Good News, Not-So-Good News, and a Prescription

First, the good news.

Authorization for the prescription finally came through, and my son picked it up from the pharmacy after supper.

Now,the not-so-spiffy news.

I've been on half-doses of methylphenidate since before the weekend. That may explain why I've been making so many typos, and feel like I'm running on low power. It's a frustrating situation, but I understand why the pharmacy has to send a request for another month's supply to St. Cloud each time — and wait for a piece of paper with ink on it to arrive in the mail.

It could be worse. I might have to wait while a messenger walks there with a missive, warms his feet at the fire while someone chases a goose to get a writing quill - - - yes, it could be worse. :)

Prescription SNAFU Resolved: For Now

Good news. The local pharmacy called, late yesterday afternoon. Authorization for my methylphenidate came in the mail. I picked it up in the evening, and started taking it again this morning.

This is one of those medications where the effect is obvious: to me, anyway. I'm looking forward to having much less trouble 'fighting the machinery' when I think. :)

Related posts:

• "Prescription SNAFU: September"
  (September 6, 2013)
• "Another Week: Rummage Sale; Hit Paraders; and Prescription Glitches"
  (June 28, 2013)
• "Prescription Processing Problem: Another Month, Another SNAFU"
  (June 4, 2013)

Prescription SNAFU: September

I used the last of my methylphenidate prescription earlier this week. I had verbal assurance from the local pharmacy a week ago that a fax requesting authorization for the refill had been sent. There's no mail delivery on Labor Day, so I had hoped that perhaps the 'it's okay' piece of paper might arrive Tuesday.

Tuesday afternoon came and went, so I hoped that it might be in Wednesday's mail.

It wasn't.

I understand the social and legal circumstances behind this situation. Methylphenidate can be misused, so although I need it to function adequately - a piece of paper has to be sent from St. Cloud, Minnesota, to Sauk Centre each time I need to renew this prescription.

After learning that the local pharmacy's new automated prescription processing system deletes this particular prescription after I enter it in the 'correct' way, I have spoken to one of the folks there when renewing the prescription. It's a bit more work, but at least this way there's a better chance that the request will get processed.

A few minutes ago I called the office in St. Cloud that may or may not have received the fax, and may or may not have processed it: forgetting that they don't take calls after 11:00 a.m. on Friday.

Oh, well: maybe the authorization will arrive in today's mail. Or tomorrow's. Then again, maybe not.

This is frustrating.

Related posts:

• "Another Week: Rummage Sale; Hit Paraders; and Prescription Glitches"
  (June 28, 2013)
• "Prescription Processing Problem: Another Month, Another SNAFU"
  (June 4, 2013)

Another Week: Rummage Sale; Hit Paraders; and Prescription Glitches

I put off picking up my new pants in Alexandria until #1 daughter had packed stuff for a rummage sale. I went up yesterday, helped her get boxes and a chair in the van, and talked for a while. I also picked up the pants.

Earlier that day I'd been to the clinic to get very cold nitrogen sprayed on a troublesome wart. It's been around for years - decades - and started peeling off earlier this week. That got my attention, so instead of just trying over-the-counter wart removers again, I went to the family doctor.

Turns out, warts are complicated little critters. Among other things, our immune system is 'blind' to them. Part of what the cold nitrogen does is let my immune system know there's a problem in that area. I plan to study up on warts: maybe this weekend.

I recovered a Peter, Paul, and Mary songbook from the rummage sale items: and found a booklet of sheet music, "20 All-Time Hit Paraders." It's from the mid-60's, but so am I: so for me these still are "hit paraders."

I left requests for prescription refills in a local pharmacy's newish automated system yesterday, then spoke with someone at the pharmacy to verify that the refill requests had arrived. This time the person told me that the prescription that routinely gets lost - wasn't in the system.

That didn't surprise me. Then she told me that ever since they started using the new system, quite a few months back, refill/new prescription requests for narcotics simply disappeared after customers entered them.

This was news to me, since there was nothing in the beeps and recorded messages telling me - and nobody had mentioned this known glitch to me. Annoying and frustrating as that is, I'm glad she let me in on the (secret?). Now I know that I have to call the pharmacy, talk to a human, and ask for the refill/new prescrip. that way.

As Cobra Bubbles said in "Lilo and Stitch," I think, "knowledge is power: and I like power."

A few minutes ago I spoke with someone at the doctor's office that's supposed to handle refills for that particular prescription. I learned something new there, too. Most of the office closes at noon on Fridays: a fairly common procedure. Someone may call me back, or the message I left will get lost in the shuffle, or maybe something else will happen.

I'll know more after mid-afternoon. I hope.

---

That didn't take long. Someone called back from the clinic around 11:10: the prescription request arrived, is being processed, and is in the mail. I'm hoping that this refill will be SNAFU-free: and will be more certain when I actually have the stuff.

Related posts:

• "Remembering Giol"
  (June 22, 2013)
• "A Rabbit This Time"
  (June 17, 2013)
• "An Even More Eventful Week: For Me, That Is"
  (June 13, 2013)
• "Another Week: Photos and Fuzzy Eyes"
  (June 9, 2013)
• "Prescription Processing Problem: Another Month, Another SNAFU"
  (June 4, 2013)

Prescription Processing Problem: Another Month, Another SNAFU

Good news: After spending more than two hours on a round trip to St. Cloud, Minnesota, I got the signature needed and have my medication.

Bad news: Filling that particular prescription got bungled, again.

The 'Vexed' part of this post appeared on my Google Plus account this afternoon. (June 4, 2013)

Vexed

A frustrating situation. A medication that I need is 'controlled,' so the pharmacy isn't allowed to fill the prescription until the day after I run out.

The situation would be acceptable, but quite often the request for a refill gets lost in a bureaucratic system. I'm inclined to believe everyone I speak with: the pharmacist who sends the request, the office staff who don't ever see the request: everyone.

However, I am left without a needed medication.

It happened again this month, so I am off to a city that's about an hour's drive from here, to personally carry the signed paperwork back to the local pharmacy.

My sincere hope is that the paperwork actually gets signed and processed today.

If I sound vexed: you're quite perceptive.

'Protected' from a Prescription

The medication is a controlled substance: Methylphenidate. It's a sort of generic Ritalin, can be habit forming, and certainly shouldn't be misused. I understand why some reasonable precautions need to be taken when distributing the drug.

However, losing the authorization form on a regular basis seems to go somewhat beyond 'reasonable precautions.'

I keep taking methylphenidate because I need it to keep my brain working properly: and because I am an irascible old coot who is too stubborn to let a routine bureaucratic SNAFU get in the way of my health.

Not everyone who needs medications is like me, though. I've wondered how many cases where someone 'stopped taking his meds' and died as a result are cases like mine: where the poor soul got tired of monitoring a 'routine' process.

Related posts:

• "Flu Shot"
  (October 26, 2012)
• "Prescriptions, Panic, and Points to Ponder"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (September 14, 2011)
• "Brilliant, Talented, and On Medication"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (November 30, 2010)
• "Mostly Medical"
  (June 15, 2010)
• "Medication for Depression? Yeah: The Catholic Church is Okay With That"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (February 25, 2010)
  Particularly
  • 'Relying on God:' and Not Being Stupid

Flu Shot

I got my annual flu shot yesterday. It's a routine I started a few years ago.

The year I missed the influenza inoculation was the same year I experienced a modestly spectacular encounter with the flu. That may have been a coincidence, but then again maybe it wasn't.

I need to find out if I have been inoculated against shingles. I think I took care of that. If not, it should be done.

As usual, folks at the pharmacy where I got the shot were very earnest about getting full health insurance information from me. I think it's a cultural thing. I was born during the Truman administration, but my attitude is rooted in an older tradition.

By the time the fellow who does the injection came, and asked - again - about insurance, I'd become a bit 'earnest' myself. I told him:

"The insurance won't pay it. Nobody else will pay it. Somebody's got to pay it: so I'll pay it."

He told me that he remembered me from last year. I believe it. ;)

Christmas, 2011

My wife, son, and #1 & #3 daughters, are in the other room, playing a game one of them got this Christmas. I plan to join them in a few minutes, but figured it would be a good idea to get slightly caught up in this blog.

I started working for my son-in-law this month: answering phones and helping with a massive spreadsheet. He and #2 daughter started a candle-making company this year, and need more space to make the things. I posted about that in another blog.

I also set up a 'between checkups' checkup at the eye doctor this week. A 'floater' had popped up in an inconvenient spot in my right eye.

It's a sort of 'good news/bad news' situation.

First, the bad news: "Degeneration" is in the name of what I've got. It's vitreous degeneration, a fancy way of saying that the gel in my right eye is shrinking, and pulled away from the back of the eye.

Now, the good news: Vitreous degeneration is normal for someone like me, who is 60: and hasn't died yet. It's one of those things that happen to folks, if we live long enough. In my case, there's no damage in the eye, and I've got a short list of things to be aware of.

Apart from that, I'm trying to lose weight and move around more. Which is a little at odds with my new 'telephone answering' job: but that's just a matter of creative scheduling.

There's more that's happened since my last post: but I'm itching to join the rest of the family.

Merry Christmas!

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Loan Approved: Next, Spiral Light Candle's New Factory"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (December 20, 2011)
• "Candles: Analysis, News, and Very Odd Questions"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (December 3, 2011)
• "Mostly Medical"
  (June 15, 2010)
• "I Can Feel Crumbs! Wow!"
  (January 25, 2010)
• "Tuesday: Dentist and Eye Doctor"
  (January 16, 2008)

Trade Show Trip: Everything's Ready (I Think)

24 hours from now, I'll most likely be on my way to Pennsylvania with #2 daughter and my son-in-law: leaving home in the capable hands of the rest of the family.

I spent part of the morning talking with two pharmacies and a clinic in St. Cloud, down the road. A routine prescription-filling - wasn't routine this time. The written document went in the mail in St. Cloud - and hadn't arrived at this end. Letters and packages don't, really, get lost in the mail very often - but this time, I got lucky. The situation's sorted out now - I hope - and that was the telephone: the pharmacy called, and the prescription's ready.

Whew.

So now, all that's left to do is pack and make sure I don't forget anything vital and/or important.

Happily for me, my son-in-law and #2 daughter are doing the 'heavy lifting' when it comes to preparations for the trade show.

We'll be showing off Spiral Light Candle Corporation's new (production started this summer) spiral-wick candles, Oasis Productions' Art of Serenity video - and doing a lot of meet-and-greet. The latter is mostly my son-in-law's pleasant task. I'm the company's gopher at the trade show.

It's going to be fun, I think.

Related post:

• "Birdbath, Bingo Booth, and Trade Show"
  (July 28, 2011)

Background:

• Catholic Marketing Network
• 15th Annual Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show
  Near Philadelphia, PA: Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - Friday, August 5, 2011

Mostly Medical

Last week I had blood tests done - and got the results yesterday.

"It could be worse" is a pretty good summary. I wasn't surprised that the blood sugar levels were high - how high they were was a bit of an eyebrow-raiser.

Happily, that and the cholesterol levels can, in principle, be affected by my paying better attention to what I eat, moving around more, and thereby losing weight.

The bad news is that I'm now on yet another prescription - not a particularly inexpensive one, either.

Well, that's motivation.

Like I said, "it could be worse."

Now, it's time for me to sweat for about a half-hour.

(Intentionally) Broken Jaws and a Tractor

My wife, our son and #3 daughter went to St. Cloud this morning. The two kids are going to have their jaws broken - and put back together in a better configuration.

I think that, on the whole, it's a good idea. But they're not exactly looking forward to it. I'd be a little concerned if they were. What's going to be done isn't cosmetic, by the way: their jaws don't line up all that well, and the series of medical procedures is intended to make things more functional.

This afternoon, I got a call from my son-in-law. He's got a new tractor - and sent three photos of it, via email. Well, two of him and the tractor: another of my daughter and a trailer. Those two are definitely settling in.

This Week's Monday was Rescheduled

Today 'felt like' Monday. Not getting as much sleep as I could have last night probably helped that feeling along. Oh, well: I've gotten the day's tasks done, spent some time with my son, #3 daughter and wife, so it's been a good day.

Tomorrow my son and all will be spending the morning down in St. Cloud, getting some orthodontic work done. I don't think he'll enjoy that a great deal - but it's a good idea anyway. And will give me some uninterrupted hours to concentrate on whatever I line up for the morning.

I got results back from the lab, on that blood sample. The good news is that my major organ systems are online and functioning normally. The bad news is that my blood sugar hasn't been where it should be. Short-term solution: an increase in the dose for a mediation. Long-term solution: There really isn't one, but getting my weight down will help enormously. And that's doable.

In about a half-hour, my son and I will be reading Garfield and singing. Unless it's delayed, which has happened.

Of Yogurt, a Rabbit, Movies and Routines

I'll be switching yogurt brands, after using up the current supply. According to the charts I've been using, that half-cup of yogurt with rice puffs should have been good for breakfast.

But before-and-after blood sugar readings say otherwise. No real surprise, in 20-20 hindsight. Sugar comes pretty quick on the heels of milk on the ingredients label. Oh, well: There are alternatives.

My son and I read Garfield and sang tonight, as usual. That's a pleasant ritual. My wife and #3 daughter were watching a "Nancy Drew" video while I've been catching up on today's posts.

Good grief! That's a syntactic monstrosity, but I'll let it stand.

I watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" this afternoon. That makes three movies I've seen on television withing the week. The others were (part of) "Aliens" and (part of) "The Incredibles." The latter I enjoyed. The former? I know more about the approach of the franchise - and congratulate myself on not spending money on a movie ticket.

Add "Avatar," (a week ago tomorrow), and I've been spending a whole lot of time this week, watching movies. I don't intend to make that a habit.

Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, has had an apple core from my son this evening, and one from me. He likes those things - and has gotten quite good at walking/hopping on his hind feet to take them from our hands. My son's reasoning is that Giol enjoys the apple core more, if he has to work a little for it, so he makes it a bit more difficult for the rabbit. He could be right.

#1 daughter is, presumably up in the Red River Valley of the North, visiting #2 daughter and my son-in-law.

Which pretty much sums up the day's happenings. Right. My wife and #3 daughter have been out, getting groceries and something at Wal-Mart - the latter including a refill of my glucose test strips.

And now, I can call it a day. Good night, and may God bless.

I Can Feel Crumbs! Wow!

I ate lunch today, which is a routine event.

---

Public Service Announcement:
"Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"
Back to this blog

---

I swept crumbs on my plate up with a finger. Again, routine.

And could feel that there were crumbs between my finger and the plate.

Not so routine. Not with that finger.

I'd been using the index finger of my right hand - the one next to the thumb. There was a time, before 2006, when I couldn't feel anything except pressure or pain from the thumb and adjoining two fingers on either hand: carpal tunnel trouble. Inconvenient.

Surgery corrected the carpal tunnel situation in 2006, and the nerves have been growing back ever since.

I checked, after sensing the crumbs, and the usual pattern is still in play. I can feel crumbs with my right middle finger - almost as well as I do 'normally.' The first finger: the sensation isn't as clear, but I can definitely feel that there's something between my finger and the plate. My right thumb? I can tell that I'm in contact with something that's more of a surface, than an edge: but that's it.

Well, it's an improvement.

If this keeps up, it won't be too many years before I can draw again. When the sense of touch in six of my ten digits went offline, I discovered how much I relied on feedback, for fine motor control in my fingers.

Tuesday: Dentist and Eye Doctor

This was a medical day for the family. My wife took our son to the dentist this morning, and I spent part of the afternoon getting my eyes looked at. The dental checkup came out okay, I understand, and my eyes are in good shape.

And now it's official: I need new lenses. It turns out that high blood sugar leads to nearsightedness. Lower the blood sugar, and the eyes get closer to normal. So, now I've got a sort of built-in blood sugar tester. After I get those new lenses, if my vision goes blurry, I've eaten to much of the wrong stuff.

Back home, my wife and #3 daughter got more primer on the living room wall. This project is moving along faster than I thought it would.

The usual routines happened, too: the last of which was my reading three weeks' worth of a "Garfield" comic to our son. I'm glad he remembered that routine, and asked me to revive it.

Thursday: Sledding, Writing, and Good News

#2 daughter and our son were out sledding this afternoon. I'm told that the slope they were on was a sort of 'dead man's curve,' where the sledders are airborne. Twice.

She and #1 daughter talked with me, in series and parallel, this afternoon. I was at the computer, getting a webcam ready. I think it's the first one in Sauk Centre that looks out on a street (www.brendans-island.com/smalltownamerica). Right now, it's looking out at a lot of dark, but when sunrise comes, I'll be bringing views a snowy intersection in Sauk Centre to the world.

The anesthetic from my medical experience this morning is still sloshing through my veins, so writing took a little more thinking than usual. At one point, #2 daughter said, "babble on, just like you usually do: People enjoy it." I hope she's right.

I'm hoping that all the doze-and-forget juice is out of my system by tomorrow morning. I seem to be focusing better now that it's evening: mentally and visually.

It looks like my wife gets to keep me a while longer. My colonoscopy didn't show anything to worry about, which is a load off my mind. I got photos, capturing highlights of the scope's expedition. When I talked about posting them, she said, "you would do that."

Wednesday: Day After Christmas

I went to the clinic today, to learn about diabetes and me. Next week, I get to start pricking my fingers. Can't say that I'm looking forward to that.

#2 daughter spent time with her Sauk Centre grandpa, and some of his friends: once a regular and pleasant experience, now even more pleasant when they can all get together.

#1 daughter and our son went sledding this afternoon. Those two also helped me set up a webcam. It's not ready for prime time yet: but I think I've got the technicaly end worked out, and working.

Yesterday, I said that I'd have more photos ready today. That was an optimistic prediction.

Tomorrow, maybe.

(This paragraph will be a bit 'medical.' Feel free to skip it.) I'm getting a colonoscopy tomorrow. Today's preparations left me feeling distinctly below peak efficiency.

Saturday: Countdown to Christmas - 2 days

I overslept this morning, and so didn't go over to the in-town Grandpa's to visit with kinfolk who had come for a Christmas visit. They had a good time, and the kids enjoyed meeting two of their newest cousins.

It may be just as well that I didn't go. For one thing, I got some work done, and for another, this was my first day on my blood-sugar-control medication. It's metformin, a 20th-century addition to the west's official pharmacopoeia - derived from the French lilac, which has been used to treat diabetes for centuries. So far, I've got three of five major side effects: [blogger's advice - skip the rest of this paragraph if you've eaten recently] stomach upset, indigestion, and nausea. I wouldn't mind skipping the other two.

I'll keep taking those pills, though. Being aware of low blood sugar before I crash will involve a short learning curve. That's okay, though: I enjoy learning.

Happily, my wife, #2 daughter, #3 daughter, and our son came back in time for me to grill burgers for supper. The sun had set by then, so the neighbors' Christmas lights and the grill's flames looked very bright. #2 daughter kept me company for part of the time I spent out there, sensibly staying in the garage's open back door.

I had a 'shazam moment' this evening, talking with our son. He pointed out that he was looking forward to Monday because it was Christmas Eve, and that his Christmas vacation had started. Somehow, Christmas being on next Tuesday had slipped my mind yesterday.

My wife, #2 daughter, #3 daughter, and our son were with me in the family room this evening. The ladies occupied the couch, our son was on the floor with his laptop (a hand-me-down from #1 daughter). I was in the corner, twiddling with my laptop, completing this information-age equivalent of gathering around the family hearth.

They may have been talking about medical checkups, because my wife said something like 'You know how to really get the attention of a nurse? Go into a meditative state while they're taking your blood pressure.' #2 daughter agreed, adding that it's fun to lower your heart rate, too. Those two might have been joking, but I don't think so.

Later, our son and I went through our recently-resumed evening routine of reading comics. And, he reminded me that he'd told me about some web-cam-related software about two months ago. I'd brought it up as a new topic as we started the routine.

All in all, it's been a good day.