The vultures are attacking!!!

[cloudiko]

I went to the pharmacy today to try and pick up some decongestant and was immediately surrounded by hoardes of old, angry SCs. Was today Medicare/Medicaid day for prescriptions? I think that might be the only explaination as to why there were so many pissed off elderly people crowded around the pharmacy counter.

Example:

I ended up having to go wait outside for my decongestant (because I live in a state where you can't purchase Sudafed or any of it's other by-products without a prescription) and there was a line of about four or five old men. One man was hovering near the window, his eyebrow twitching with every second it took the poor woman at the counter to try and find his scripts. I overheard the following:

Crappy man: *swoops in as the woman appears behind the counter* The name is Jerky McJerkface!!!

Pharmacy lady: I'm sorry, we're still filling your prescriptions. We're incredibly backed up right now.

Crappy man: But my doctor called in my prescription at 5am this morning!!! How dare you not have it ready by now!! It's 6pm!!!

Pharmacy lady: We have been backed up all day, sir. Plus, there is no way your doctor could have called in anything before 11am. Our pharmacy doesn't even open until then.

Crappy man: *scowls, as he realizes he has been caught in his manipulative little game* Well, I am VERY angry!!! *stomps away*

Pharmacy lady: *shrugs, calls out the name of the person who owns the medicine she's holding in her hands*

A couple of minutes later...

(note: the crappy man had retreated to his car where his wife appeared to try and placiate him, but it was to no avail. About 5 minutes after her husband gets into the car, she gets out and swoops over to the counter)

Mrs. Crappy Man: *cuts in front of the guy who was next and taps on the pharmacy window* EXCUSE ME!! My husband has been waiting for over an HOUR for his prescriptions. He said you were very rude to him! He is very upset!

Pharmacy lady: There isn't anything I can really do about the delays. We're just really understaffed right now. We're filling your husband's prescriptions right now.

Mrs. Crappy Man: Good. *looks satisfied* How much longer?

Pharmacy lady: (I can see her strained attempt to stop herself from jumping over the counter and strangling this woman) As long as it takes. I can't say for certain how long.

Mrs. Crappy Man: It better be soon!

I felt really awful for the poor pharmacy workers. They were obviously understaffed for the swarms of elderly people who decided today was the day they needed their medication. Simultaniously.

Plus...I didn't get my decongestant, which makes me sad. When I finally made it to the counter, the poor pharmacist hadn't even made it to my prescription yet. I told him I could make it until tomorrow without it. Poor guy - he was constantly bombared by impatient old people who were pissed that there was only one of him and twenty of them. (Each with multiple prescriptions)

[Gerrinson]

And there is one of the reasons I used to leave my grandmother in the car while I picked up her prescriptions - to save the pharmacist from the agony.

Reminds me of an incident I had with a local pharmacist, but I don't want to threadjack, so I'll do a separate post.

[blas]

Everyone at the pharmacy was a total asshole the one time I ever needed prescription stuff (stuff when I was a kid like penicilin, my mom got for me). I hope to gosh I never have to need a prescription again. They were a melting pot of assholes....maybe that's just Wal-Greens for you.

[angelicafire]

I always feel bad for the pharmacist when they are trying to explain interactions. Like when I was picking up one of mine a month ago, the lady was asking about something she had that would make her drowsy. The pharmacist was trying to tell her that she shouldn't drive until she knew how it affected her, and that she shouldn't drink alcohol at all. The next 5 minutes (which seems like a long time when you're standing in line and you have to pee) was just her saying over and over "Really? No alcohol? Like never? Seriously?"

YES SERIOUSLY YOU TWIT! GET YO' SHIT AND GET OUT!

[chainedbarista]

anytime i head into the pharmacy and see a herd of crabby oldsters (based on their posture, facial expressions and actions), i brace myself for the incoming sc storm.

geez, you're old and hate it; we get that, but take that misery elsewhere, rather than make other suffer and hate you for it.

pharmacy workers need patience approaching saintly proportions; kudos for them to able to work there and put up with all the crap.

i'd be fired within a week or less with my temprament and lack of compassion for jerks.

[Igorina]

Completely off-topic, but your title made me wonder if you had taken to slathering yourself in roadkill juice and then decided to wander outside on a hot day.

[SilverOrb]

So THATS where Jeff Dunham gets his material for Walter... He must spend a lot of time in the pharmacy.

[Pagan]

I always feel bad for the pharmacist when they are trying to explain interactions. Like when I was picking up one of mine a month ago, the lady was asking about something she had that would make her drowsy. The pharmacist was trying to tell her that she shouldn't drive until she knew how it affected her, and that she shouldn't drink alcohol at all. The next 5 minutes (which seems like a long time when you're standing in line and you have to pee) was just her saying over and over "Really? No alcohol? Like never? Seriously?"

YES SERIOUSLY YOU TWIT! GET YO' SHIT AND GET OUT!

Which, since you could overhear all of this is also a HIPPA violation! For the pharmacy, not you.

[marasbaras]

HIPPA ... bleh. If you can read lips, you're too close and the pharmacy is violating it.

[radiocerk]

HIPPA..

Not to mention, by the strictest letter of the law, it isn't a violation unless someone in the pharmacy identifies the patient and their prescription info. There's a difference between "Mr. Green's Valtrex." and paging Mr. Green only to get asked "Is my Valtrex ready." One's a violation, the other is you being a dumbass.