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| 'Vis' |
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| BlueLine ferry: Regina del Pace |
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| Capuccino ('Ancona') |
Thanks again to Koji and Mari for a delightful experience on their boat 'Temari'!
Friday, 26 October 2012
Sailing (the end)
Thanks again to Koji and Mari for a delightful experience on their boat 'Temari'!
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Sailing (cont-2)
The last leg of our cruise together was just a 2.5hrs trip from 'Trogir' to 'Split'.
I would liked to have continued 2 more days with Koji & Mari to 'Hvar' and 'Lastovo', but it is a bit cumbersome to get back from there to Split, where I will have to catch the nightferry to 'Ancona'. So in order to keep it relaxed and easy for all of us, I decided to leave "Temari" here in 'Split' on today (Sunday), visit Split (on Monday) and maybe an outlying island like 'Vis' on Tuesday before sailing for 'Ancona' on Tuesday night. But tonight we'll have a farewell dinner together somewhere in town.
I would liked to have continued 2 more days with Koji & Mari to 'Hvar' and 'Lastovo', but it is a bit cumbersome to get back from there to Split, where I will have to catch the nightferry to 'Ancona'. So in order to keep it relaxed and easy for all of us, I decided to leave "Temari" here in 'Split' on today (Sunday), visit Split (on Monday) and maybe an outlying island like 'Vis' on Tuesday before sailing for 'Ancona' on Tuesday night. But tonight we'll have a farewell dinner together somewhere in town.
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appproaching Spilt |
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Split |
Sailing (cont-1)
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Krka Falls and National Park |
Friday then brought us back to 'Sibenik' a lovely medieval town we just had passed on the way to 'Skradin'. 'Sibenik' is famous for its catherdal.
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Catheral at Sibenik |
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Early morning departure from Sibenik |
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Trogir
A 6 hours cruise then brought us to 'Trogir', another medieval town (an UNESO world heritage site) with many narrow alleys paved with cobblestone, where we stayed Saturday night. Mari (again!) cooked an outstanding dinner after already had prepared an excellent lunch (Soba).
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Soba lunch
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Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Sailing in Croatia
Yacht "Temari"
Last Sunday (14.Oct) I met Mari & Koji in Ancona. I had been invited by my Japanese friends already a couple of years back, when they told me that after retiring they wanted to cruise 'around the world'.
Koji & Mari
I had met Koji in the early 90's in Hakuba, while trying to paraglide there. I've visited them many times and they have taken me to different sites around Japan; once Koji also visited us in our 'farmhouse' in Ottikon.
After crossing the Adriatic sea we entered Croatia near 'Veli Rat', where we stayed for a night before proceeding to Zadar for another night. Today we cruised further southwards via 'Sibenik' to 'Skradin'.
Sibenik
Skradin
Saturday, 15 September 2012
European PG Championships 2012 in St.André (FRA)
.... and the winner is:
Women: Nicole Fedele (IT) - congratulations, very well done!!!
Results can be found by clicking the link and then 'Overall Results, Women'.
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
left eye -treatment
HERE you can find the previous post regarding this subject.
In the meantime already half of the treatments have been done at the PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut) in 'Villigen'.
With this mask, my eye is fixed, the eyelids are kept open by small clips
Overview: 'irradiation postion'; the protons are produced/ accelerated in a cyclotron in a seperate room/ building on the right side of this picture.
Approximately 'my view' (I'm just closer). You can see the copper waver, with a hole in the form of my tumor.
Through this hole the protons are beamed. At the 3-o'clock position of the waver there is a small light (yellow point). This point is calculated for every patient individually according the position of his tumor. The light can be rotated around and the light moved further in or out. This light I have to fix for the approx. 30 seconds of the irradiation.
The irradiation cannot be seen, smelt nor felt. Just a muted sound indicates the beginning / end of the treatment.
After the treatment you are not supposed to leave the areal of the PSI for approx. 20minutes. As you have become a little radio-active, an alarm would be activated at exit...
After the treatment you are not supposed to leave the areal of the PSI for approx. 20minutes. As you have become a little radio-active, an alarm would be activated at exit...
So far I have not (yet ?) detected any side effects; also the vision of my left eye is not (yet ?) impaired. The tumor will only change slowly over time; only in a few months the effect of the treatment can also actually be seen...
Friday, 3 August 2012
Italian Ladies Champion 2012: Nicole Fedele
Nicole Fedele (IT) kindly put my name on her new glider (Niviuk Icepeak 6) with which she became Italian Ladies Champion last week at the 2012 Italian PG championships in 'Bassano del Grappa'.
Results here: Final Results Ladies
So even if I'm personally unable to fly, at least my name is up in the sky and 'doing great things'...
And of course I'm hoping she'll continue to make great flights - next up are the European championships in France in September or maybe a new record in Quixada (BRA) this autumn?
Results here: Final Results Ladies
!!!! Congratulations !!!!
So even if I'm personally unable to fly, at least my name is up in the sky and 'doing great things'...
And of course I'm hoping she'll continue to make great flights - next up are the European championships in France in September or maybe a new record in Quixada (BRA) this autumn?
Thursday, 2 August 2012
...airborne again...
Exaclty 1 week ago (26.July) I had the chance to get airborne with a friend of mine (Moritz S.). In the early morning I drove to 'Montrichier' on the southern foothills of the 'Jura' (250kms/ 3hrs). Luckily I had chosen the near perfect day with cloudbase > 3000m, so we have been able to climb to the legal ceiling of 3050m.
According to Moritz, this has been one of his best days in the Jura in many years. After 3.5hsr flighttime we had been back in 'Montrichier'...
'le Pont'
showers over France
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Canada -Houseboating for 2 weeks with Ruth
I think that I have mentioned earlier (after my accident) that I still wanted to do our planned houseboat trip to Canada (on the Trent-Severn-Waterway). So on June 21st we departed for Toronto...
Instead of doing 3 weeks on the boat we cut it short by one week, mostly because of my left shoulder, where I could see no progress and I wanted to return to therapy earlier than originally planned.
So we got home on July 8th (instead of July 15th).
Weatherwise we had been quite lucky: just 2 days with some rain (we needed our raingear just once) and nice temperatures, whereas back home in Switzerland it was mostly rainy...
So have a look at the pictures!
Saturday, 9 June 2012
my left eye (cont...)
I'm making reference to an earlier blog http://flyhigh-flysafe.blogspot.ch/2012/01/my-left-eye-cont.html about my left eye.
On January 4th I've been visiting Prof. Zografos (THE eye cancer authority here in CH) in 'Lausanne' a first time. My left eye was examined thorougly and a (malign) melanoma was confirmed; what could not be confirmed at that time was if it was growing or not. A further examination was scheduled for April 4th - which for obvious reasons had to be cancelled later on. So I visited 'Lausanne' again on June 4th. By that time ultasound examiation (unfortunately) clearly showed a growth of that melanoma...
So what now?
- Doing nothing and let the melanoma grow certainly is no option.
- A procedure (surgically removing the melanoma) would almost certainly result in the loss of my visibility, if not in the loss of my left eye - so no real option either.
- Treatment:
I'm now scheduled for a treatment with 'proton rays' at the PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut in 'Villigen') in August. Here on 5 conecutive days the cancer will then be irrradiated.
Pros / Cons:
- there is a 10% chance that the cancer has/ will produce "offshoots"...
- < 2% probability of loosing the eye..
- < 2% probability the the melanoma will regrow...
- it will be quite probable that I'll have eye cataract sooner than later (but that can be treated!).
Otherwise my rehab progesses well (but slowly); but at least I'm able to walk without crutches...
On January 4th I've been visiting Prof. Zografos (THE eye cancer authority here in CH) in 'Lausanne' a first time. My left eye was examined thorougly and a (malign) melanoma was confirmed; what could not be confirmed at that time was if it was growing or not. A further examination was scheduled for April 4th - which for obvious reasons had to be cancelled later on. So I visited 'Lausanne' again on June 4th. By that time ultasound examiation (unfortunately) clearly showed a growth of that melanoma...
So what now?
- Doing nothing and let the melanoma grow certainly is no option.
- A procedure (surgically removing the melanoma) would almost certainly result in the loss of my visibility, if not in the loss of my left eye - so no real option either.
- Treatment:
I'm now scheduled for a treatment with 'proton rays' at the PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut in 'Villigen') in August. Here on 5 conecutive days the cancer will then be irrradiated.
Pros / Cons:
- there is a 10% chance that the cancer has/ will produce "offshoots"...
- < 2% probability of loosing the eye..
- < 2% probability the the melanoma will regrow...
- it will be quite probable that I'll have eye cataract sooner than later (but that can be treated!).
Otherwise my rehab progesses well (but slowly); but at least I'm able to walk without crutches...
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Thursday, 3 May 2012
progressing well and one more procedure...
In the meantime already 4 weeks have passed in Rehab here in 'Wald'.
I'm progressing well and just yesterday I was able for the first time to walk for a short distance while only using 1 (!) crutch. This is a huge step forward and certainly the highlight of this week, as it means I'll probably have the necessary 'autonomy' when I'll be returning home to manage (mostly) on my own.
On the down side: 2 screws in the plate with which my upper arm was repaired are a little to long and hinder the free movement of my left arm. So instead of going home directly on the 10th May; I'll be returning to 'Chur' in order to have this problem solved on the 11th.
So I'll be finally back home on FRI evening or SAT morning...
I'm progressing well and just yesterday I was able for the first time to walk for a short distance while only using 1 (!) crutch. This is a huge step forward and certainly the highlight of this week, as it means I'll probably have the necessary 'autonomy' when I'll be returning home to manage (mostly) on my own.
On the down side: 2 screws in the plate with which my upper arm was repaired are a little to long and hinder the free movement of my left arm. So instead of going home directly on the 10th May; I'll be returning to 'Chur' in order to have this problem solved on the 11th.
So I'll be finally back home on FRI evening or SAT morning...
Friday, 27 April 2012
"Hardware store"
Finally I've been able to get some xrays onto my laptop; it looks, as if I could have cleared out the hardware supply at the hospital in 'Chur' :-)
lumbar vertebrae 1-5
lumbar vertebrae 1-5
pelvis / left thigh
left shoulder joint
lumbar vertebrae 1-5
lumbar vertebrae 1-5
pelvis / left thigh
left shoulder joint
Saturday, 14 April 2012
7.3.12. 'Rescue sequence' (detailed account by 'Oli')
Sorry, for the time being only in German...
"Nach meiner Landung sah ich Dich etwa 300- 400m über Maran am Kreisen in der Thermik.
Danach schnallte ich mich los und begann den Schirm zusammenzupacken.
Als ich ein Zischen in der Luft hörte, drehte ich mich um und sah Dich in einer Spirale rund 30m über dem See. Ich schätzte die Spirale auf rund 20m/s. Optisch war sofort klar, dass es sich nicht um einen Piloten handelte, der mit einer Bodenspirale landen wollte. Dafür war der ROD (rate of descent) zu hoch und die Kappe zu stark gegen den Boden gerichtet.
Nach dem Aufschlag habe ich Dich am Himmel über Maran gesucht und erst da wurde mir klar, dass es sich um Dich handelte. Ich habe die Rettung angerufen, die aber schon verständigt worden ist und bin um den See gerannt.
Deine Position war etwa 50m vom Ufer weg, in der Nähe des Parkplatzes beim Bahnhof. Ich kam zu Dir auf den See raus und Maik und der Swiss F/A waren schon bei Dir.
Du warst bei Bewusstsein, konntest die Beine bewegen und die linke, eingeklemmte Schulter verursachte starke Schmerzen.
Auf dem Schnee konnte man den Abdruck sehen, den die Eintrittskante beim Aufschlag verursacht hatte.
Wir haben dann einfach versucht, Dich mit Reden bei Bewusstsein zu halten. Deine wiederholte Bitte, Dich auf den Rücken zu drehen und die Schulter so zu entlasten habe ich abgelehnt.
Das Risiko bezügl. Rücken war mir zu gross und Deine Lage auf der linken Seite wäre auch bei Bewusstlosigkeit fast ideal gewesen.
Nach einiger Zeit, ich schätze etwa 10min, kam das Krankenauto. Die beiden Retter entschlossen sich aber gegen eine Rettung, da ihnen das Risiko im Eis einzubrechen zu gross schien.
Ich lief zu Ihnen raus, um damit zu zeigen, dass das Eis hält und um Schwimmwesten oder Seil zu bekommen. Sie hatten aber nichts dabei und wollten nicht raus.
Beim um den See joggen hatte ich aber gehört, dass die Rega unterwegs ist und kam wieder zu Euch raus.
Kurz darauf hörten wir den Heli (Basis Samedan) und ich nahm den Schirm zusammen.
Der Helikopter landete auf dem Parkplatz und der Rettungssanitäter kam mit dem Arzt zu uns auf den See. Sie brachten allen Schwimmwesten mit und leisteten Dir erste Hilfe. Ich schnitt Dich vom Gurtzeug/ Schirm los und zusammen drehten wir Dich auf die Seite und hoben Dich auf die Vakuummatratze/ Bahre.
Die Regacrew entschied sich für eine Rettung mit der Winde und lud Dich danach auf dem Parkplatz in den Heli.
Ich brachte darauf Deine Ausrüstung ans Ufer, wo die Polizei bereit stand und sie beschlagnahmte.
Später musste ich auf den Posten, wo ich als Auskunftsperson befragt wurde und ein
Protokoll aufgenommen wurde.
Zuvor hatte ich noch Ruth per Telefon verständigt."
>> Vielen Dank Oli für die detaillierte Zusammenfassung!
Bemerkung meinerseits:
Vermutlich war es sogar gut, dass sich die 'Aroser' nicht aufs Eis gewagt haben und die Bergung der REGA überlassen haben; haben die REGA-Leute doch (vermutlich) die wesentlich grössere Erfahrung mit solch komplizierten Unfällen; auch hätte ein Trsp zu Fuss mit der Bahre ans Ufer (ausser Risiken) auch nicht wirklich etwas gebracht und von dort hätte mich die REGA dann ja eh übernehmen müssen, denn ein Trsp mit dem Sanitätsauto nach Chur dürfte wohl kaum zur Diskussion gestanden haben...
"Nach meiner Landung sah ich Dich etwa 300- 400m über Maran am Kreisen in der Thermik.
Danach schnallte ich mich los und begann den Schirm zusammenzupacken.
Als ich ein Zischen in der Luft hörte, drehte ich mich um und sah Dich in einer Spirale rund 30m über dem See. Ich schätzte die Spirale auf rund 20m/s. Optisch war sofort klar, dass es sich nicht um einen Piloten handelte, der mit einer Bodenspirale landen wollte. Dafür war der ROD (rate of descent) zu hoch und die Kappe zu stark gegen den Boden gerichtet.
Nach dem Aufschlag habe ich Dich am Himmel über Maran gesucht und erst da wurde mir klar, dass es sich um Dich handelte. Ich habe die Rettung angerufen, die aber schon verständigt worden ist und bin um den See gerannt.
Deine Position war etwa 50m vom Ufer weg, in der Nähe des Parkplatzes beim Bahnhof. Ich kam zu Dir auf den See raus und Maik und der Swiss F/A waren schon bei Dir.
Du warst bei Bewusstsein, konntest die Beine bewegen und die linke, eingeklemmte Schulter verursachte starke Schmerzen.
Auf dem Schnee konnte man den Abdruck sehen, den die Eintrittskante beim Aufschlag verursacht hatte.
Wir haben dann einfach versucht, Dich mit Reden bei Bewusstsein zu halten. Deine wiederholte Bitte, Dich auf den Rücken zu drehen und die Schulter so zu entlasten habe ich abgelehnt.
Das Risiko bezügl. Rücken war mir zu gross und Deine Lage auf der linken Seite wäre auch bei Bewusstlosigkeit fast ideal gewesen.
Nach einiger Zeit, ich schätze etwa 10min, kam das Krankenauto. Die beiden Retter entschlossen sich aber gegen eine Rettung, da ihnen das Risiko im Eis einzubrechen zu gross schien.
Ich lief zu Ihnen raus, um damit zu zeigen, dass das Eis hält und um Schwimmwesten oder Seil zu bekommen. Sie hatten aber nichts dabei und wollten nicht raus.
Beim um den See joggen hatte ich aber gehört, dass die Rega unterwegs ist und kam wieder zu Euch raus.
Kurz darauf hörten wir den Heli (Basis Samedan) und ich nahm den Schirm zusammen.
Der Helikopter landete auf dem Parkplatz und der Rettungssanitäter kam mit dem Arzt zu uns auf den See. Sie brachten allen Schwimmwesten mit und leisteten Dir erste Hilfe. Ich schnitt Dich vom Gurtzeug/ Schirm los und zusammen drehten wir Dich auf die Seite und hoben Dich auf die Vakuummatratze/ Bahre.
Die Regacrew entschied sich für eine Rettung mit der Winde und lud Dich danach auf dem Parkplatz in den Heli.
Ich brachte darauf Deine Ausrüstung ans Ufer, wo die Polizei bereit stand und sie beschlagnahmte.
Später musste ich auf den Posten, wo ich als Auskunftsperson befragt wurde und ein
Protokoll aufgenommen wurde.
Zuvor hatte ich noch Ruth per Telefon verständigt."
>> Vielen Dank Oli für die detaillierte Zusammenfassung!
Bemerkung meinerseits:
Vermutlich war es sogar gut, dass sich die 'Aroser' nicht aufs Eis gewagt haben und die Bergung der REGA überlassen haben; haben die REGA-Leute doch (vermutlich) die wesentlich grössere Erfahrung mit solch komplizierten Unfällen; auch hätte ein Trsp zu Fuss mit der Bahre ans Ufer (ausser Risiken) auch nicht wirklich etwas gebracht und von dort hätte mich die REGA dann ja eh übernehmen müssen, denn ein Trsp mit dem Sanitätsauto nach Chur dürfte wohl kaum zur Diskussion gestanden haben...
Friday, 13 April 2012
Résumé (so far)
The only thing I can say: I have been EXTREMELY fortunate!
Fortunate in EVERY aspect:
- that I'm not dead/ paralyzed/ drowned in the lake where I crashed (I 'was landed' on the partly frozen lake);
- that I crashed on snow and not on something harder;
- that the accident happened in Switzerland and not anywhere else: extremely experienced Medevac crew (Doctor, assistant, pilot);
- that Medevac arrived within 15minutes; only 12 minutes flight to the
hospital;
- that in that hospital they have a very experienced specialist for
vertebrae 'problems';
- that only my left side (arm/ leg) is affected (apart from my back), so
I can use my 'untouched' right side without restrictions in order to
help me move etc;
- that a very good friend of ours, himself a doctor, lives just 5
minutes from the hospital, so he visited almost every second evening and
was also able to help me understand what was going on ('medically
speaking') and help me take some decisions regarding where to go for
rehab etc
- lucky also that I was in 'Chur', so some of my friends from high
school have been able to visit;
- Rehab now is only a 40 minutes drive from home for Ruth;
Your big question most probably is: what happened?
I have to say that honestly I don't know!
Of course there is some speculation on my part as to what happened, but
it is only speculation!
I wanted to fly an (easy) spiral (3 or 4 turns) above the lake before
landing on the side of the lake.
During this spiral - I assume - I must have lost consciousness;
I didn't (re)act at all: no trying of getting out of the spiral, no
thought of throwing my reserve, no nothing...
And that is also the reason that most probably I'll stop flying -
because I don't have any explanation and therefore the same thing could
happen on my 'next' flight and I'd be none the wiser...
Further more (as I mentioned above) my guardian angel has been working
overtime and I have no intention to get him into the same situation any
time soon.
So I'll be here in rehab at least until April, 27th, then I don't know yet.
I'm hoping that by then I'll be able to handle 'normal lives chores' by
myself/ with only a minimum of assistance and can return home.
Fortunate in EVERY aspect:
- that I'm not dead/ paralyzed/ drowned in the lake where I crashed (I 'was landed' on the partly frozen lake);
- that I crashed on snow and not on something harder;
- that the accident happened in Switzerland and not anywhere else: extremely experienced Medevac crew (Doctor, assistant, pilot);
- that Medevac arrived within 15minutes; only 12 minutes flight to the
hospital;
- that in that hospital they have a very experienced specialist for
vertebrae 'problems';
- that only my left side (arm/ leg) is affected (apart from my back), so
I can use my 'untouched' right side without restrictions in order to
help me move etc;
- that a very good friend of ours, himself a doctor, lives just 5
minutes from the hospital, so he visited almost every second evening and
was also able to help me understand what was going on ('medically
speaking') and help me take some decisions regarding where to go for
rehab etc
- lucky also that I was in 'Chur', so some of my friends from high
school have been able to visit;
- Rehab now is only a 40 minutes drive from home for Ruth;
Your big question most probably is: what happened?
I have to say that honestly I don't know!
Of course there is some speculation on my part as to what happened, but
it is only speculation!
I wanted to fly an (easy) spiral (3 or 4 turns) above the lake before
landing on the side of the lake.
During this spiral - I assume - I must have lost consciousness;
I didn't (re)act at all: no trying of getting out of the spiral, no
thought of throwing my reserve, no nothing...
And that is also the reason that most probably I'll stop flying -
because I don't have any explanation and therefore the same thing could
happen on my 'next' flight and I'd be none the wiser...
Further more (as I mentioned above) my guardian angel has been working
overtime and I have no intention to get him into the same situation any
time soon.
So I'll be here in rehab at least until April, 27th, then I don't know yet.
I'm hoping that by then I'll be able to handle 'normal lives chores' by
myself/ with only a minimum of assistance and can return home.
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Wald
looking out of my room/ balconyBetween days with snow/ rain, a beautiful spring day here in Wald...
Yesterday (tuesday) therapies have started in earnest; best of all is the daily visit to the pool for 30 minutes - here my body can really relax freed of any weight!
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
G Force Trainer
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| G-Force Trainer |
In view of the most probable reason for my accident (black-out during spiral) I can only recommend to all PG pilots a training with the G Force Trainer in Malans...
Chur; Blick auf den CalandaSaturday, 24 March 2012
Arosa (7.3.2012) - last / final (?) flight
This is the "result" of my last PG-flight...
For reasons unknown/ unexplicable to me I entered a stable spirale dive and crashed onto the 'Obersee' with an estimated 10-20m/sec
I had to medevaced by REGA to 'Chur' (Kantonsspital) where in the following week 4 (!) emergency procedures had been necessary to fix all the broken bones, ribs and vertebraes.
Now, after > 3 weeks I'm still in the hospital, but I in a very stable state, much better than could have been expected by the initial multiple traumas...
What was broken/ damaged:
broken ribs left 2-10/ right 1
broken left arm/ leg
broken sternum (?)
broken: LWK 1-4 (instable)
I'm looking forward to Rehab and as a motivation for myself, I did not cancel/ postpone the planned houseboat trip in CDN with Ruth starting June 20th...
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