French Living: Back on Skis

The 19th December 2014 is a day I will remember for a long time, long after the aches have faded that's for sure! One year and three days previously I had been to the doctor on the start of a journey through Lyme disease and on to full-on rheumatoid arthritis. Through pain relief treatment building from paracetamol to opiates, a fortnight of antibiotics for the Lyme infection, buckets of steroids at various doses for months and then finally starting a potentially life-long course of methotrexate, I have tried to focus on the thought of skiing again.

Powder Eights in 2012-13  Will I do this ever again?

French Living: The Medical System

A year ago today I decided that I could no longer explain the pain and swelling in first one knee and then the other as mere old age, wear and tear or the perennial problem with dislocating knee caps.  Especially as it had then spread to my ankles and shoulders!  So it was off to the doctor.  Well, off to find a doctor.

When we moved to France in our early forties I'd always thought that a first foray into the health system would probably be the result of an accident of some sort: falling while skiing or biking or, worse case scenario a crash on the motorcycle.  Failing that, it would be five years in and a smear test for me.  Ghastly in any language.

So, this post is about the system, how it worked for us, and not the reasons for the visits.