Less Fun Than Chemistry
My sister's boss, Terri, called me this morning. Amanda didn't show up for work today.
She said "I talked to her last night and she was a mess. She still can't get her prescription filled and now I can't get ahold of her. Could you go and see if she's okay?"
When I couldn't get an answer at her apartment either, I took my spare key and went over there to check on her. No one was home. I called her work number and Amanda answered: "Sorry. Terri said you were trying to find me. I just overslept."
She was four hours late to work. That's not like her. But this thyroid condition has really messed her up; she can barely handle anything anymore. "All I want to do is sleep," she told me.
Terri pleaded with Rite Aid and got them to agree to give Amanda a few pills to tide her over until her asshole endocrinologist would call in the refill. But I took her to the pharmacy and when she asked for the pills the pharmacist returned to the counter and said, "It's been denied." My sweet, trusting little sister just picked up her purse and whispered, "Okay" and started to walk away. It was heartbreaking. I said, "She really needs this. Isn't there something we could do? Her endocrinologist is a total asshole and he won't return anyone's calls." The pharmacist shook her head and said, "I know. It happens a lot at County Hospital. But we have to talk to a doctor before we can give these to you." We begged her to give us some, but she said there wasn't anything she could do. "You should go to a clinic and get a different doctor to call it in."
We went back to her apartment and I called the asshole endocrinologist again. The coordinator at his clinic said "We'll have him call you." I told them it was important and explained the situation. "He'll call you right back." We still haven't heard from him. I called the gynecologist Amanda saw at Planned Parenthood a couple weeks ago. She really liked that doctor and said that they had discussed the goiter. I thought maybe she could help us get a refill, but her assistant told us we'd have to go to the free clinic.
Going to a clinic means waiting at least four hours, and even then you might not get in. All she needs is a REFILL.
Terri has looked into getting her health insurance, but no plan will take her because of her goiter. She should have lied when they asked her about preexisting conditions, but hindsight's 20/20 and my sister is an honest person.
She had to do payroll at the restaurant today, so there was no way we could go the clinic. Anyway, if you don't get there before 10am you don't have a chance in hell of seeing anyone. Tomorrow she has a portfolio review for a scholarship. She promised me she'd go to the clinic on Monday. She'll have to skip class and spend all day in a waiting room just so she can get someone to tell her what she already knows ("You're hypothyroid") and call Rite Aid and tell them to give her the pills.
I felt so helpless. I called the student health center at her community college and made her an appointment for this afternoon. I doubt they'll be able to do anything for her, but I figured it was worth a shot.
She said "I talked to her last night and she was a mess. She still can't get her prescription filled and now I can't get ahold of her. Could you go and see if she's okay?"
When I couldn't get an answer at her apartment either, I took my spare key and went over there to check on her. No one was home. I called her work number and Amanda answered: "Sorry. Terri said you were trying to find me. I just overslept."
She was four hours late to work. That's not like her. But this thyroid condition has really messed her up; she can barely handle anything anymore. "All I want to do is sleep," she told me.
Terri pleaded with Rite Aid and got them to agree to give Amanda a few pills to tide her over until her asshole endocrinologist would call in the refill. But I took her to the pharmacy and when she asked for the pills the pharmacist returned to the counter and said, "It's been denied." My sweet, trusting little sister just picked up her purse and whispered, "Okay" and started to walk away. It was heartbreaking. I said, "She really needs this. Isn't there something we could do? Her endocrinologist is a total asshole and he won't return anyone's calls." The pharmacist shook her head and said, "I know. It happens a lot at County Hospital. But we have to talk to a doctor before we can give these to you." We begged her to give us some, but she said there wasn't anything she could do. "You should go to a clinic and get a different doctor to call it in."
We went back to her apartment and I called the asshole endocrinologist again. The coordinator at his clinic said "We'll have him call you." I told them it was important and explained the situation. "He'll call you right back." We still haven't heard from him. I called the gynecologist Amanda saw at Planned Parenthood a couple weeks ago. She really liked that doctor and said that they had discussed the goiter. I thought maybe she could help us get a refill, but her assistant told us we'd have to go to the free clinic.
Going to a clinic means waiting at least four hours, and even then you might not get in. All she needs is a REFILL.
Terri has looked into getting her health insurance, but no plan will take her because of her goiter. She should have lied when they asked her about preexisting conditions, but hindsight's 20/20 and my sister is an honest person.
She had to do payroll at the restaurant today, so there was no way we could go the clinic. Anyway, if you don't get there before 10am you don't have a chance in hell of seeing anyone. Tomorrow she has a portfolio review for a scholarship. She promised me she'd go to the clinic on Monday. She'll have to skip class and spend all day in a waiting room just so she can get someone to tell her what she already knows ("You're hypothyroid") and call Rite Aid and tell them to give her the pills.
I felt so helpless. I called the student health center at her community college and made her an appointment for this afternoon. I doubt they'll be able to do anything for her, but I figured it was worth a shot.
Labels: Little Sister
3 Comments:
why are the doctors being a fucker? can't you make a request of transfering her health record from the hospital to the free clinic so that the doctor that seeing her might know her health history, thus giving her the refill?
It's getting to the doctor at the free clinic that's the problem, though. Once she gets in front of an M.D. I don't think it'll be a problem. This student health center thing may have worked. I'll know more tomorrow.
Christ... I hope it gets sorted. That is such complete crap. It makes me so angry.
Hope it works out...
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