However, the French government is extremely concerned that I might have had. This morning, I travelled to southern Paris, to Montrouge, to fulfill my long-term visa obligation of a medical exam. Getting this appointment was fraught with my own human error/inability to realize that the south of Paris is NOT, as I thought, a three hour train ride away, but that is another story best left for my husband to mock.
Although the universe tried to thwart me —there were “significant delays” on the 12 metro—I made it on time. FYI, when they say significant, they mean it. And yet again I was again struck by French efficiency as there was a metro worker stationed at every single train car door to control and guide the crowds. Liberty, Fraternity , Equality, and Subway Efficiency.
At the Montrouge medical clinic there were helpful staff and a pretty straightforward process: 1. Paperwork. 2. Eye exam from 1955. 3. Height and weight (France seems to think I have grown an inch— I’ll take it.) 4. Chest X-ray. 5. Blood pressure. 6. And a few questions from a man I assume is a doctor.
Of all the bizarro things I have done in my life, the X-ray is in the top ten. The guy was a machine. Took 30 seconds tops. He must do hundreds a day! I hear the Edith Piaf song in my head “Suivant!”
And best of all, this is what they use to show you what not to wear:
Oohh la la.
And I don’t have TB! Phew, that’s a relief.
Finally, I do have a pretty healthy scar from my heart surgery, and the “doctor” did ask about it but seemed utterly unconcerned. He was more worried about my jogging when it was so cold like today. He spent some serious time talking about slippery roads. All I could think of was what in the world he had done in his career to now be doing perfunctory medical exams in an ancient clinic in the visa office of Montrouge.
But pour moi, to paraphrase the blonde in “American Graffiti,” it was a bitchin’ morning.
Bientôt!
Eye exam from 1955! Guess we're not doing too badly here in the fraught US medical system. Also i love how the female example is shyly glancing down. Nothing changes pour les femmes!!
Ha. I’m sure we went into detail with Charlie’s Blois appendix removal by “Dr Kevin”. If not, you and Charlie can regale each other with your medical tourism stories over a glass of wine—we will come to you :) Bisous 😘