There is probably a reasonable explanation, I just don’t know what it is. Maybe you can help me?
I use Walgreens as my pharmacy because it’s close and because I can pretty much do everything I need from the app. About a month ago, I was scrolling down my list of meds that I needed to refill and checked the appropriate boxes. The next day, Don picked up my prescriptions. Immediately, I saw a problem. There was a box of syringes. I don’t use syringes anymore, I use pen needles. I must’ve clicked the wrong box. Sigh. No big deal, I’ll just bring them back.
“Can I help you?” Walgreens pharmacist asks.
“Yeah, I accidentally refilled the wrong needles. I need the pen needles, not these syringes. Can you please take them off my med list?”
“Ok. I can’t make those adjustments to your list, you can go online and archive them though. That way they won’t be visible but they will still be a part of your history. (Sounds like a therapy session I had…) I will go ahead and order those pen needles for you. Anything else I can do for you?”
“Yes, you can take this box of syringes back. I don’t use them and I don’t want them.”
“I can’t take those.”
“Why? They haven’t been opened.”
“They’re NEEDLES”. She actually looked horrified and like I should know exactly why what I’m asking is absurd.
“But they’re new and clean… aren’t there places that take used needles?”
She seriously looked like she was going to pass out and/or throw up.
“Not HERE!”
So, I took my needles, my confusion, and my anger home.
A few days later, I had an appointment to follow up on my blood pressure.
The nurse sat at the desk, going through my meds with me.
“Welbutrin, Cymbalta, Prenatal, Metformin…”
I nod in the affirmative.
“Are you still taking your Modafinil?”
“No. I haven’t taken that in years.”
“But you picked it up at the pharmacy last week…”
“It was prescribed to me but I don’t want to take it… wait. You can see what I’ve picked up?”
A sly smile spread across her lips and she started to nod like she had just busted me for something.
“Wow. That’s great! (I swear her smile vanished) I wish you’d been able to do that a long time ago… my sister used to scam doctors for pills, not telling anyone the whole story, so she just kept getting drugs and not knowing what interacted with what.”
“Is she ok now?”
Oh, that moment of truth. Do I tell her? Do I keep quiet?
“She’s not taking pills anymore.” The path of mercy, sparing the nurse the awkward, uncomfortable momentary silence.
“She got help, that’s great. Where’d she go?”
Alright, lady, you asked for it.
“She passed away almost two years ago.”
Eyes wide, face flushed and a stammer.
“Oh… I’m, I’m, I’m sorry. Well, I’m hoping this new system will prevent future deaths…”
“Me too.”
I guess I could’ve said Natalie went to Progress Valley. She did get sober there. I guess I was just pissed at this nurse and my perceived notion that she thought I was a drug seeker or a scammer or trying to pull something over on her.
In the end, I AM really glad that the computer system is now linked and doctors can see what you’re being prescribed and what you’ve picked up. Don thinks it’s a little too “Big Brother-ish”.
Finally, I don’t remember what tripped into falling down the rabbit hole but I came across several ads for Jim Beam (oh yeah, Shim Bean) featuring Bette Davis.
I LOVE Bette Davis. One of the scariest movie mo-fo’s I know of.
But, here she is in an ad for Jim Beam Bourbon:
I don’t know what the intent was if this was supposed to be a scare tactic… probably not but God if I correlated THAT face with THIS bourbon? I’d NEVER drink again!
…Maybe they should re-run this ad… watch AA numbers and AA Alternative numbers skyrocket!
Striving For Sanity 