back on the lovely ward
familiarity is definitely a friend
October 2022 was our fourth visit to Lille. We'd finally settled on a delightful apartment for our return trips, found a reliable AND friendly taxi driver... and, having completed five full days in hospital up to this point, everything felt wonderfully familiar. Trust me, it was welcomed; it was the fresh water I'd been gasping for.
It was the fresh water I'd been gasping for.
So - I want to share with you in a very simple and efficient way, what I have learned and/or been reminded of from this trip. Welcome, bullet points...
It's amazing how much you can communicate when both parties want to hear. Gestures, facial expressions, my pigeon French, the nurses' micro vocab. We got by, once again, remarkably well
You really can TRUST the staff: they know what they are talking about. Their volume of experience is huge and they only have your child's safety and very best interests at heart
A really absorbing book is a godsend. The stressful yet mind-numbing tedium of a day in an allergy clinic is a peculiar combination, and the distraction of a real page-turner is priceless
Take your shoes off! You're in your very own room for the day - for goodness' sake make yourself comfortable!
Don't expect to be able to do anything afterwards... the day is blooming tiring despite being entirely stationary - be gentle with yourself and your little one
A hot drink goes a long way. Three go further.
Plus de café s'il vous plaît
the most important learning
There was one other learning that's much too important to be lost in a list. Can you spot it...?
yes, folk. size most certainly matters.
One country's nuts are not necessarily the same size as another country's nuts.
I'll say that again.
One country's nuts are not necessarily the same size as another country's nuts.
After following a six month protocol, I discovered that the 'medium size' peanuts upon which I based my weights were quite a bit smaller than the French 'medium size'. Look at the above picture: can you tell which are the French ones [Benenuts], and which are the British ones [Tesco 'Specially selected for size']?
[For removal of doubt: left = French]
I found the same with hazelnuts: 1,500mg is considered a 'medium' hazelnut in France. Back in the UK, I was unable to find a hazelnut that weighed 1,500mg, let alone for that to be considered the 'average'.
See my scientific hazelnut bar chart below to show the British equivalents [Sainsbury's]:
British hazelnuts also weighed in lighter than their French cousins
So what does this mean?
Personally, I take this as a reminder for me to pay attention to the WEIGHTS we achieve in clinic, and not the QUANTITIES. I am neither a doctor nor expert but this, to me, is purely mathematics.
And so I was reminded, again, to speak openly and proactively with the lovely consulting team at Lille - to ensure that Abi's OIT programme for the coming six months is not only extremely safe, but also as productive as it is planned to be. When in doubt - speak to the experts.
When in doubt - speak to the experts.