This week I have had two of my brothers come visit me in France. Steve and Paul flew to Paris with the intention of touring the city and then came to me after a couple of days to see my new world. Unfortunately, my brother Paul had only just arrived when he was incapacitated with the pain of kidney stones. He was truly a trooper and managed to see the sights of Paris with Steve in between attacks.

I picked them up in Laval, brought them home, and gave them coq au vin for dinner. I love entertaining and it was so fun for me to fill the house with flowers and make it comfortable for my family. Paul continued to feel poorly but with pain medication bravely soldiered on.

We went to the American Cemetery in Brittany, Mont St. Michel and St. Malo. The history in these places was of particular interest to Steve who has the most knowledge of America’s role in both World Wars. The weather was sunny one minute, and pouring the next. Armed with umbrellas, pain medication and a huge jug of water for Paul, we went and explored all we had planned. Lucky for me, a friend had tipped me off about a new rental property he and his husband had just listed in St. Malo. We were able to book their beautiful apartment and that gave Paul a nest to land in when his body gave out.

On Thursday evening we ventured to a seafood buffet in St. Malo. The fish was fresh and abundant. Unfortunately, Paul is on the fence about seafood and I think this experience turned him resolutely in the wrong direction. The seafood was plentiful, raw and beautiful. Steve and I fully committed and attacked the oysters and crab with gusto. Paul, at certain points couldn’t even look at us. In all fairness to him, it was graphic. At one point I had more crab on me than in me. It was a highlight of their visit with me because on this night we laughed like children and all the realities of our adult lives faded away. Our age difference, and varied experiences growing up in our family didn’t matter.

By Saturday, Paul was no better and perhaps a bit worse. I brought him to the hospital in Mayenne where we learned that he had seven kidney stones that had not passed and one was a whopping 7mm wide. Unfortunately that one was not going to pass and we were told Paul would need surgery to place a stent to relieve the pressure. After dropping Steve off at the train station to begin his journey home, I returned to the hospital to pick up my ailing brother and take him to a larger hospital in Laval where he would have surgery.

I haven’t had any medical experiences in France prior to my brother’s visit. I will say that I was pretty impressed that Paul’s surgeon and anesthesiologist came in on. a Saturday.night to do his procedure so he didn’t have to be in prolonged discomfort. I was pleased by the care and sensitivity of the nurses who persevered in communicating with us despite our language barrier. Paul got treatment that was fast and efficient and no one had a clue how he would pay. It wasn’t an issue.

After Paul’s surgery his pain was gone so I brought him home and tried to let him rest. We had a few more days together in France and I wanted him to feel good for those.