LIFE AT THE CLINIC

To give you a feel for what it was like staying at the clinic, there are around 25 beds, plus guest rooms for friends or family to stay in (or they can be accommodated at one of the nearby guesthouses). Although there were a few German patients when I was there, most of them came from Australia and the US, with a few from the UK plus others from Vietnam, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa and eastern Europe. Everyone I met had secondary cancer, but within that there were people there at all levels of health.


The layout was comfortable and homely, with several lounges and garden areas, and a TV room, communal computer and library. There was a cafeteria for meals with a wide choice of food, always including salads and lots of fresh fruit, and tables for 4 or 5 people, so mealtimes were sociable and friendly. There was a gym (which I used a few times) and a billiards table (which I didn't, but I rather fancy for a future visit!)

Front entrance of the clinic

View from my room over the garden

The village of Bad Salzhausen exists because of its mineral waters - thermal baths and medicinal springs - which are set in beautiful parks, surrounded by forest and agricultural countryside. It's quiet and peaceful, having a population of just 500, but in the summer weekly concerts are held with lots of (mainly elderly) visitors.

Monthly market on the main street

Brass band, complete with lederhosen

Fabulous cake in a village cafe

The pretty nearby town of Nidda, a pleasant 20-minute walk away, made a nice change of scene, and I went there several times to hang out at one of the Italian cafes, browse in the shops, or go for dinner with other patients. 

Nidda town square

Succumbing to gelato, with fellow patient Linda

Rainbow over the cornfields on the way to Nidda

Life in the clinic was pretty sociable. Most people were accompanied by a partner, friend or relative for at least some of the time, and the atmosphere was supportive, positive and open-minded. Although I'd been a bit wary about hearing other people's stories, or talking about illness all the time, in case it became overwhelming or depressing, in fact I found it extremely reassuring and supportive to be amongst people who had all been through similar experiences and reactions to mine. It was challenging at times, and sometimes humbling, but listening to other people, and articulating things myself, helped me to clarify things and to process some of the implications of my situation. In particular, I realised just how lucky I've been in tolerating chemo so well, and to be in a good overall state of health at the moment. It spurred me to start exercising again, not so much because I feel I "should" as because I feel lucky to have the energy and strength, and I want to maintain that as much as I can. The experience of being at the clinic was quite intense in many ways, but I returned home feeling significantly more positive and emotionally grounded. 

TREATMENT AT THE HERZOG CLINIC

In July and August I spent 3 weeks at this private clinic in Bad Salzhausen, a little spa village about an hour northeast of Frankfurt. The clinic offers integrative oncology, which involves conventional medical approaches alongside hyperthermia (heat) treatment - the hyperthermia not only damages tumour cells but also makes chemo more effective. I had regional hyperthermia every other day, which involved lying down under a plastic plate directing short radio waves into the liver - it heats the internal tissue but not the skin, and felt pleasantly warm, a bit like a hot water bottle and quite relaxing. The clinic also uses other new technologies like oxygen and ozone therapy (which help to inhibit tumour growth) and magnetic field therapy (which improves metabolism), and naturopathic treatments including intravenous infusions of vitamin B, vitamin C, and homeopathic remedies to stimulate the immune system and improve detoxification. I also had regular reflexology and back massages, which was lovely.


In order to make the infusions easier I had a port fitted - this is a permanent device implanted under the skin a couple of inches below the collarbone, which is connected to a catheter in one of the veins so that when the skin is pierced by a special needle infusions can be given, or blood samples taken, very easily. There's a small bump visible under the skin but it's fairly unobtrusive. The device was inserted under local anaesthetic at the hospital in the nearby town of Giessen, and although I was a bit sore and bruised for a few days after, it's healed up nicely and the scar is beginning to fade. And it's great having no more needle bruises in my wrists and arms!


In terms of chemo, the improvements seen in the spring were levelling off, and the toxicity was building up (usually people only have 6-8 cycles, whereas I'd had 9), so Dr Herzog decided to change tactics. I therefore had a procedure called chemoembolisation, where chemotherapy drugs are injected directly into the liver via the hepatic artery, and are kept in place by a temporary blocking of the artery so that they work on the tumour cells as long as possible. The advantages of this method are that a higher concentration of drugs can be used; they are targeted directly onto tumour cells; and because they're not circulated around the whole body (as happens with systemic chemo) the side-effects on the immune system (and the gut, and the hair follicles, and the other organs) are far lower. The procedure was carried out at Frankfurt University Hospital under local anaesthetic, and I was able to watch the large-screen monitor showing all the blood vessels, which I found fascinating (and helpfully distracting!). I was kept under observation for several hours afterwards, and felt pretty rough for  the rest of the day, but recovered quickly - helped by a lot of detoxing infusions. 


I felt very good on this combination of treatments, and returned to the UK feeling significantly healthier and more energetic. My morale was also lifted hugely by my hair beginning to grow again, meaning that I could have the thin wispy ends cut off and a new short style - it may be vanity but it's much easier to feel good when you look better!