Like this:

We had a very busy day yesterday which I will split into two posts, one medical and the other social. On a weather front we have had no snow so far but some is expected so the next two days are a bit of a worry.

Anyway, first stop yesterday was Cahors Hospital again for an ECG on my heart which we assume was to check that I was up to the forthcoming treatment. The first thing you have to do when you arrive is to get booked in at the main reception where they make sure that you have a current health card and health insurance. We were told that there was a note on our on-line file that said that we had to visit our GP ASAP to get forms sorted out. These forms will allow me to have all the treatment paid by the French Government and I will be designated an invalid for the duration and can apply for all sorts of ‘perks’.

Next to the heart examination which, like some others I suspect, I thought would be a couple of electrodes attached to my chest and a paper print out would result. How wrong could I be. High tech ultra sound and photography. The heart is OK and working well but before you leave you get a file with all the measurements of your heart and associated blood vessels and a nice set of colour pictures.

Job 1 done. Then off to the GP in a village near to ours. Always an interesting time is spent waiting for your turn, there is no appointment system. There are 7 chairs in the waiting room and the other patients sit there chatting about all sorts and we then just take our turn. Our normal doctor is off sick so we had a much younger guy to talk to. Much to our surprise he was well aware of who I was as he had already read my file. Apparently I have to be strong in the mind to get through the treatment. He says I have to have these strong drugs to make me better. Bearing in mind I don’t feel unwell at all I still have a hard time accepting this. Anyway he, eventually, found the required form in the rather untidy and chaotic doctors surgery, filled it in and insisted we sent it immediatley to the Social Security Office. We obeyed and went home to prepare for the afternoons event.