In June of 2002, I had to move out of my apartment and then immediately proceed to leave for Williamsburg (a four-hour drive) in order to get down by 2:30 pm that same day. (This was Thursday, FYI.)
The day before that, I had a prescription with no refills that had to be filled by Thursday morning so I'd have the meds that weekend. (Note the lack of refills. HAD to have a prescription.)
Wednesday afternoon, I took the prescription into the local CVS and the pharmacist asked if I wanted to wait or if I was coming back tomorrow.
Me: "Sure, if you're here by 10 am. I have to hit the road by then for a long trip."
Him: "Yeah, no problem, we open at 9 am tomorrow."
BIG MISTAKE.
Thursday. I turned my key in at 10 am and drove down to the CVS. There was NO ONE at the pharmacy. I asked the cashier if something had happened and if my pharmacist had called in.
Cashier: "No clue. He didn't call at all - just hasn't shown up."
I was a little worried by then, so I went to call a couple people and tell them I'd be running late, ran some other errands, and came back at 11 am.
Pharmacist was STILL missing. No phone call, no nothing. Cashier said he was supposed to open at 9 am, and had no clue where the guy was.
I wrote a note with my name and my cell phone number and prescription details and left it there requesting that the pharmacist NOT FILL the prescription if he hadn't already so I could transfer it down to a CVS in Williamsburg. I also called the pharmacy phone and left a message with all my information and those same instructions.
Miracle of miracles, I got down to Williamsburg by 3 p.m. New record. I picked up my friend, got to the hotel, unloaded my bags and checked to see if I'd missed any calls on my cell. Nothing. I then called the pharmacy back home.
Pharmacist answered. Oh, well, he slept in and didn't get in til 11:30. Did he get my messages? Yes. Could he transfer the prescription? No, he'd JUST FILLED the prescription an hour ago, and was wondering where I was.
Didn't he READ the messages? I was 4 hours away and wouldn't be back for five days! And I'd told him I needed it by 10 am! Pharmacist: "Oh, I forgot about that." So, basically, if I wanted my medication, I'd have to go back up there to get it.
Now if I hadn't driven myself down there and didn't have to worry about driving myself back up and driving several people around Williamsburg that weekend, I would have just let the matter drop. But driving four hours on unfamiliar roads alone is bad enough when you're taking your regular medication.
I ended up having to go to the local hospital, contact my physician and have him speak to the physician on duty to get a new script written for five days worth of my medication. Then I got the runaround again at the local CVS when the pharmacist there said, "It's already been filled," and I had to explain what happened. He was surprised that the other guy had just vanished that morning with no notice or phone call, and filled the prescription.
Now, had I the foresight and good sense to have just WAITED for the prescription on Wednesday night, this mess would never have happened. Honestly, given the circumstances, I should have seen it coming. So, yeah, I take responsibility for that little escapade.
But between his unexcused absence and ignoring my instructions, I can't help but feel that the pharmacist was just a bit irresponsible there. Is it just me?
Needless to say, I go to a different CVS now, and I have never had any complaints about the pharmacy staff there...