Monthly Archives: May 2008

Have I mentioned how much I love the market?! My mom and Joe were in town visiting, so I got to take them to the Durham Farmer’s Market today. Among my enchanting purchases were handmade earrings, a jar of banana butter, a sweet potato and black bean empanada, and a cup of organic coffee. My mom ended up with a huge basket of yellow squash, turnips, fennel, heirloom tomatoes and lettuce.

I saw about a hundred people I know, petted several sweet dogs and listened to one of my favorite folk songs (Louis Collins) played by the cutest plunky-plunk sounding bluegrass trio on the lawn. Afterward, we ate shrimp and grits at one of my favorite eight restaurants in Durham, with delightful dining company: my mom and Joe AND the amazing Kitty!

Someone called me ebullient today and I had to Google it.

Ebullient: joyously unrestrained

Awesome – I love being ebullient!

I am happy to report that it was very easy to transfer my existing prescriptions from the terrible pharmacy to the Costco pharmacy. Indeed, my Costco pharmacy experience today was extremely positive. I received my prescription in a very short amount of time, with no hassles, perfectly executed. The customer service was very good. What I especially liked was the fact that the pharmacy staff was very professional and VERY COMPETENT, which counts for a lot!!

Side note: I wonder whether the professionalism, good customer service and competence of the Costco employees has anything to do with the fact that Costco actually pays its employees good, competitive wages, including excellent benefits? I would think this would likely encourages the employees to feel valued and want to work there. hmm…

Conclusion: The Costco pharmacy is great!!

Okay, the gas prices are now officially ridiculous to me. I just paid $3.76/gallon at the pump today.

I think I might go to the worst pharmacy in the entire world.

Something like the following scenario – which took place this evening – happens every time I go there:

May 6th, 2008 – 6:07 PM

Me: Hi, I’m here to pick up a prescription for Dreisbach. That’s Dreisbach with a “D”.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Can you write down the spelling of your name?

Me: Here’s my driver’s license. You can borrow that to look for my prescription.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Oh great, thanks. (Takes my driver’s license.)

6:22 PM

Me: Hi, how’s it going back there? Were you able to find my prescription?
Pharmacy “technician” #1: Was this a walk in or a call-in refill?

Me: This was a call-in refill.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Do you remember when you called it in?

Me: Um, it was this morning sometime. The automated system said it would be ready by 5:00 this evening.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Okay, lemme check.

6:35 PM

Pharmacy “technician” #1: What was your medication again?

Me: It was _______.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: So, not birth control?

Me: No, not birth control. Although I need that prescription too, so go ahead and fill the birth control as well.

Pharmacy “technician” 1: Okay.

6:44 PM

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Your birth control is not covered by your insurance company.

Me (sighing): You’re probably pulling up the wrong account in your system. I go through this every time I come here. So for some reason you have one account under my last name spelled correctly, but with the wrong address and wrong insurance information. There’s a second another account with my name spelled incorrectly, with the right address and the right insurance information. Every time I come in here I run into problems because of these two accounts. Each time, I try to get you guys to fix the information in the system, and each time, you promise you’ll resolve the problem, but it always stays the same.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Oh, sorry about that. Let’s go ahead and get this fixed right now.

Me: (Smiles skeptically.)

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Can you write down the correct spelling of your name?

Me: Actually, it’s on the driver’s license that you took from me half an hour ago.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Oh.

6:56 PM

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Okay, so now your name is spelled correctly in the system.

Me: Would you mind also checking to make sure my address and insurance information is correct in the system too?

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Sure, what’s your address?

Me: It’s on the driver’s license that you took from me 45 minutes ago.

Pharmacy “technician” #1: Oh. (Goes back to the computer.)

7:07 PM

Pharmacy “technician” #2: That’ll be $45, please.

Me: Uh, for both prescriptions?

Pharmacy “technician” #2: What’s the other prescription?

Me: The other guy was just working on both of my prescriptions.

Pharmacy “technician” #2: Oh.

7:16 PM

Actual pharmacist comes over: Hi, can I see the bag with your medications in it?

Me: Actually, you haven’t given me any medications yet.

Pharmacist: Oh, okay. (Goes back to his computer.)

7:27 PM

Pharmacy “technician” #2: Your insurance company says you cannot have another pack of birth control until May 10th.

Me: So, I have to come back and do this again on Saturday, in four days?

Pharmacy “technician” #2: Yes.

Me: Uh, okay so I’ll just pay for the other prescription now I guess.

Pharmacy “technician” #2: That’ll be $45.

Me: Okay. (Pays for prescription.) So, can I have my driver’s license back?

Pharmacy “technician” #2: What?

Me: I gave the other guy my driver’s license about an hour and a half ago.

Pharmacy “technician” #2: Uh, okay. (Goes to find my driver’s license.)

Me: So, could I have my prescription now?

Pharmacy “technician” #2: Huh?

———

Editor’s note 12-May-2008: As my mom just pointed out, you can check out the June 2008 issue of Consumer Reports (or read the article online, if you subscribe to the Web site) to see consumer ratings of all the national drugstore chains. As it turns out, my pharmacy is indeed the WORST pharmacy on the list… I will certainly take my business elsewhere from now on.