Hello everybody, how are you? I hope you are going to have a wonderful week despite everything.

I am supposed to start taking Tamoxifen today. This is a drug that is supposed to stop cancer from coming back. The sort of breast cancer I have is called: oestrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancer which means it needs oestrogen to grow. Tamoxifen stops oestrogen from reaching the cancer cells, which hopefully prevents any cancer cells from doing more damage.

But hey, guess what? It has side-effects. And those are: menopause-like!!!!!

GRRRRRRR. I have just celebrated the fact that my last period was a year ago and officially I am through with it. No hot flushes anymore. Hurray!

Well, Tamoxifen brings the whole lot back. There are, of course, some more side effects and a couple are rather severe. Like blood clots or cataracts, for example. So more anxiety for me to live with. Never mind.

BUT

This too shall pass & I will survive!!!!!!

It’s just ten years that I am supposed to take it…

If you like to know more about this drug have a look at these links:

https://www.drugs.com/tamoxifen.html

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatments-and-drugs/tamoxifen

https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/facing-breast-cancer/going-through-treatment-breast-cancer/hormone-therapy/tamoxifen

So let’s forget all this drug stuff and head off to Austria.

Austria is lovely. One of the countries that are blessed by the Alps and fabulous cakes. A fantastic musical film was made about Austria that isn’t that loved either in Austria or in Germany 😉

I was born in the South of Germany and was in Austria for the first time as a toddler. My parents, grandparents and my godmother with her family went on holiday to a lake there.

According to family stories, I entertained the whole breakfast room in the hotel we stayed: Apparently, I waved and smiled at everybody, and everybody waved back at me when we came down in the morning. Those were the days.

Apparently I also did my first steps in Austria. Cool ey?!

When I was in my teens, we went to see Vienna, and in my 20’s I stayed at some other lake for a short holiday. And when we went on holiday to Hungary, we went through Austria too. So, yes, I saw my share of Austria.

I love apple strudel and used to make a mean Linzer Torte when I was younger. But what always baffles me is the fact that not many people in English speaking countries seem to know that Hitler was born in Austria. He ain’t German, ey! Well, I don’t know if he took the German nationality when he settled in Germany at the age of 18 to study art in Munich. Did you need to be German to become Chancellor? Who knows! I can’t be bothered to research it. Sorry.

But back to more joyful experiences and knowledge about this lovely country.

I know I wanted to to do this blog series to showcase musicians that we don’t usually know and from countries, we don’t usually know much about. It changed to an “I travel the world virtually and add some music” kind of project. It’s fun guys but when it comes to Austria, you can’t escape the fact that they do some great composers. And some great classical music. So I changed my usual approach and torture treat you to some brilliant pieces of music:

And where are we going next week?

Come Away With Me 2020 Musical Challenge Country for Monday, October 5th, 2020

I am taking a rather random route around the world, but sometimes it makes sense. Next week we venture into Slovenia. Please find musicians from Slovenia on the CultureTrip page: Up and Coming Slovenian Bands You Need to Know

As for the suggestions to take part:

1. Join in! No matter where, when and with what. No matter if you have cancer or not! You missed the first week? Don’t worry. Just jump in when it suits you.
2. Send us the link! The ping-back option does not always work so please leave a link in the comments of the post on the day you take part. Or leave it at the “Come Away With Me 2020 FB page“
3. Tag your post either with ” Come Away With Me Musical Challenge”/ #CoAwWiMeMuCh” / “Come Away with Me 2020 Musical Challenge” o/“CoAwWiMe2020MuCh” / . You can also use these as hashtags for Twitter and other Social Networks to give your post more exposure. If you add #blog and #music with your hashtags it will get you more readers.
4. No matter which music or country the prompt favours you create with it whatever you please. This is supposed to be a fun challenge and no chore.
5. I post a prompt for the next week with every “Come Away With Me 2020 post” I write.
6. If you like, use this picture for your readers to find the posts.

Just one more thing before you go: The hospital that is treating me is fundraising for a dedicated breast cancer unit which would allow same-day diagnosis and better premises for patients and staff.

Thanks my dears, for staying with me until the end. I appreciate your presence. Please stay safe, stay kind and remember that you rock!