Heading out to Switzerland

Sat 1st August
7.30pm - the deadline was set by text last night. To just a few close local friends, please join us for a goodbye drink. We'd have to have the car packed, and drinks would be in the bottle/can, or some leftover plastic cups from the treasure trail, to save on clearing up, but at least we could thank people for their support and have a catch up before leaving.

Normally, to go on holiday, we'd end up packing until midnight, but setting ourselves the slightly ridiculous task of being ready by 7.30pm, it actually meant we got to relax for a few hours, after the craziness of the last month, and before the next phase started.

Sunday 2nd August.
The Archers and Gormleys came to wave us off. 7.45am on a Sunday. That's dedication. Lovely to have such caring friends, and made all the more emotional to say goodbye.

The journey was fine with no delays, and the channel tunnel crossing saved a couple of hours compared to the ferry. The in-car DVD players made an entrance for the boys once we were on the continent and worked a treat. We arrived at Mettlach, just in Germany, at about 6pm. We'd packed a separate bag for the night so the car could stay packed up. A lovely wooded, quiet, safe area, meant a quick walk with the boys down a leafy lane, before some dinner in the dining area. Just a few locals propping up the bar, us (sitting outside much to their amusement - we thought it warm enough, they weren't convinced!) and the local drunk who insisted on scaring the living daylights out of Sam and Tobes by bringing his massive dog just a bit too close. It could almost have felt like a holiday if it weren't for thoughts turning to the reason for being there.

Monday 3rd August.
Breakfast and a shorter journey today - perhaps 4 or 5 hours in total, compared to yesterday's 9 hours. Until 9am anyway. That was when the PSI called to see if we could attnd an appointment later that day, rather than the one planned for the following morning. One of the children being treated was in hospital with an infection and they wanted to use the slot if at all possible. We calculated we could make it so agreed. We had hoped to arrive at the flat early afternoon, get some food in and get unpacked ready for the appointment the next day. Instead we bombed down the motorway, hit some horrible weather and traffic around Strasbourg and watched the estimated arrival time on the sat nav get nearer and nearer the appointment time! We made it in the end, just 10 minutes late.

A wait of a further 30 mins and Toby was taken through for another CT scan. They'd done one at the pre-visit, but the team had then reviewed his case. They decided they could reduce some damage to his eye/cornea if they did a CT scan with his eyes open, and then used the scan to adjust the planning fields, with a view to then doing the treatment with his eyes open rather than closed.

By the time we got away that afternoon and arrived at the flat, the local supermarket was closed. Dinner was at the self-service cafe at the Thermal Baths, about 150 metres from where we were staying!

With only one bedroom, all 4 of us were like sardines in the bedroom that night. More challenging was getting both boys to go to sleep! Chatter, play and mischief prevailed for far too long!