The Unwanted Gift That Still Gives

Last Thursday, I had one of those days. Nothing went right. I was pretty glad when Friday rolled around. Tuesday, I was plunged back into the maelstrom of Even Steven's evil glee.

Last Thursday started off with a regular 6-month doctor's appointment, a checkup, to get refills on my prescriptions that had run out. The doctor (nurse practitioner) sends them in through thin air now, using computer juju, rather than by phone. I got a text from my pharmacy that 2 out of 3 prescriptions were ready, while still in town. I figured I'd wait until Friday to pick them up, so I wouldn't risk making an extra trip. Surely they'd all be ready on Friday.

They were. I picked up my prescriptions without incident. I even had a worker who knew how to use my DEBIT card! Easy peasy. Tuesday morning, I took the last pill of my thyroid meds, and got out the new bottle to set on the shelf. I also looked at the other two bottles when I opened the stapled paper sack, because of course the one I wanted was on the bottom. Something caught my eye on the label.

1 REFILL

What in the Not-Heaven? I can't use mail order for my prescriptions, due to the state of our mail service and location of EmBee. So I get a 30-day supply every month. Six refills total, then a doctor's appointment to check my bloodwork, and six more refills. It's been that way for years. I looked at the other bottles, and they were normal. I'd just picked them up, and both prescriptions showed 5 REFILLS remaining.

Of course I called the pharmacy. They were very polite, and looked it up with the prescription number.

"Yes. I see it here. That one only has 1 REFILL left. Is it time to visit your doctor?"

"No. I was just there on Thursday. That's when he sent in these refills. The others are right."

"Yes, I can see that."

"Why doesn't this one have all the refills?"

"I don't know. That's just how the doctor sent them in."

"Do I need to call their office?"

"No. When you use up the refill, and it's time for the next one, and it shows no refills, we'll call over there and get it."

Well. I don't know about you, but that seems like it might cause a delay and a snafu and the doctor (nurse practitioner) might try to demand that I come back for another appointment, four months early! I planned to call the office while I was in town, but I forgot to look up the number, and didn't want to use my land line later, since it's long distance. I figured I would call the next day. But I was in luck, because the doctor's office called ME that very afternoon.

"Is this Mrs. Hillbilly Mom? This is Dr. Nurse's office. Your lab results are normal, no problems."

"Okay. Thank you. I have a question about my prescriptions. I normally get six months of 30-day refills, and one of them only has 1 REFILL."

"Huh. That's strange. Let me check. Yes, I see that. I don't know why. Dr. Nurse usually does 90-day refills, twice."

"I have to have 30 days. Can this be corrected?"

"Oh, when you run out of refills, just call our office."

"The pharmacy says they can do that for me when I run out."

"Yes, that works, too."

"Okay. Thank you."

Sweet Gummi Mary! It's always something. I expect it will take three days minimum to get this straightened out. Guess I'll make sure to allow extra time when I need that refill...