Nickel

Deimos, Whoops - but I did think the topic was - A Wasted Life - a thread started by Cooperlola "I noticed I passed the 4000 post mark .Surely I could have been doing something better with my time" I was merely quoting a source that says there may ( yes may ) be a link between too much computer use and glaucoma - thought it was worth a mention, perhaps not.  

Just one little thing -  There was a study in Japan - reprinted in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2004  ( part of the British Medical Journal Group) which has shown a link between heavy computer use and Glaucoma in people who have refractive defects - especially short-sightedness. - and I didn't even google it!! It is an interesting paper and the  researches are aware of several limitations to the study and suggest further work is undertaken but it could maybe serve as a reminder to everyone out there ( especially over 60) to have regular eye tests and dare I say spend  a little more time away from the screen!!

woolybanana I can understand in a way your concerns regarding this thread -afterall what is the point of these postings - group psychotherapy ( at the "sectarian"  AA -good phrase !) and cognitive behavioural therapy may be effective in the treatment of alcoholism but chatting on an internet site probably isn't. Public confessions and congratulations are now part and parcel of our everyday modern media existence and I do feel a little uncomfortable with that.  However, seeing the responses and comments  this  is a topic generating a great deal of discussion -some sad tales have been told and there are some courageous people out there - if that helps and causes no harm then I can live with that..............just. 

Hello  I also live in the Lot and when I moved into my house there was a hedge of Leylandii about 75metres long by 3 metres high - unfortunately they had all died in the incredible heatwave of 2003!!! So I dont know about osmacote but maybe an automated watering system??

Hello woolybanana There are many medical journals that illustrate the higher rates of mortality in France due to alcohol than UK. The mortality per 100,000 in UK of alcohol related death is 11for males - 6 for females and in France the figure doubles to 28 for males and 14 for females. There is the so -called French paradox which shows that an increase in alcohol consumption leads to a reduction in Ischaemic Heart Disease, however, this increase unfortunately doesn't protect against other alcohol related mortality. 45,000 deaths per annum are attributed to alcohol abuse either directly or indirectly ( accidents etc:) it is second only to deaths (avoidable)caused by tobacco. I wasn't actually trying to make a point of who is better or who is worse but that there is a severe problem with alcohol abuse in France which until recently has been denied.       

Glue stick Not wishing to be too pedantic but I just would like to say that group therapy is psychotherapy and indeed when I was studying most of the therapists in group sessions were psychiatrists. I agree with your other sentiments and wish all the best to the people who have been so honest on here and although not 'therapy' if it in anway helps then that can only be good. France faces an even greater problem with alcohol abuse than the UK, hopefully their days in denial are  coming to an end.        

Hi Yes, please do your research and do read all the posts, not just the rose- tinted spectacle wearers ones. France is not Utopia and like everywhere has  good and bad points! And you must learn the language or you will never integrate enough to enjoy the life here. Be sure of your own reasons for coming here - i.e to be in France, rather than  to not be in the UK. I have been coming here for 20 years and finally made the permanent move 3 years ago, very happy and as yet - no regrets. I wish you all the best in whatever decision you make.      

I'm with CA nmp too and had a letter this week explaining all the wonderful services they propose - including as from Jan 1 2008 "free access to your accounts on the internet". Though I have to say I don't think I have ever paid anything before. 

Sadly,  if you have read this in the Telegraph it will just be another statistic! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2007/10/11/france-doust1.xml

Hello, Maybe by now you have found and are happy with your new doctor - if not, my only advice would be choose someone near -you never know if you may need them to make a house call in the night - in the rain- in the snow etc etc........ just a thought.  

Hi  Just happened to see my 'French' builder and he says - walls first then floor!!

Good point about burning bridges! I think it is safe to say that medical insurance will NOT cover the costs of recurrent,continuing or long term treatment of chronic medical conditions - even if they arise after you have taken out insurance!! If you can find a company that does - please let me know.  

[quote user="Pads"] Can anyone tell me the procedure if you are classed as a match to be a donor of bone marrow. Where do they take the bone marrow ? Is it the spine ? Is this a procedure that would entail a stay in hospital ? Will you be asleep or awake during the procedure? Is it taken just the once or a few times ? Are there any side affects?  If anyone has any information I would be interested to hear. Thankyou    [/quote] To be on the bone marrow registry a blood test is all that is required - if a match is found then further blood test are required for tissue typing DNA etc; The bone marrow is taken from the hip bone ( not the sternum - that is a bone marrow aspirate which  is used to assess the progress of a disease and effect of treatment) under general or spinal anaesthesia but is a short procedure It is now possible to filter out stem cells by taking blood from the one arm and returning the filtered blood to the other. http://cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/bone_marrow_donation Good luck!!

    I agree with Glyn I was under the impression - maybe misapprehension - that in general laws and statutes should apply prospectively and not retrospectively, well I believe this to be the case in criminal law! I am no lawyer and have no legal knowledge ( so I may have this all wrong) but understood a country such as France with its "déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen" would not find it easy  to pass such legislation ?? Maybe there is a case to challenge on legal grounds  a retrospective ruling that is without doubt going to be a cause of hardship for many people??    

Glyn a very valid point -I think if I were still in the UK contemplating moving to France I would include the costs of full private health insurance in my calculations and  budget accordingly ( a luxury we who are already here no longer have - and this is why the retrospective element is so unjust). One hopes that the insurance companies will need and try to be  attractive to its new clientelle - the thought of us being able to "leave" them after 2-3 years may result in premiums encouraging us to stay with them longer - or is that just wishful thinking?

I agree entirely - I was just trying to put a different slant on things - the 7,000 of us ( "we few, we happy few") come next March will have reduced in number - some having moved elswhere, some having died ( sorry) , some rejoining as residents and as you say two and a half years later we will all be back in the system anyway, so what will France have achieved during this time in trying to reduce their Health Care budget deficit - apart from creating a few more employment opportunities  to help sort out the 'minefield'?? Maybe they think once we are in the 'private sector' there we shall remain.       

If we are now to believe that the 5 year rule for residency will apply - then presumably some of the 7,000 of us who will leave the CMU in March 08 will be eligible for residency at that time or maybe shortly after?( The most any of us will wait is 2 - 3 years I imagine) One can envisage a scenario where someone nearing retiring age might : leave the CMU, obtain private health care insurance for a few weeks,  become a resident, rejoin the CMU and then retire a few weeks later  with an E 101!! What a fiasco. And to stretch that a little further what if that someone has a "non-insurable chronic" condition? Apparently they would not be allowed to stay in France without health care cover - but would be eligible for residency a short time later - What are they supposed to do in the interim? Does that make sense - sorry to ramble on it's just that there seem to be too many variables.      

Strangely enough I received a letter today ( admittedly dated August - so much for la Poste) from an insurance company in Bordeaux and written in English wondering if I would like to obtain a quote for 'top-up' health insurance As I have never had any dealings with this company and I live in the Lot it does perhaps suggest that already there are insurance companies out there who know who to target? Although this one seemed oblivious to the changes in store.

Many thanks - certainly plenty to read! Sorry, but I didn't really mean to start a new thread here-though maybe it could be used for a bit of number crunching - I think there are some 7,000 in the same boat ? Would there be some way of  'registering' those concerned - or am I being stupîd? ( don't answer that bit!) 

Hi - I am new to this forum and want to thanks all those people who are putting a lot of time and effort into this , for us all! I have been here 3 years now and count as 'inactive' hmmmmmmmm. Affiliated to CMU and paying top up. I count myself as a French Resident and agree with those members suggesting this ( residency)  may be the best way of approaching the issue. Not sure what I can do but happy to lobby, write to anyone - the more of us the better!!