I have to rant. I'm not exactly sure what has happened in this country.

[LeftyFingerPop]

This is a health care / work ethic rant. Two for the price of one. I'm sure many of you have similar stories and can relate to this. Stuff like this happens to me all the time, and I'm wondering just where everything went wrong.

So I'm in the hospital last week with some serious painful stuff. I'm on IV Fentanyl, which is much more powerful than morphine. Needless to say, much of last week is a blur, but I was discharged without anyone giving me any pain meds, nor did they do a check off sheet that asked me my level of pain. So I come home groggy, and a few hours later I realize I am in trouble pain wise.

In the meantime, my doc calls me and sets up an appointment for this morning to follow-up. I say "OK fine, but what about the pain"? She provides enough pain meds for the weekend.

So, I see the doc this morning, clear headed, find out I need surgery, blah, blah, blah.

She gives me 3 prescriptions, including one narcotic pain med and one non-narcotic pain med.

I bring them to the pharmacy, walk up to the woman, exchange pleasantries, and tell her I have 3 scripts. Then I count them out on the desk...1,2,3. Said I'll be back in an hour.

Here's the goat rope that took place when I returned to pick up the meds.

I walk up to the counter where a technician is loading up some scripts into a bag to be placed on the shelf. No one else is waiting. She says she will be just a minute. I say no problem, and step back to appear like I am not crowding her space. So I'm watching her. And waiting. And waiting. She's taking her time, and I'm starting to hurt. 2 minutes. 5 minutes. I'm thinking "Jesus Christ", but I am being patient. Then, a co-worker comes over, and they start shooting the shit about Billy's soccer game. 8 minutes. 10 minutes. Finally, she asks if she can help me. I give her my name. She brings out 2 prescriptions instead of 3. Then it went downhill fast.

me: There should be 3.
pharmacy woman: There are only 2 here.
me: I see that, but there should be 3.
pw: Why should there be 3?
me: because I brought 3 in to be filled.
pw: when?
me: I'm not sure, an hour or so ago.
pw: how many did you bring in?
me: 3
pw: but there are only 2 here.
me: I know (now I'm starting to laugh a little)
pw: So would you like to pay for these 2?
Me: No, I would like to pay for the 3 I brought in.
pw: you didn't bring 3 in.
me: Yes, I did.
pw: Which one is missing?
me: I told her which one. It was the narcotic pain reliever.
pw: Well, we don't have it.
me: I know, but you must have misplaced it.
pw: Maybe you lost it and didn't give it to us.
me: no, I counted out the prescriptions. You have it somewhere.
pw: let me check with the person you gave them to. She walks back to her, and so do I.
pw #2...looks at me and says "chill out"
me: I laugh and say "I'm plenty chilled"
pw #2: I think I remember you gave me 3
me: yes I did
Now, all the pharmacy techs start running around like their crotches are on fire because they lost a narcotic script.
Me: I just sit down and watch the fun

After 20 minutes, she says, OMG, we found it here, the reason it wasn't filled is because your doctor did not write the maximum daily dose on it.

me: ok. so, what does that mean?

Pharmacist...we tried to call your doctor, but she didn't return the call, so you will have to bring the script back to her to have her write that in.

It was then I burst into a fit of laughter and said...NO...you will just have to keep calling because I'm in some terrible pain, you have kept me waiting because you don't have your act together, and it's not my problem. I then told her that I would let her work on it and stop back later.

So, I'm wondering...what do the old people do? What about the people that don't have all their wits about them? What's so hard about getting a stupid prescription filled? Why do people chat with their co-workers when they should be giving people their meds? Why am I discharged from the hospital with no instructions? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?