Driving and Drugs

Today I had to go and get The Grandmother’s monthly allotment of Vicodin. New state laws dictates that a written prescription needs to be given to the pharmacist. No automatic refills. No fax. No email. No phone call.

So to Downtown LA I went to pick up the prescription from the doctor and I remarked how great the traffic was what with Rosh Hashanah. I got to his office in 20 minutes and was really excited about getting all of this done early. So back to San Pedro I went to get the prescription filled at Target by my apartment. Backup Pharmacist was there whom I’ve never met, but I didn’t think much about it. I’ve done this once a month this entire year with no incident.

But then the clerk comes back to me with the prescription saying that two of the 4s written down didn’t match. Wow. I didn’t know Backup Pharmacist was a handwriting expert, too! I asked if they could call the doctor since I didn’t want to have to drive back down to Downtown LA, but both the clerk and Backup Pharmacist refused. I guess that’s what I get for being happy about the traffic.

So back to Downtown LA I went, and thankfully the traffic wasn’t any worse. I had to wait a little at the doctor’s office while he finished with a patient and called Backup Pharmacist to ask what her damage was. And then back I went to the Pedro to fill the prescription, slowed down by slow-driving expensive German import luxury cars.

I first left the apartment at 10:30 am and finally got back 2:15 pm with the drugs. It would have been easier to score some smack or buy the Vicodin on the street than to do this all legally. It’s sad that rather than trying to actually care about patients and their needs, the main role of doctors and pharmacists and everyone in this healthcare cartel is to minimize their liability at all costs.

That’s why I’m not kidding when I say I’m not getting old. I’m not going to be stupid like The Grandmother and get old and linger. I’m offing myself before that happens. Any. Means. Necessary.

To blow of steam I decided to go for a run on this humid day. I got back home and was still just as angry — now I was just hungry since I didn’t have time to eat.

San Pedro

I guess it also didn’t help that I saw this during my run. I’m so proud of my stupid little town sometimes.

Swastika