Grrrr II: Adventures in Pharmaland
When I was told last night that I couldn't have my medicine, because, you know, allergies are dangerous and all, the pharmacist assured me that she would make sure the doctor was faxed first thing in the morning so that they could get me eyedrops that wouldn't end up putting me in the hospital. Since there was nothing I could do, and I had already endured the worst part of whatever is going on with my eyes, I went home reconciled that I would just have to deal with the pain and inconvenience of swollen, inflamed eyes a bit longer. It's not like it was killing me, as opposed to using medicine that I'm allergic to.
So, I fell asleep extremely late since all I had done all day was sleep. When I woke up, I figured I would go to the pharmacy, get my medicine, buy new sunglasses so I could cope with the light aversion this illness has brought on, and go to work for a bit if possible. After all, the doctor had told me I'd start feeling good soon after beginning the eyedrops, and if that was true, if work was conveniently slow, it wouldn't be any worse to be there than to be at home.
So, I stop at the pharmacy at 12:30. More people being turned away without getting what they had come for, but this time, it was that the computers were down and records couldn't be checked, not that the old man bent over with arthritis was trying to pull a fast one. My turn came pretty quick, and I was all full of hope when I asked if my prescription was ready.
The pharmacy had been reduced to writing things down on paper, what with the computers being down, so the pharmacy assistant rifled through the stack that some lucky person would get to enter later in the day. Then he went to get the pharmacist on duty. Not a good sign.
"We faxed first thing this morning. We're still waiting on a response. Maybe if you call them, they will do something."
Great. So, I go out to my car and call the doctor's office, knowing full well I was facing being on hold indefinitely. (My doctor's office should have a slogan: "Maybe you should email us with a read receipt requested instead?") After being on hold for 10 minutes, the connection cut off, because that seems inevitable when you are on hold using a cell phone. I called my boss, told her I was still trying to get my prescription, I'd be late, and I'd call her again as soon as I knew anything. Then I headed to my doctor's office.
Since it was lunch time for most people, I wasn't surprised that there was only one receptionist on duty. The line was short, at least. When I got to the counter, I explained to the young man what had been going on, and that I had come in person to sort the mess out since I couldn't get through on the phone. He apologized, telling me that they were short staffed. He asked me to sit while he gathered the paperwork.
My lucky week, huh? Pharmacy with computers down, doctor's office with short staffing. My own office was dealing with short staffing, too, with me being out. Fun for everyone!
Amusing Interlude
[And while I waited...]
While I was waiting for him to get things together, I closed my eyes. Suddenly, a voice says, "I'm going to sit beside you." Okay..... "As a Christian sister, I had to help." I started to wonder if I was going to be prayed over. I still hadn't opened my eyes. The woman who had sat down next to be started rubbing my back. She asks me, all concerned, "What's wrong?"
"My eyes have an infection."
She suddenly stops touching me and I can sense her move away a bit.
"Is it contagious?"
This is when I realize that she had thought my puffy, swollen, red eyes were from crying. I laughed a tiny bit when I told her I wasn't contagious, and she apologized for acting squicked out. (What I didn't tell her was how relieved I was that she was squicked out, because I had begun to fear, when she was rubbing my back, that she was going to try to cast the demons out, and that my annoying day would quickly become bizarre. I was really glad she was only trying to comfort someone she thought was in despair, not heal someone she thought was possessed by malevolent disease pixies.) Anyway, once that misunderstanding was cleared up, we chatted pleasantly over nothing until someone came with her paperwork.
...Continuing On...
The receptionist called me to the counter, apologizing again for being short staffed. He told me had talked to the doctor and straightened it all out, and that the pharmacy should have the prescription in about an hour. I thanked him, and started thinking about what to do next. I decided to go home, properly wash my hair with the shampoo instead of the conditioner (hey, my eye sight was really bad!), eat a bite, and then get my eyedrops and go on to work. I called the boss to tell her my new plan of action so she would have some idea of when I'd get there.
An hour and a half or so later (I had gotten the idea that maybe I shouldn't rush), I go to the pharmacy, stand in line, overhear that the computers are still down, get called up to the counter and ask for my prescription. "We haven't gotten it yet."
"I was told they'd have sent to you in an hour."
"They usually send things at the end of the day. Can you try back about 3:00?"
Obviously, I had no choice. Armed with my new Blue Blocker ginormous sunglasses, I decided to go to work anyways. I got to the office, and told them that I still, after all that, didn't have my medicine. The boss sort of rushed through asking me if I was OK to work, and relaxed when I told her I thought I could manage. Turns out, another person on my shift was also sick. Happy short staffing day, everyone!
I called the pharmacy at 3:00 pm, waiting through the insufferable hold time, but cleverly using the office phone to avoid being cut off. When I finally got to talk to someone, they tell me that they have the prescription, but they can't fill it until they can contact my insurance company to figure out the co-pay, and they hadn't been able to because.... Yep, computers were still down. But they thought that somehow, the eyedrops would be ready at 4:15.
At 4:00, the boss told me to go get my eyedrops so she could leave when I got back. I get to the pharmacy, wondering if the eyedrops would finally be in my possession after all this time. I have to pay the once-a-year exorbitant full rate since this was my first prescription of the year ($57! For eyedrops!), but at last, yes, they are mine!
I go back to the office, open the packaging, and prepare to use them, reading what is in them. No antibiotic at all. What? Do all antibiotic eyedrops contain neomycin leaving no choice for those of us allergic to the stuff? Nevertheless, I put one drop each in my eyes. There may not be antibiotic in them, but something died when I put them in, I'm sure. Stuff stings like wasps in your panties.
I lasted a couple more hours at work, and then left early, because even with the eyedrops and sunglasses Roy Orbison would have envied, my eyes started to hurt again. Tomorrow will probably be better. I doubt it will be weirder.