I think not now, Karen, after showing Marie-Paule all the docs this afternoon. She is convinced that I have to go to Perigueux with Fran within 3 weeks and fix a rdv straight away, which she will do for me on Monday. When I re-read the page she was looking at I too became convinced she was right.
One of the missing documents arrived in the post this morning and I hope that the others will be here tomorrow or Monday.
All docs but one arrived Saturday morning, the missing one is the letter from Amelie confirming her 100%. If I give Marie-Paule her SS number she will ring Amelie on Monday for a copy, at the same time arranging Fran’s follow up rdv.
Out at market and shops yesterday but the lady who runs the small flower shop had left a notice on the door to say that, in the run up to Toussaint she has re-located to the old station. I called there on the way home and she wasn’t kidding, a whole great warehouse full, including many house plants. I picked a pink and white variety mainly because it had plenty of buds and presented it to M-P soon after arriving home. 
Yiu should be able to print out the attestation of 100% cover from your account on the Ameli website.
Thanks Jane, I’ll go and have a look today but I expect M-P has it in mind for tomorrow.
Yes, thanks Tory. I tried yesterday but she has no account so it is a matter of setting it up with a password of her choice, not that she will ever use it of course. It seems a bit weird me impersonating her but that is the only way to get it done.
However Marie-Paul has just rung to say that she has got her a rdv in Perigueux for the 15th of November at 0915, that will be an ‘interesting’ early morning task for me. She spent all day yesterday in bed and shows no sign of getting up today. She ate nothing but I gave her, and she finished, the obligatory 2 cans of Fortimel. No idea if that is sufficient.
That is the week after her doctor appointment so I might try and postpone or cancel that.
I might be able to explain a little this week. I have just rung for a rdv for myself, for the past week I have had a persistent dull pain in my abdomen, to the left and under the bottom rib, and have asked for a rdv this week. I have been told to ring back tomorrow at 8am but that there are no available slots this week. What a bordelle that place has become.
I know they have your records, David, and this probably isn’t the moment in any case with all you have going on, but it does seem to me that you need to change your MT 
You’re right, but I feel it is not wise to change in the middle of what is becoming a crisis.
Went to M-P a little earlier because she said she had some news on the ALD/100% front. Everybody seems to be denying that I gave the first ambulance man the letter from Ameli agreeing to the continuation of that. M-P says neither they, nor the AS has the copy either.
She says that they have no proof of it.
I will go on the Ameli site soon and pretend to be Fran and open her account, then see where that gets us.
M-P got us a rdv in Perigueux for 0915 on Nov the 15th, but knowing how difficult it would be getting Fran out of bed and sorted in time for the 1 hour journey she rang them again and got it changed to Tuesday the 16th at 1550, much better.
Then I mentioned my own problems, the abdominal pains and the fact that I have to ring tomorrow at 8am to see if they can make room for me this week. Without a word she picked up the phone again and rang the surgery, spoke to the same woman, laid it on a bit thick I suppose and she said she would ring M-P back with a rdv. M-P will then ring me. No call yet though.
I find myself getting very angry, and this mild but persistent bellyache doesn’t help. Normally when I try to get Fran up she says vaguely (vaguely his her favourite state) ‘not at the minute’. Today I said do you want to get up now, because I will be somewhere else shortly and unable to help you. That did it, she got up, and eventually to the toilet, washbasin, clothed and sat down. She didn’t want to go to the toilet, after 36 hours in bed???, but judging by the smell in the bedroom I could see why she didn’t feel the need. I have changed and laundered the under sheet. I finally got the wrist brace off. It was so tight and the velcro straps so solidly attached that I had to cut it off with scissors. Maybe she’ll get some use back in her fingers now there might be some blood in them. 
They could also be linked. You are obviously under considerable stress and this can come out in our guts as well. Something like an ulcer being an obvious example. I hope that M-P calls back shortly and you can get an appointment shortly so they can see what is wrong with you. Have you been making sure you are eating properly and drinking plenty of fluids as well? It is too easy when caring to forget about looking after yourself properly.
I have Tory, lots of veg too with very little meat, and after hearing Michael Mosely on the radio, I now reach for a glass of water instead of automatically for the coffee pot.
The veg produces a lot of gas, and whenever I have a good burp I think ‘ah, that’ll shift it’, but it doesn’t.
No word from the surgery yet, it seems even my fairy goddaughter can’t reign supreme over a doctor’s dragon. Looks like I’ll have to ring tomorrow after all.
I just did my husbands, he is more than capable in theory but has a pathological fear of paper work! It was all very swift. The only thing is you will need another email address. It wouldn’t let me set up his account using our email we use for all accounty things as it said it was already in use (which it is - by me!.
Not quite 6, around here they are all open until 7 so perhaps you’ll still hear tonight, although that may not change much from calling first thing.
I called at the nearby Medical Centre outside “open” hours, looking for a prescription for an elderly neighbour.
It was marked “Closed” with double doors firmly shut.
But in the immediate entrance hall there was a table with a large stack of paperwork waiting to be collected… all carefully in alphabetical order… so one can just grab one’s documents and back out again.
Hmm… neighbour’s stuff not in sight… huge amount of stuff, so I checked twice… but no…
Through the firmly shut doors I could see that although Reception was unmanned, Docs were still moving about… so I took a chance… not wanting to disturb them… but…
Entering the hallowed portals I waited patiently… and each looked vaguely in my direction, refusing to acknowledge me (fair enough) as they carried on with their discussions.
I still waited patiently… then when one Doc/whoever did come near to Reception I called out a very polite… Bonjour.
Ah… that got action… soon I was explaining that I was doing a favour for an elderly neighbour who did not drive… and I couldn’t find her stuff.
Ended up with 3 of them checking all the drawers etc around Reception until the document was discovered.
One of them scrutinized it, declared it OK and handed it over to me…
Phew… mission accomplished. I thanked them all, most humbly… and sped on my way.
EDIT: I was pleased to find that Docs who don’t know me from Adam (or Eve) were prepared to be helpful even when they were not actually “on duty”…
Pity @David_Spardo 's Doctor/surgery is not so obliging…
Burping is a possible sign of acid reflux……deeply uncomfortable to the extent that people can think they are having a heart attack, but entirely manageable with simple drugs (or a teaspoon bicarb of soda in a glass of water)
Acid reflux is something I have had for years and I take daily Pariet to keep it in check. And it does. An ordinary burp is nothing like the painful burning sensation in the throat, which, thankfully, I haven’t had for years.
Will be interesting to find what it is. A common thing as we get older is to get diverticuls and when they get infected you get diverticulitis. The most common area is lower left quadrant. I ended up in A and E as I had right side pain and they suspected appendicitis (as did I therefore why I went). They gave me a scan and it was diverticulitis very close to my appendix. I was supposed to go for a lovely colonoscopy en urgences but it was days before our village Christmas market which I’m organiser of, then Christmas, then covid…
…well it has drifted a lot from my original question which was of general interest and about which I still need to understand more particularly around the different types of elderly care, eg in own home, in residential home and the thresholds and costs.
However it is nice that the thread has bought practicable and emotional help to David during a difficult period so that’s good,
From what I’ve read and how things work locally… staying in one’s own home as long as possible… is the preferred way and there is a lot of home-help available and equipment provided (some of which is tax deductible… or you get money back, even if you don’t pay tax…)
Having a reliable Doctor and/or Maison Medical (Docs/Infirmiers) fairly local is also a boon … for when the need arises. (seems to be missing in David Spardo’s case)
Retirement homes locally, are used for those with health problems which cannot be dealt with at home… often thought to be the last resort, they are actually very good at respite care for the Family and a place of safety for the patient… for as long as might be needed.
Finances come into play… and there will be details on those Homes in your own area, if you do a search…
Exactly .. I help look after the finances of a now 90 year old friend who is in a wheelchair plus with quite a medical history. She lives on her own in a flat.
She has nurses who come in morning and early evening to help get her up and dressed, make sure she takes the right medicines. They also keep a daily eye on her physical and mental status. They also contact her Dr in case of some doubt.
Home helps - approx an hour a time - come in twice a day to clean, help generally i.e. they prepare light meals or make a sandwich or salad for lunch. They do the shopping, pharmacy collections etc.
The home helps are paid for monthly using a contract through CCAS .. https://tousentandem.com/ccas-leur-role-fondamental-dans-les-villes/.
This is tax deductible in that there is then a reimbursement of approx 50% of the annual cost (in 2 parts) from the tax office the following year.
It’s an excellent system which gives elderly, frail people a feeling of remaining independent .. with loads of support.
Some folks might be unaware that if you are resident in France, under the withdrawal agreement some UK benefits are available (assuming that you otherwise qualify).
My view is that every bit helps especially when respite care and mobility aids might have to be purchased.
