Every month, I pay $35 for three prescriptions for pills that make my life better. I have been going to the same pharmacy for the same three prescriptions since September, and there are three pharmacists who work there. I'm not asking that they remember me, but I would have expected better than the following.
Yesterday, I went to the pharmacy and as always, there was a line. I waited my turn and got to the front of the line, where I told the woman my last name and date of birth. She pulled out the familar bottles, two pharmacy orange and one with a brand name, and starts checking them out. She reads the labels and says "Ohhhhhhh" and looks at me suspiciously. I feel a sudden urge to "act bipolar": have some sort of fit or seizure or something so that maybe she'd be less surprised.
To add insult to injury, she looked at me and asked loudly, "Which prescriptions do you want?" I looked at her with what I imagine was an opaque, blank look. She repeated the question. "Um, all of them," I responded, not particularly wanting to state their names in line at the busy grocery store. Not to worry, she took care of that for me. "OK, so lithium, two doses, and Abilify.... for your bipolar!?" she practically bellowed. I think the people buying Bud Light at the other end of the store heard her.
I believe in disclosure and I don't think it should be any different to say "for your bipolar" than "for your strep throat". But it is, and I didn't like that she said it. The callous way she acted demonstrated either a coldness or lack of consideration for my feelings or, and I suspect this is more likely, simple thoughtlessness. She must handle hundreds of prescriptions every day; why be more subtle about this one than the rest? Dear Ms. Pharmacy Lady, we live in an imperfect world, a world where it matters that I'm picking up a prescription for lithium, not antibiotics.
Though I was fuming as I left the store, I can laugh about it now (what do you mean, which prescriptions? Which prescriptions do you think?) The humor in mental illness and the unexpected dangers of a trip to the pharmacy - how's that for a Monday morning post?
Yesterday, I went to the pharmacy and as always, there was a line. I waited my turn and got to the front of the line, where I told the woman my last name and date of birth. She pulled out the familar bottles, two pharmacy orange and one with a brand name, and starts checking them out. She reads the labels and says "Ohhhhhhh" and looks at me suspiciously. I feel a sudden urge to "act bipolar": have some sort of fit or seizure or something so that maybe she'd be less surprised.
To add insult to injury, she looked at me and asked loudly, "Which prescriptions do you want?" I looked at her with what I imagine was an opaque, blank look. She repeated the question. "Um, all of them," I responded, not particularly wanting to state their names in line at the busy grocery store. Not to worry, she took care of that for me. "OK, so lithium, two doses, and Abilify.... for your bipolar!?" she practically bellowed. I think the people buying Bud Light at the other end of the store heard her.
I believe in disclosure and I don't think it should be any different to say "for your bipolar" than "for your strep throat". But it is, and I didn't like that she said it. The callous way she acted demonstrated either a coldness or lack of consideration for my feelings or, and I suspect this is more likely, simple thoughtlessness. She must handle hundreds of prescriptions every day; why be more subtle about this one than the rest? Dear Ms. Pharmacy Lady, we live in an imperfect world, a world where it matters that I'm picking up a prescription for lithium, not antibiotics.
Though I was fuming as I left the store, I can laugh about it now (what do you mean, which prescriptions? Which prescriptions do you think?) The humor in mental illness and the unexpected dangers of a trip to the pharmacy - how's that for a Monday morning post?
Oh, man, that stinks. I hate it when people say things aloud in public that have no business being said or repeated. She's probably the typical modern female who does all her "thinking" out loud, or else it's not legit in their minds. My sympathy. Jake
ReplyDeleteUhhhhh...what about HIPPA? you've got a legitimate cOmplaint!
ReplyDelete