The steroids have worked well and I am feeling a lot better – yesterday I managed my Saturday steak and chips for the first time in a month. I’ve seen a lot of the French health service in the past three weeks and that has been interesting.
Firstly, I needed to see my gastroenterologist to review the steroid treatment. We were able to phone and make an appointment time that fitted our plans and I went to the appointment on my own.
I got another thorough examination, a look through my blood results and a good chat. The gastroenterologist was confident that the attack was a result of more ‘mechanical’ narrowing in the bowel (from surgery and past scarring) rather than a severe inflammatory flare-up.
So after 25 minutes, I left with a reducing course of steroids and a request for me to be given a good look-over when I go for my next Remicade infusion at the bigger university hospital. And, of course, an open invitation to go to the clinic and ask to see the gastroenterologist “at any time” – all I need to say is I have Crohn’s and the staff will understand.
A few days later, I went to see my GP or généraliste to update my prescription – I needed to add the fortified weight-gain drinks I need after a flare-up. Again I got a good examination, except this time the généraliste was looking not just at my bowel but at my general health to make sure my body was not suffering too much from the results of the flare-up and the steroid treatment.
The next day I visited a local nurses’ office to have my regular Vitamin B12 injection (I no longer have the region of bowel that absorbs B12) and my ‘flu jab. It was strange having the nursing service totally separate from a GP surgery and the whole experience was unfamiliar and maybe a bit old-fashioned, but I’ll get used to it.
Unfortunately – and probably because of all the immunosuppressive drugs I am taking – one of my fingers went septic last week. Typically, I sort of ignored it to begin with and then used all my nursing skills to keep it clean and disinfected. But it didn’t get better.
So yesterday, I went to pharmacy and asked if they could suggest anything. Even before I mentioned the drugs I was on, they said “go and see a doctor today!”. I went straight to the emergency department at the local clinic, booked in with my Carte Vitale and was seen within 30 minutes.
The doctor and nurse had a good look at the finger (with much grimacing and muttering) and told me to bathe it every 3-4 hours in alcohol and made me an appointment at 8.15am Sunday morning to review progress.
I got the alcohol from the pharmacy, bathed the finger before and after last night’s football match and, this morning, it was much improved. So the doctor is getting his colleague to see me tomorrow at 9.15am at the clinic and – if everything is progressing well – I will go back on Friday for one last check.