Hold Music

You most likely take a weekly trip to the grocery store.  Some weeks it may seem like you're there every day and there might even be multiple trips within the same given day!  Your trips may be so frequent that you begin to recognize employees and they begin to call you by name.

Instead of making a weekly stop at the grocery store, I make a weekly trip to the Walgreens Pharmacy.  Some weeks it seems I am there every day.  I have gotten to know the friendly employees, and I can honestly say it's nice to see familiar faces on my frequent visits.  I do often wonder what they all think: am I addicted to prescription drugs?  Am I a Hypochondriac?  Nonetheless, they always greet me with a genuine smile and kindness.  I am also so thankful for the people at the Home Health Pharmacy who show such graciousness to me when I am on home IVs: always calling to check in, monitoring my supply, talking about "the plan," and working to make things as easy as possible to fit into my life.

Next Stop...
A quick trip to the grocery store does not exist.  You can never just quickly "run in."  Before you know it, your basket is full and a half an hour has passed.  But wait, this grocery store is out of cilantro: the sole reason you came to the store.  Now you must run to another grocery store.  Sound familiar?

Besides my weekly stops at Walgreens, I spend endless time on the phone with specialty pharmacies. The contacts list in my phone has a special group devoted just to pharmacy numbers.  I have to constantly monitor my medication amount, remember which medication is filled by which pharmacy, think about how long it will take to fill and send,  and be ready to listen to endless "hold music."  There is nothing "quick" about this process, but I do get to talk to a lot of nice people on the phone.

My Beautiful Life
Frequenting the Walgreens Pharmacy, the Home Health Pharmacy, and making endless phone calls is just part of my routine.  It's my life and it is beautiful.  If all of those trips to Walgreens or phone calls gives me just one more breath, then I will make as many as possible and be thankful for every single one of them.  All of this would not be possible without my entire CF team working together: doctors, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy techs, phone representatives, the delivery people, and everyone else who gives me breath.  Love to you all.


How many trips have you made to the grocery store this week?