pharmacy thoughts....

Okay everyone I have now been back to work for over 2 months... goodness time goes by quickly!

Now, I have a few things that I wish to say about pharmacy.... (sorry if I step on any toes)


First thing is that unless it is an emergency I believe you should only get your meds filled at ONE pharmacy ever. You should pick a pharmacy with Pharmacists and staff that you are comfortable with and trust and stick with them. Trying to save a few dollars here and there by switching pharmacies every other month is not worth it in the long run. Pharmacists need to be able to have a ready and ample drug profile for you so that they can help your doctors in your health care. When you constantly move your prescriptions to save a few dollars then you are at risk for some problems with drug interactions that Pharmacy "A" fills for you and the drug that Pharmacy "B" filled for you today because both Pharmacies do not have the full data required to see the possibility for problems between the drugs. Why risk your health? Build up a good relationship with your Pharmacy. Talk to the staff. Let the Pharmasist know what over the counter medications you are taking as well... including any herbal or natural medications. Let the pharmacist know of ALL your allergies. Some drugs are processed with peanut oil so it is important that a pharmacy have all of your allergies on file. If it is the money ... well, those that have insurances will always get the same co-pays not matter what pharmacy you use. And many pharmacies now are going to match prices with their competitors that it is not really an issue at the majority of pharmacies.


Second on my list of thoughts today is that getting your precription filled is not like driving up to a fast food resturant. We all know that it would be nice .... but hey, filling a precription order is not at all like filling an order for a burger and fries!!! Most pharmacies can get your prescriptions done in a fairly short time (about 15 to 20 minutes) however, there are issues that do make that time frame a bit longer. Insurance issues, clarifiying the prescription with the prescriber, high volume of traffic in the pharmacy, perhaps the pharmacy is low on staff.... any number of reasons that it may take more than the short amount of time you are willing to wait. If the prescription is something other than an emergency or needed for someone who is extremely sick, then standing and glowering at the staff because they are trying to get in touch with your insurance company to see why your new blood pressure medications is costing more than your card says your co-pays should be is not going to help. Believe me when I say the co-pays are not set by pharmacies.... if you have insurance that is who is setting the co-pay. Oh, and for refills.... well, use the automated line whenever possible.... it is okay to give refills to the technicians... for that you don't need to talk directly to a Phamacsist (techs do most of the filling these days anyway.), and give a full 24 hours before you pick up refills whenever possible. Keep track of your refills and how low you are getting on your meds.... most doctors will take refill requests for medications from phamacies, however they may (and in most cases do) require a 24 hour notice for that too. So call your refills in a day or two before you run out of meds. Don't blame the pharmacy and staff if the doctor has not called in your refill. They cannot control if your doctor calls or not.

Wow, guess I had more to say than I thought. I guess the gist of everything is that you should build a good relationship with your pharmacy. They are an important part of your providers in health care.

I'm so excited!!!

My very best friend Denita is moving just across town! They will be here this weekend!!! I am so excited!!! I have missed her so very much!!! I cannot wait until she is over here! Whoohoo!!!

more about my job....

I have to say I was very blessed to return to my former place of work. I live just about a mile from work, and when the weather is nice I walk to work. It saves money on gas...is helping me to get back into some sort of shape other that a rolly polly (lol).... and it gives me time to myself for the 10 or so minutes it takes me to walk it. I am working between 35 and 40 hours weekly now and it is some long 9 hour days on my feet. So these last couple of months I have really been a zombie by the time I get home in the evenings! I am getting used to the pace once again and feel I am gaining endurance! LOL.

I do take my job very seriously, I mean we are dealing with people and their lives in pharmacy work. I try to give my best at each moment I am working. And like I told Eric, if I have to work... there is nothing I would rather be doing. I like being a pharmacy tech.


Now, for a bit of bragging on my family... Eric and the kids have been so wonderful. Eric has taken over the homeschooling of the kids and the day to day stuff of the house. The kids have taken on more chores and have been great! I feel so much less stress knowing that it is all being taken care of since I cannot do it all any longer. I have such a wonderful family!!!

Well, I'm off to finish getting ready for work.... hope everyone has a great day!

hey there....

Well since I spent most of last week on the Convention for Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes, I thought I would tell everyone today about work.....


I have gone back into the workforce as many of you now know.... I was thrilled to find that my former boss was in need of help in the pharmacy.... and so now I am working there again. I had let my certification as a technician lapse 3 years ago thinking I would not have need for it.... right...

So, that was a priority for me once I started working once more. I had purchased a review manual from Tech Lectures (Joe, I hope you don't mind the ad) and was thrilled that I had retained so much of the needed knowledge in my head!(by the way Joe, the manual is great!) Overall I studied a good month but did not do any real intensive studies until after we got back from convention and I had set my test date. I took a good 2 weeks of studying nightly after work and in any free time I found myself in and then headed off for the test. ....... Let me just say that wow! I was impressed with the new testing procedures. I liked that the test can be taken just about any time now... instead of the 3 or 4 times yearly that was the norm before. I also liked the fact that I was not crammed in a room full of 30 or more testers all testing for the same thing.... the testing facility that I took my test in this time was great! Quiet. Professional. And even though I was a bit nervous ... especially after the first few questions were a bit scary (lol) I got through with the test in under the amount of time given and had plenty of time to review my answers before finishing the test.


And then finding out if you pass or fail there on the spot was great.... I passed, by the way!

Now, I am a fully functioning Certified Pharmacy Technician once again!

More Convention Pics...

Mia is so funny.... she is so spontaneous .... waiting for the awards ceremony to start!



Here Mia and my niece, Emma, are just waking from sleeping out on the balcony... 5 stories up!


These next few pics are of the kids artwork they did (and won ribbons for too!) for the LLL Convention.
Travis' 2nd place painting (watercolor)

Amaris' 3rd place painting.


And Mia's 3rd place drawing and her 1st place photo... yep that is a big ugly bandaged toe!

Convention Pics....

Here is the wonderful views from our hotel room balconies.....





We were so wowed by the views!




Travis and his finalist trophy for Lad's Speech....




Mia and her 3rd place Audio Speech trophy.




Amaris and her 3rd place ribbon for painting!


Travis was one of the 2 students that was voted by the congregation to be the bearers of the banner for the Parade of Leaders on the opening awards ceremony.... its based on who shows the most leadership qualities for the year.... here we (me and Travis) along with Mylie and Nycelle (Nycelle was the other student voted for the Parade of Leaders) pictured with the Founder of the Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes Program, Dr Zorn! That was exciting!

LLL Convention...

This year we had such a great time! We were asked to take charge of the Food Room (an extra room the congregation pays for for the LLL group to gather and eat to help our budgets) and it was quite and honor to do this service. The kids were so helpful with the loading and unloading of the supplies... and it was a success this year for us!

The kids earned the following awards at Convention this year....

Travis:
2nd place with his painting
3rd place in Song Leading
Bronze medal in Good Samaratin (points are earned all year long)
Mia:

3rd place with her drawing
1st place with her photo
3rd place in audio speech (recorded speech)
2nd place in Leaderettes Speech
Level 1 in G.I.F.T.S. class (year long classes)
Gold medal in Good Samaratin

Amaris:

3rd place with her painting
participation award in Good Samaratin

Travis and Mia were also on the Group Scrapbook and it took 1st place in the Winner's Circle.


The weekend was fantastic... we had the best rooms we have ever had while there... 5th floor balcony rooms overlooking the Delta Island shops.... it was nice! The kids were so great, helpful to others and supportive of each other and others in the group. We were so blessed and thankful for a wonderful weekend!


Tomorrow I will show some pictures!

okay.... now to play catch-up....

Hello all out in blogland.... I have been going back and forth with myself about keeping my blog up and running these last few weeks since I have gone back to work... and after talking with Eric, I will keep it up... his voice was the deciding vote... he told me today that he really liked me having a blog and liked that he could read it because it gave him great insight to me.. his wife. I had never thought of it that way... he told me that there were things he learned from me putting it down in words that he would not have known otherwise. He encouraged me to keep it up! So I am going to be on here as much as I can....


Now.... for the next few days I will be blogging about the last few weeks playing catch-up for everyone....

Oh, and for everyone out there .... I passed my Certification Test! I am once again a CPhT!