I mentioned that Farmer H has been taking an antibiotic for half a stitch that was left in an incision from a recent medical procedure. Being on this antibiotic, he has not been having a hot toddy (his cold is gone now), nor an evening nightcap of Wild Turkey and Shasta Diet Cola.
Farmer H originally told me that he had a prescription for seven days of the antibiotic. I thought this odd, as usually it is a ten-day regimen. With Farmer H not being the most reliable source of information, even when his own health is concerned, I asked him on Monday night if he was still taking the antibiotic.
"Yeah. I have one pill left."
Since he got the prescription last Wednesday, I took him at his word. That would be seven days. Wednesday thru Tuesday.
Wednesday evening, I asked if he wanted me to make him a drink, but Farmer H reminded me that he was still taking the antibiotic.
"I thought you had seven days. This makes eight."
"No. This is WEDNESDAY! Not Thursday." He acted as if I was a simpleton.
"That is eight days. Not seven. Count on your fingers."
"Wednedsay/Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday. Seven days!"
"Nooo... that's EIGHT days!"
That went on for a while. Then Farmer H announced:
"I started taking them pills on Wednesday night. I counted wrong on Monday. I really had three left."
"So you must have had ten days worth."
"No. Seven. HM. I take two of them a day."
"Oh. You didn't say that. But still, from Wednesday to Wednesday is eight days."
"No. It's seven days."
SWEET GUMMI MARY! That man cannot use common sense. And apparently can't count.
"So you still have one pill left to take on Thursday?"
"No. I have two."
"That doesn't make sense!"
"Yeah. I should have taken the last one this morning. So I guess they gave me too many pills."
I don't even know how to figure this out! I'm pretty sure it's more likely that Farmer H forgot to take his pills than the pharmacy gave him TOO MANY pills.
Holy bananas!! Is he supposed to take two a day? Because that seems wrong to me. Can you find the container they were dispensed in? That should have the number of pills on it, so you know if he had seven or ten days.
ReplyDeleteI remember when most antibiotics were for ten days, but now they are for seven. Here in Australia anyway. unless it makes a difference what type you take, I really wouldn't know about that. I can't remember the last time I had any.
River,
ReplyDeleteI think he was supposed to take two a day. He usually doesn't mess up a basic instruction like that. I suppose he really had 14 pills, so two a day for seven days. I can't explain why he didn't come out even!
The number of days must depend on what type of antibiotic. I'm allergic to the penicillins and the cephalosporins, which were always for ten days. Urgent care gave me doxycycline, which was once a day for 10 days. When I was in the hospotal, I got something else that they gave me by IV for 3 days, and in pill form to go home for 4 days, so it was for 7 days total.
Why do you think I dole out the pills around here? Bet he forgot a few doses, but will never admit it.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteSometimes I find a pill on the bathroom floor. Find it by stepping on it with my heel! Since I don't have on shoes, I pick it up so Farmer H can still take it, heh, heh! He's taking foot pills!