The Sick House

We have been one sick family over the past week and a half (in the literal sense, of course). Both BB and I developed flu, and FH has been looking after us. It all seems to start at the crèche, which is a scarily efficient breeding ground for germs. Throughout the winter, BB brings home a new virus or bug practically every week, like other kids might bring home a piece of artwork.
So, last week BB had a temperature of nearly 40° every day, which is pretty scary when accompanied by bleary eyes, lethargia and - horror of horrors - a temporary loss of appetite (though his appetite was the first thing to recover, naturally).

Then, on Tuesday night, I developed such a high fever that I began to see stars and started gibbering in some incomprehensible language (days later, my flu degenerated into severe bronchitis, requiring the administration of cortisone, antibiotics and an electronic breathing machine... but that's another story).

The moral of this tale lies elsewhere:
After my horrific night of hallucinations, FH called SOS Médecins, a sort of emergency doctors service. In less than 45 minutes, a very nice, competent doctor was at my bedside. He did some initial tests, made a diagnosis, then called a lab to prescribe some blood tests, just to rule out the risk of something more serious. Doc no. 1 left, and half an hour later, the guy from the lab turned up, having driven over especially to take my blood sample, since I was too weak to move.
In short, by 10 am Wednesday morning, I had been seen, treated and reassured, all for a very reasonable fee (most of which will be reimbursed: the healh service here works that way).

So, if any government ministers happen to be reading this blog, take note:
a decent health service is somethig no-one really thinks too much about when life is purring along nicely. But the day you find yourself burning up under the covers, too weak to move and rigid with pain, you are mighty glad to have a competent doctor dispatched to your bedside within the hour.
We are very, very lucky to have such a wonderful health service here in France. Whatever state the economy is in, and whatever cutbacks have to be made, we must cling on to this precious asset for dear life!

(I refuse to post a photo of myself ill. It's just too scary).