Manic Monday

So there are these young guys who come wandering into the pharmacy – most of them somewhere between the ages of 13-17. They come in and usually they ask for one particular product. Now we know that it a substance subject to misuse.

So we ask them about the medicine they are asking to buy – Who is it for? What are their symptoms? How long have they had those symptoms for? What have they already tried to treat those symptoms? Do they take any other regular medication on prescription?

The answers they give us normally tell us that the product they are asking for us inappropriate for them – that besides their young age.

I take it seriously man. They are my brothers and they are playing substances they don’t understand, abusing medicines. I try to tell them that they should stay clear of this kind of this kind of trouble, but they don’t want to know. They want their fix.

They lie and they try to be clever so we will sell it to them. But we know them. We recognise their faces. We say no because we care. We are not going to help them to harm their own health. I know they leave annoyed that they could not get what they wanted – and it’s so bad that we actually have to hide it so that we don’t get aggression from them when we refuse the sale. But it is sad man. It’s such a crazy situation to have to deal with.

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Manic Monday

I was on my way to work the other day, whistling to keep my spirits up, when…

…five police cars with their blue lights flashing and sirens blaring went speeding through the crossroads. Then two ambulances followed about half a minute behind. Then came another three police cars.

It felt like we were downtown New York. Was there a bank being robbed? Was there some horrendous pile-up on the South Circular? Was it a terrorist act?

I have no idea – but it kind of shook me. Something was going on nearby. I have no idea what it was, maybe I never will, but there must have been something terrible happening.

Moments later, I arrived at work with my pulse still racing, and have to pretend that there is nothing wrong in the world, and that I am all ready to be enthusiastic and energetic about dispensing blood pressure tablets and anti-depressants. This is a sick world, and I know because of the bucket loads of drugs we have to hand out to help people funtcion.

Manic Mondays

I try to be a positive person – but with all the effort in the world, there are some customers who walk in and manage to suck all the positivity out of you,

Take for example the guy who comes in with a snidely smile on his face. Why can I see his smile? Because this guy refuses to wear a facemask, not for health reasons, but because he says it violates his human rights. Does he care about the older patients who are sitting waiting for their prescriptions? Apparently not.

Not satisfied with the display of not wearing a mask because he does not stop there. No, he wants to tell every member of the staff and every customer waiting that this is all one big hoax and we are all deluded.

The way he does it is so odd. It’s as if he tries to sweettalk people, subtlety persuading them to listen to him and ignore everything the authorities and the NHS have told them.

We dread him coming in. The truth is, we are always relieved when he leaves. He upsets staff and customers. He is just one – and so I think I am going to share some of our mad customers that make Mondays manic for us.

Living On Sugar Rushes

Last week I was running on adrenaline all week because work was so nuts and I realized something – I love ice-cream. It is like the best energy food.

There is a gelato bar not far from the pharmacy I work at. Everyday last week I went there for my take-away sugar rush to give myself the boost I needed to face the afternoon. Who would have thought it would be ice-cream that would help me keep my act together?

It is amazing how much damage locum pharmacists can do in a day. They come in and try to deal with the prescriptions themselves – not caring about all the systems we have in place to look after our customers. It’s a nightmare trying to resolve all the upsets.

Covid Craziness

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I was the only member of staff at work who tested negative for covid-19. That left us in a crazy situation and totally reliant on locums.

But yesterday got crazier. In the end the decision was made to close and wait for a deep cleaning company to come and mist the entire building with cleaning chemicals.

There were some crazy phone-calls and situations we had to deal with yesterday. I can’t explain all of it because you would wonder what the heck is going on. But hopefully that deep clean will have removed whatever was lingering in our building and resulting in so many staff and patients being ill.

My pulse was racing all day yesterday as adrenaline surged. I don’t think I have ever had such a crazy day at work.

Last Man Standing

The unimaginable has happened! Four members of the pharmacy team are having to self-isolate. One is ill, and tested positive for Covid-19. Everyone else was tested again, three tested positive. I tested negative.

Work over the last two days has been manic! Better get myself to sleep and get some rest before another crazy day tomorrow.!

Monday Motivation

MORNINGS

Best way to start the week is with an early night on a Sunday (after taking a bi-weekly covid test). Then my habit for as long as I can remember is an early rise on a Monday morning. I can get a lot done it that time.

If I tidy up after the weekend, the rest of the week seems easier. I work out on a Monday morning, get my heart racing and blood pumping. I get to work early – boss is pleased with me. Work goes more smoothly. Sleep routine sorted for the rest of the week.

Work is always busy on a Monday, but starting early and feeling sharp makes a difference. We have loads of prescriptions landing on our screens from at least four main GP surgeries in the area. We have a delivery to organize. There is always a lot to do. But getting a head-start feels great.

Plans For The Weekend?

I was getting my things the other night just before I left work and my boss said to me, “Thanks for all your hard work, you’ve been great.” She doesn’t often take time out to say that. But I have done overtime this week to cover for other people who were self-isolating.

She then asked me a question I never know how to answer at the moment, “What are you plans for the weekend?” IS THAT A TRICK QUESTION?

We’re in a national lockdown. One in thirty people here have coronavirus. Who makes plans?