Author
Arie Knipscheer, as appeared in Alpha1 Journal 2/2023.
After undergoing rehabilitation at the Berchtesgadener Land Clinic in Schönau am Königssee in 2018 and 2020, I wanted to breathe in some sea air again this year, which is beneficial for most of us with lung conditions. After browsing the very positive reviews on the website "Klinikbewertungen.de", I chose the Baltic Sea Clinic.
I submitted my application for rehabilitation back in January 2022, after a check-up at the Ruhrland Clinic, where it was recommended. Unfortunately, my family doctor made a mistake on the application. She checked "no restrictions" everywhere, which led to the rehabilitation being rejected. I didn't notice the error either, because she only filled out the application after I asked her several times and handed it to me in a rush the day before my vacation. To avoid wasting any more time, I quickly scanned the application and sent it by email. I then filed an appeal against the rejection, which was ultimately approved. In addition, the waiting times due to the pandemic were so long that I was finally able to start my rehabilitation in May or June 2023.
Up until now, I've always taken public transport to my rehabilitation clinic. This time I opted for the car, as traveling with an oxygen concentrator and changing trains would be quite complicated. It's just over 600 km from my hometown of Duisburg to Prerow, a distance I was able to cover without any traffic jams on both the outward and return journeys.
Arriving on the Darß peninsula, I was overwhelmed by the magnificent landscape and the elaborately restored houses in the North German style. At the hospital, I received a friendly welcome at reception and was able to park my car in a gated parking lot for €2 per day. The hospital is located right on the beach, which is a maximum 5-minute walk away.
After settling into my lovely room with a balcony, I went straight to dinner. Two new companions were waiting for me there, with whom I later went on several bike rides. Dinner consisted of the usual bread with various cold cuts.
The next day I went for my initial examination, which included lung function tests and a gait test. The ward physician asked me about my preferences regarding treatments, and from my perspective, a well-balanced plan was created, including water aerobics in the very nice, large in-house swimming pool, moderate Nordic walking, and strength training. To put it bluntly: the strength training was significantly lacking. While the equipment was modern, it was rather basic. As a result, the time available for training was very limited. This is quite different from what I'm used to at the Berchtesgadener Land Clinic. There, patients are encouraged to use the equipment every day, as muscle building is very important for people with lung conditions.
Between treatments, patients could relax in a lovely, bright atrium near reception, which also served as a cafeteria and event space. However, I found the cafeteria prices outrageous. A coffee cost €3 and a bottle of beer €4.90. Those without mobility issues could easily find nearby restaurants. But there were several seriously ill patients who couldn't walk and were forced to pay these exorbitant prices. It's especially difficult for those who are already struggling financially.
The next day at lunchtime, I felt like I wasn't in a rehab clinic, but in a well-run restaurant. Almost every day there was a choice between fish and meat. A vegetarian option was also available. In addition, there was soup, a salad bar, and dessert. I only ate out once during the four weeks, the food there was so delicious. It was nothing like the dreadful food at the Berchtesgadener Land Clinic, which cost me a lot of money and generated considerable revenue for the nearby restaurants.
When I had a break between treatments, I usually went to the beach and walked barefoot through the water. I was also incredibly lucky with the weather; it was only overcast on two days during the four weeks. Otherwise, we always had bright blue skies and temperatures around 22 degrees Celsius. Incidentally, I had checked beforehand whether I would be supplied with liquid oxygen at night and whether I could recharge my portable oxygen concentrator myself. In Heiligendamm (on the Baltic Sea), where I was for rehabilitation in 2017, they provided me with a concentrator in my room, which was so loud I couldn't sleep a wink – after I asked, they then provided me with a stroller at night. You weren't allowed to recharge your own portable devices either; the nurses did that. So, several times a day, I sat outside the nurses' station, practically begging for help, and often received my Helios H300 back frozen solid, which meant the device wouldn't release any oxygen for about an hour. This forced me to miss some treatments. An unacceptable situation that didn't improve even after I complained to the head physician. But that's just a side note. The physiotherapists were all absolutely fantastic. And the staff throughout the entire building were very friendly.
Despite all the praise, I must also mention a few points of criticism:
- No nightly oxygen saturation check was performed.
- The equipment training was clearly neglected.
- The mattresses caused me significant back problems.
- The room cleaning was completed in a few minutes.
- No applications took place last week due to (justified) strike action.
All in all, the rehabilitation was very beneficial for me, and I can recommend the facility with the aforementioned limitations. It was my ninth pulmonary rehabilitation stay, so I think I have a good understanding of the various facilities.
