I’ll admit it: “eat well” was my favourite piece of advice to follow. After all, it’s doctor’s orders. Who am I to question the doctor? So Sabine and I cooked our way through an Italian cookbook and dined in a restaurant every now and then.
I also liked the idea of having a dog because Bruno needs to go out. There’s no convenient excuse to hide behind. He makes us go, whether we like it or not. And walking actually does get your circulation going.
My dabbling with contrast bath therapy was more difficult. I didn’t get the idea from some kind of health magazine but from one of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, which said 007 alternates between hot and cold water when he showers. To be honest, I can’t rival James Bond in this regard, either. My foray into the hot/cold adventure was a short one. Nevertheless, I stuck to my walks in the forest. They were fun.
A few weeks later, I bumped into Dr Wittmann at the supermarket. “So, still feeling chilly?” he asked. “No, it’s a lot better,” I said. “What are you doing about it?” he asked with interest. “Fitness and sauna?” – “Nah, dog and parking heater,” I said with a wink.