France - where the doctor tells you off for NOT going to see him with a cold

'I'd like to think about the management of my asthma.'

My excellent doctor had stopped all my treatment because my asthma only flares up occasionally. It's synchronised with my hypochondria.

"Why? What's happened?"

"Well a couple of weeks ago I caught a heavy cold and since then my breathing is troubled at night."

"Why didn't you come to see me?"

"Because I had a streaming cold"

"Oh, so you only go to the doctor when you're well now!"

(Actually, this is not far from the truth.)

"No, but viruses are contagious."

"Really?" waving a face mask.

"Anyway, what could you have done? You just have to keep warm, rest and drink lots."

"Are you sure it was a cold? It wasn't the 'flu? Did you have a fever? Aches? headaches?"

Anyway, long story short, we did address the asthma question, I came away with a prescription for two weeks worth of paracetamol for the aches I don't have, and he wants to see me in a month.

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