Épidémie de gastro

So I am apparently not alone in my recent stomach maladies. Turns out that my good American-French friend Emily, and her out of town guest have also fallen ill with the dreaded gastro! Both are completely independent and unrelated to my recent bout, but may be even worse. For the last several days I have yet to return to 100% appetite, energy or general well-being. Despite some general nausea, pressure around my breastbone and lots of sleep I am still somewhat sluggish and the sight of food is unappealing (this may be the most puzzling and the most appreciated J).

Funny enough is that in France anything gastro or stomach related is met with the dreaded outstretched palms of distance, or fingers dramatically crossed in a X with a fearful expression of, ‘please don’t infect me’. It is perhaps one of the most common illnesses to afflict just about everyone in France at least once per year, and it is still met with intense fear and panic. Mind you I can’t blame anyone since there is nothing worse than feeling sick to your stomach, so I can relate. But it is still odd, at least culturally, since in North America the common cold or a cough incite the mass purchasing of hand sanitizer and Kleenex, coupled with dirty looks and the unsympathetic covering of faces in the vicinity of someone with the sniffles.

So over the past couple of days when someone at work asks how I am and I say that I am much better and that it was a mal au ventre, I unintentionally elicit both sympathy and panic that I may be harbouring a greedy infecting bug ready to infest. Now I doubt I had or have the flu, and if anything it feels more like a long winded stint of heartburn or indigestion, although I am starting to question that too as my body is still not back to normal… perhaps it is a mild case of food poisoning or my body rebelling against the deliciously decadent French diet? Whatever the cause, my waistband is happy and my grocery bill is nil for this week!

I have also included a link to another gastro related blog sent to me by a French friend with international roots and experiences! (anomalies-of-french-life-la-gastro) .