A small panic

I've been taking medication for my seizures for... well, a really long time. Like, when I was in grade school I was taking these little yellow footballs... phenol-barbital.

Anyways, I recently ran out of my script of generic Keppra and with nearly a week's supply left had the pharmacy call up the doctor for a refill. After several days I strolled into the drug store... and no pills. The doctor's office hadn't returned their call.

I call the doctor's office and got the voice mail system. I dutifully follow the instructions for renewing my script and wait another day to let the thing process. Friday night I check with the pharmacy - still no word and I am _out_ of my pills. The pharmacy lends me a supply that'll last until Monday.

Monday I check the pharmacy - still no word from the doctor. Now I'm really nervous. And angry. WTF is going on?

I call the doctor's office this morning and slowly and carefully go through the voice mail service. I left all the information twice and reminded them that I was _out_ of my medication. I was steaming in my chair at work, planning on marching down to the doctor's office ASAP and staying there until I had a script _in_ my _hand_ when the doctor's office called me... and apologized for the difficulty.

The pharmacy had my script this time. I was soooo happy to have my DRUGS. Yes, the Happy Drugs that keep me from having seizures.

This episode makes me realize how fragile my health care really is. For the lack of a phone call I nearly ran out of my medication. I wouldn't have started having seizures immediately, but the chances of my having one would have increased. It's a scary place to be.

-m