trip in Germany.

These are my two cents as far as the health care reform is concerned. Unlike those you hear on the news channels, I have experience in both systems. Yes, there are things that need to be improved and no, not the entire system is bad ... in both countries. In both systems I had really negative experiences in emergency rooms and costs I'd rather did not expect having to pay as a health insured patient. However, I doubt that Canada or any European country would have been able to shorten or even match the above timeline for this surgery, the thoroughness of diagnosis or the more than great way to communicate my concerns to my physicians.