#33 - Mardi 15th

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(to try)

Breakfast with Anne, I found out what the dark liquid in a bowl is, that she has for breakfast - coffee! Sampled her homemade blackcurrant jam (lovely) and off I set for the Tauvrais. Now the time had come I was almost excited - enjoyed my ten minute walk in the sun (see the picture above). At the reception I used my first French, this didn't work - confused looks on everyone's faces but after I took a moment and concentrated it was all okay. My supervisor strode towards me - eeek and I followed him to his office, where he asked 'cafe?' - perfect I understood, (worried a little about how strong this french doctor's coffee might me, knowing the strength of Dad's...). I made a grimace hoping he would switch immediately to English. No. He didn't.... but it was going okay, somehow (I had to keep remembering to focus) I was understanding, it was just about all okay. Wait.... soon he'll ask me a question - arghhhh....focus again.... I spoke a little in French and it seemed okay. I realized by this point, he didn't understand much English (although he could switch into it sometimes) and I didn't understand much French so it was a silly conversation. Time to get my "blues" - great I thought, scrubs.... nope - a white coat, with 'docteur' on - goodness! Looking the part my french crumbled when asked about lunch, did I want to order now or not? Would there be another option? I didn't understand the format of the menu and there was no vegetarian choice - "choisi pour moi, s'il vous plait"... who knew when/what I would get for my 3 euros and something! Onto the ward to meet the doctors and interns, I didn't understand and went to follow my supervisor out.... the interns had to shout me back.... already awkward and a few minutes later they were looking at something, I thought, through the window behind me, I turned to see, how lovely they're smiling at the old man walking by... no, wrong. Smiling at me having turned away when actually I think they asked who I was. Oh goodness me, thankfully my supervisor took me away onto a ward round with a million people, pharmacist, nurse, ward clerk?, two medical students, two interns and two consultants, good MDT. I didn't really have a clue what was going on in the discussions prior to seeing the patients, speaking to the patients was okay, "respirer forte" - breathe hard.... Amazingly it was cake time (in the middle of the ward) at eleven, I think the medical student made it. I'm not sure I've had a better cake - and I'm sure I'll never taste one the same again, pastry, chocolate, peach or apple, crumble on top - it was out of this world... whole new level of homebakes. Loads more patients, so, so happy when I understood 'maladie du sang' - blood disease. After the round had some awkward where/who/what... no I only speak a little bit of french moments and then down for dinner with the doctors. It had dawned on me, how would I ever find this dinner I had ordered..... in the fridge however was a tray of food with a note 'Mme Anglaise' How lovely. I enjoyed my fish - from the menu it looked like he was called 'colin' (I'll upload a photo) and then un tasse du the... back to the ward shadowing a doctor who can speak a good bit of English, he said a patient was coming in... about two hours later (I read some notes and my dictionaire)... she arrived, she was pretty sick and it was a pain feeling like a spare part and a lot of work for people to try to help me understand. Not wanting to distract people, similar situation in England but additionally with the language difficulty.... I managed to pluck up the courage to ask to leave at half six... he didn't mind at all! Time for more french, when all I wanted was to hide away from it, le pharmacie to buy some antihistamine for my itchy itchy midge bites, I was doing so well but how to ask 'non-drowsy?'... broke into English and bought the drowsy ones anyway! La boulangerie was even more amazing than I remembered and a warm baguette and pain aux raison later I wandered back to Anne's. Tea, sit down and a big sigh needed I decided to make dinner... couldn't get the gas to work...arghhh... I'd already broken something! Trying the spark thing, matches, etc.. checking the fusebox...nope! Gave up and used the microwave for a warm garliccy tomato sauce and salad, actually pretty tasty. Quiet, warm, walk along the canal to clear my head (everything trying to be identified in French and English and converted!! mentally exhausting). Nice to speak to Anne this evening and to understand each other.. she's brought me a pomme tart home, looking forward to trying that tomorrow.  My mind already feels like a broken mix of English and French, tiring!

'home' for the minute