Cranky old Lady

[Squeaksmyalias]

I stopped at the pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions for my Dad, he dropped them off before work then told them I would be in later. We love this pharmacy, everyone there is awesome and both Dad and I have made friends with the staff and Pharmacist.

*Bit of background, Dad and I both go to the same arthritis doctor, I'm not on medication yet, Dad is, the pharmacist knows this since we normally chat for a bit.*

When I came in there was a cranky old lady who just wouldn't let one of the girls at the front desk go, constant gripes about well just about everything. I spoke to the other girl at the desk and we chatted a bit while we waited for the scripts I needed to pick up. She was admiring the fingerless gloves Mom made for me to help my joints stay warm so I don't have as much pain. This girl loves to crochet so I said I would drop off my other pair for her to copy, she thinks she might make a few pairs for favorite customers.

Well Cranky heard me mention it helps to keep my hands from hurting, and starts on me about how I don't know real pain, how she has arthritis then goes on a 'kids these days' rant. Finally she stops to take a breath, and I jump in, "If you really are having sooo much pain you should try Doctor M, that's who I go to for my arthritis, he is very good." Then I give her the sweetest most sympathetic smile I can. She started to tell me I couldn't possibly have arthritis at my age, when the pharmacist comes around the corner and hands over her prescription, then smiles at me. "Hi Squeaks, your script for Doctor M will be ready in a few minutes, how are your hands feeling today with all this cold and rain?" The lady made this loud angry noise and stomped out.

The Pharmacist said she has to be possibly the most annoying customer he has had. They always have to find some way to shut her down and get her out. So my being there and starting the process was perfect. She doesn't need to know the scripts are for Dad...

[blas]

I think I'll be using the drive-thru next time I have to pick up my pills.

I really hate to generalize and old people bash, but since I go pick up my script not long after work (between 8 and 9 am), that's the main crowd at Walgreens. And boy, do they bitch. About everything. Out loud. And I mean, I can understand how getting old sucks because it costs so much money if you need medicine. I understand that things are different, things are regulated so heavily, all t's are crossed, all i's dotted......but bitching to a simple pharmacy tech is not going to make any difference. Whatsoever. They have too much to deal with than to listen to your nonsense whining all day long. Go write a letter or bitch to someone who can change things.

Or just do what I do, bitch to myself or amongst friends in PRIVATE.

Edit to add: Here's a better picture to illustrate nonsense whining. Earlier this month when I went to get my script, an old man was in front of me, just whining away about having to wait a good 30 minutes (and who really knows how long it had been) for his script, and the tech was being as polite as possible, trying to explain to him that since his medication is a long-term monthy refill, he can call the pharmacy a few days before he runs out and have it refilled. He can even bypass the automated system and just talk to a tech on the phone to have it refilled. But he just was not having it, and just kept bellowing and moaning about having to waste time out of his day to wait and wait and wait for his script, and why others can just drive thru or walk in and get theirs right away, and doesn't she realize that people have better things to do than wait all day.

[PepperElf]

that's one thing a lot of people just don't realize. although arthritis is more common in older people... it isn't exclusive about whom it picks to inflict.

if i remember correctly, there was a girl in my high school who had it. yeah. under 20 already with arthritis.


hope your hands feel better. the gloves sound wonderful

[Cazzi]

My mum knits fingerless gloves for me too, I have raynaud's syndrome secondary to another joint condition & I find the gloves more effective at keeping my fingers warm by covering the backs of my hands & wrists than any meds etc. the doc can prescribe.
I'm glad they're helping your pain

[Frantic Freddie]

I think I'll be using the drive-thru next time I have to pick up my pills.

I really hate to generalize and old people bash, but since I go pick up my script not long after work (between 8 and 9 am), that's the main crowd at Walgreens. And boy, do they bitch. About everything. Out loud. And I mean, I can understand how getting old sucks because it costs so much money if you need medicine. I understand that things are different, things are regulated so heavily, all t's are crossed, all i's dotted......but bitching to a simple pharmacy tech is not going to make any difference. Whatsoever. They have too much to deal with than to listen to your nonsense whining all day long. Go write a letter or bitch to someone who can change things.

Or just do what I do, bitch to myself or amongst friends in PRIVATE.

Edit to add: Here's a better picture to illustrate nonsense whining. Earlier this month when I went to get my script, an old man was in front of me, just whining away about having to wait a good 30 minutes (and who really knows how long it had been) for his script, and the tech was being as polite as possible, trying to explain to him that since his medication is a long-term monthy refill, he can call the pharmacy a few days before he runs out and have it refilled. He can even bypass the automated system and just talk to a tech on the phone to have it refilled. But he just was not having it, and just kept bellowing and moaning about having to waste time out of his day to wait and wait and wait for his script, and why others can just drive thru or walk in and get theirs right away, and doesn't she realize that people have better things to do than wait all day.

At 54 I may be what some of you young'uns may consider "old" (I don't see myself that way) but I simply cannot understand what makes those people be so nasty.Even if I'm in a bad mood I don't take it out on some poor service person,to me that's just rude.

[chainedbarista]

same here; if my mood is so bad, i stay at home, so i don't slip and do something i'll really regret later on.

as for arthritis, i've heard stories where young children are affected by it; it's not age, it's the body. apparently, she's too old and nasty to learn anything 'modern' about her disease, or she is willfully ignorant so she has an 'excuse' to be a nasty old bitch.

[fma_fanatic]

No one is ever "too young" to have arthritis. I went to school with someone who had and she was 9 years old.

I have it in my knees and wrists.

[Squeaksmyalias]

I find the gloves more effective at keeping my fingers warm by covering the backs of my hands & wrists than any meds etc. the doc can prescribe.

I didn't except them to work so well, but it hurts to use gloves sometimes, its great cause if you need to you can stick your fingers into the palms of the gloves. It's nice when you Mom can make them cause then you can have them customized.

My doctor wishes I didn't have arthritis, he has worked with young patients but at the moment I'm his youngest, and there is such a high chance of it being RA he is pretty sad about that too, he really doesn't want that to happen. At 25 I look very young, when he first met me he thought I was 15.

[BlaqueKatt]

another member of the "young arthritics club" chiming in, had it since I was 14, it's now progressed to the point where I may go in again(got the diagnosis, and was told-take tylenol), my fingers are starting to get the "classic" deformities of the joints.... I'm only 35...

[Squeaksmyalias]

BlaqueKatt go in, definitely find an arthritis doc, also my doc recommended Aleve, you can take three if you needed to and works great.
*hug*

[FormerCallingCardRep]

I was diagnosed before the age of 40 of having arthritis in my lower spine and right hip. I also now have is in my right knee and right hand. My Mother and Grandmother also has/had it in the lower spine and hips

My Pharmacy offers an automatic refill option. Every 30 days as long as you have refills available they refill the prescriptions and call you to let you know they are ready. It makes it really easy for me to get my cardiac meds filled.

[MoonCat]

Has anyone here ever tried the raisin/gin thing? You might have seen this talked about in the People's Pharmacy column/website. You soak a bunch of golden raisins in gin, just enough to cover them, and let the gin evaporate. You eat about 9 of them a day. Supposedly this works really well for arthritis. I've never tried it, wondered if anyone here has.

[dbuzman]

Yeah, the old lady doesn't know what she is talking about. I was basically born with arthritis. The pain level went down a lot as I got older to the point it was just occasional twinges. I'm hoping it won't get too bad again as I get older but don't really know.

[mharbourgirl]

I hate that. Like you have to be old to have any number of gentically transmitted diseases. My mother is 59, she can't use regular pens anymore her arthritis is so bad. I'm 41 and I've lost 30% of my former typing speed (down to about 80 from 110wpm) and while the pains aren't constant, they're increasing in frequency and intensity. Not to mention the sciatica, degenerating joint linings, etc. I'm looking at a hip replacement in the next ten years and likely a C4-5 fusion in the same period. All inherited conditions, and I'm not yet willing to admit that I'm getting old.

It just feels like it some days, that's all.

And my husband, 5 years younger than me, needs new knees and shoulders and teeth. Also inherited conditions.

Don't tell me I'm too young to know what it's like to be 'old'.

[jedimaster91]

I've had arthritis in my knees since I was 15 or 16. I blame all the years of dancing. It's a great workout, but it sure does a number on joints.