In my previous post I alluded to the wait time at the military pharmacy. It can be awful. I know that other places can take a long time to fill the order, but you can drop off the prescription (drive-thrus in some places) and then go back.
This is how the pharmacy is run. After a doctor's visit, the doc will put into the computer system a prescription as needed. Usually it's for a sick child. So, I take all four kids to the pharmacy. With all the renovations going on here, it may mean we have to take a car ride or we have to walk clear across the parking lot. Then we get a number. On Wednesday, our number was 668. They were on 643. It made my heart sink. So, we stood and waited. Then a few seats opened up (who says soldiers are chivalrous? Certainly not the ones occupying the seats while we mothers with small children were standing). Then we sat and waited. And waited. And waited. About an hour later, the automated voice was calling 664. No one. Again 664. No one. Then 665. No one. Again 665. No one. By this point I was about to lose it. I wanted to shout out, "They're not here!! Move on to the next one!! Will you push the button already?"
Now, as if that's not enough, once you get to the counter they pull up the prescription and then tell you to wait until they call your name. Finally, you receive your prescription with a cursory description of what you need to do. Usually, the counter people are quick and diligent, but I've been to some places where the people chitchat the entire time. I want to reach through the window and grab prod them along.
At least the wait isn't as long as the ER at an Army hospital. That's another post. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate my benefits and don't mean to complain, but it can really be hard to do with four kids where obviously at least one is really sick enough for a prescription. And, I can't even distract the kids with a walk through the toy section.