The DU Lounge

Last edited Sun Jun 7, 2026, 05:50 AM - Edit history (1)

The alternative, especially not having a recording studio in the house, would be vegetating all day in front of a TV/video player, or on the phone. A fast track to my own funeral, in all likelihood, and Mother Nature has been doing her level best to accelerate that for over 2 decades now. I rant in rage at the inefficiencies of European public transportation (including trains and planes), but still, being in a different country every day for work beats sitting at home every day in retirement. Even my CEO, the guy who donated the $20+ million for that park in Dallas, and certainly has enough money to retire (he could probably cash in another $200 million after taxes if he and his partner sell the company), told me, "if I stop working, WTF else am I gonna do?" He will be 74 this fall, and is in excellent health.

If I can´t get a date this coming week, the daughter of DUer blm is stopping by for a 4 day visit starting next Sunday, so I won´t be free then, either. My wife and I promised her a visit to a few local sites, so I will be taking a few days off for her, weather permitting. The Neander Valley Museum is a 20 minute drive from our house. It also has a stop on a local commuter train line, but the line doesn´t run through our town:


The museum even has its own special receptionist:


He doesn´t talk much, but gets his point across nonetheless.

**edit--Germany has a complicated health insurance system, but it basically boils down to First Class, maybe 10% of the country, and Second Class, the rest, except for the completely uninsured. "First Class" is called "Privat," which means you get an expensive private insurance company that reimburses you after you pay up front. From what I hear, it usually works out, unless it´s elective, which gets decided (by them, of course) if they will pay it or not. Second Class, which, for example, is what my wife has, like most Germans, means that you´re covered, but they take you when they can and feel like it. If I had had that, I would have been dead in 2004. Here is what happened:

My wife and I took a long weekend in Italy, where I never go for work, and she had never been. I speak Italian, so she didn´t feel at a disadvantage because she didn't speak any Italian. But going up steep hills, I started get short of breath and felt twinges in my shoulder. I knew this to be a danger sign for heart trouble. Both my dad´s parents had died of heart attacks before they were 70, so I had read up on symptoms.

We flew back to Germany on a Saturday, and on Monday, I looked for a cardiologist in our town. There were five or so, so I picked one because it was on a street I knew. I called and asked for an appointment. They said they had an opening in two months. Feeling that my situation might be more imminent, and knowing the German health care insurance system, I then explained that I was from the USA, was passing through "visiting," and would pay cash. Oh, well in that case!! Could I stop by at 5:15 that afternoon? I said yes, and I did.

The cardiologist did an EKG, and said there was definitely something there. He said to come back on Wednesday for a stress-echo test. I did. Halfway through, he said OK, stop, in my office, please. He said he was calling up to the cardiac clinic in Essen (half an hour away by car). He said go home, pack a bag, and have your wife drive you up there. I said I was free in a couple of days. He said, no, you´re not. Go there. NOW. Like immediately. I´ll make sure you´re expected. I asked if it looked THAT bad, and he said it´s not a risk I could afford to take.

So I did as he asked, and my wife drove me to the clinic. They were waiting with a wheelchair. I said they were being dramatic, and I could walk and carry my own suitcase. They said, no, we can´t risk it, get in the wheelchair. I did. The next morning, the big professor came in, looked at my chart, and said clear my schedule, this guy comes on at noon. I was taken down to the OR, and, to spare you the gory details, after putting in the stents, the doc said, OK, NOW I can tell you, you will be alright, but another day, and you might not have survived. He played back the tape of the procedure, and I had two coronary arteries 99% blocked. Then he said the only thing in English I ever heard him say: "Just in time."

The next morning, my wife was called in, and told "the new rules." No red meat, no more cooking with butter, no red wine (I never did anyway), and no eggs (that was later modified to "not too many" ). I was told my new medication schedule, and ordered not to deviate or treat it lightly. I had seen the images of my 99% blocked arteries. He didn't have to tell me twice. My cardiologist of then has since retired, but this is his younger partner, whom he recommended. If he is not panicked, then nor am I. If he DOES start to panic, then I will, too.