"Feeling fly, like it's Quidditch."

Ok, so this will probably be a long entry. And you'll probably learn more about me than you'd like. So read at your own risk as I'll risk the high possibility of being judged. This I'm okay with because, for the most part, I'm okay with myself.

Also, forgive me if I seem bitter and accusing; it's Monday, I've just eaten since 11, and I'm pretty grumpy.

First things first; I want to clear up any "misunderstandings" people have about the pharmacy. I don't care if the pharmacy at home serves you faster than the Rite Aid I work at. I just don't care. Take a moment from your adderall and look around you; from the counter perspective, there's a hospital before you, a STUDENT health center to your left, a UNIVERSITY behind you, and plenty of doctor's offices no more than one to two miles away. Let it sink in. Think, if you're capable, about how many people, how many students, how many germs, how many bacterias, how many Sorority/ Fraternity initiations gone wrong there are possible. We are the center. We get tons of people. There is a process to filling your precious prescriptions. And I may get a few things wrong, or I might even leave some things out because I'm not an official tech yet. But I know it's a PROCESS.

1. We have to make sure that we have your drugs so that you don't bite our heads off when you come back and find that you have nothing to pick up. We're saving YOU time. You're welcome.

2. We have to make sure you're in our system. It DOES matter. There is a reason you have to get doctors to prescribe you these things; they're not something to play around with. People misuse and OVERuse these things, and it's our job to keep you from killing yourself, okay? We have to keep up with what you take, how much you take, when you're supposed to take it, and if something else you're taking is going to react badly with another prescription. There's a method to the madness. I SWEAR.

3. We have to find you're bottle, tube, whatever, of drugs. If they're tablet, capsules, whathaveyou, then we have to count them out. Multiple times. If we give you too much, that's just bad news. It puts everyone at risk. Lose-lose. Okay. Not so bad.

4. Labels. Necessary. You don't want to get Jim Bob's medications. There's no telling what he has to take with those 19 kids. Is it 20, now? I don't know...

5. INSURANCE is key. For you. As much as I hate insurance companies, because they all pretty much suck in the long run, we want to make sure you get the lowest prices possible. We have to make sure they'll cover it to save you money and to save all that hot air you've stored during the day for your spouse, loved one, or child at home. I don't want it. I want you well, but I don't want you jumping down my throat. I might sound like a hardass right now, but I'll tell you right now, I'll cry. So save it. Save time, money, hot air, wet receipts.

6. Pharmacist has to check our work. Imperative. He catches all the last minute mistakes. We're all human. We make them. And he has to approve our work. It's for your benefit. For your safety, and for our nerves.

And you know what, then it's yours! Take it! Leave! And most importantly, be patient with us. Many many more things can happen that take your time away, things that I'm not going to go into right now. We can't just throw your pills in a bottle and hand it to you. It doesn't work that way. Wish it did, but... what are you going to do? "B & M-ing" won't make things go any faster.

I also have another job in the pharmacy. My job is to make sure that Christina smiles at least once every few minutes while I'm around. She's this tiny little person that can get SO frazzled, so excited, and I've made it my job to make her day a little more pleasant. She's pretty much my favorite in the pharmacy, though I love the other girls, but she makes me laugh so ridiculously hard when her feathers are ruffled. :]

I've decided to keep my other point for another blog, another day. It's about having gas. Look forward to it. Pre-judge me. I dare you. But we WILL have that discussion.

Over 3 million people suffer from obsessive hoarding. Interesting.