France-tastic

A bad mix of a pair of new (really cute patent leather) heels and a misplaced curb saw me spend Easter Sunday in hospital. Fear not, nothing broken, just a bad sprain requiring crutches, ice, some pretty good painkillers (involving tramadol for the pharmacists), and self-administered daily anticoagulation injections for a week in case of thrombosis from the impressively apple-shaped swollen bruise (no suppositories at least!). I also have to go and have some sessions with a "kiné", a sort of physiotherapy I think, to "re-educate " my ankle. It is hard to know whether all this stuff is really necessary, since the French are well known for their ridiculous over-prescription and over-reliance on doctors and medicines and treatments. Has anyone ever heard of anticoagulation injections following a sprain? Let alone self-administered?? (Actually, Annika has just informed me that she had to have Johan-administered injections after her broken leg, so maybe it isn't all French hypochondria.) I have managed three so far, and am psyching up for the fourth which is due now, and it isn't fun. The syringe comes in a special pre-packaged thing, so it is already filled etc, but I still have to pierce the skin with the needle and it is surprisingly hard to do! Like Alex said, I obviously have a thick skin... (Sorry for the details, needle-sensitive souls among you.)

I am happy to report, though, that the French hospitals seem to be in good shape, and not too dissimilar from the Australian versions. There wasn't too much waiting around between triage and X-rays and bandages, and there were some interesting things to watch to make the waiting seem even shorter- a big guy having to be de-handcuffed by the three accompanying cops before going into triage especially a highlight.

And now I'm all bandaged up, sitting around on the sofa feeling sorry for myself, getting through season 1 of Lost, with my plaintive cries of easter egg neediness sends Alex to search my long gone supply for any little lost chocolates, while my blue swollen foot looks like it should be siiting on the end of an elephant leg.