Gym Cracks By Jim April 14, 2005 NEW JOB OPENS DOORS Delivering prescriptions offers chance to meet a variety of Grand Islanders By Jim (Babe) Berryman MissingNebraska.com After a hiatus of several months, I'm back. No excuse for my absence. I did rejoin the work force--on a part-time basis. I have been working 11 to 17 hours a week since January. I've always wanted an exciting job and now I've found such a job. I'm a "drug runner." Really, I carry drugs valued at several hundred to a couple thousand dollars each day I work. Most of my "clients" are elderly women. Many are residents of retirement homes. Some are tethered to their oxygen tanks. Others have failing eyesight. I guide the hand of one woman as she signs for her drugs, err prescriptions. I've taken a position with a pharmacy. My job description--delivering prescription drugs for a pharmacy. I have the 5:00 p.m. shift three weekdays and a fourth shift Saturday noon. I average 12-15 "drops" a shift, ranging from eight to 27. The three part-time employees delivering for this pharmacy have an estimated 144 to180 deliveries each week. I am amazed as to the number of prescriptions some individuals consume. The most I have delivered to one individual is ten. A pharmacy aide has indicated that one individual receives 22-23 different prescriptions. Can 22 prescriptions be taken safely? How do these drugs interact with each other? Has research been conducted to see how so many drugs would affect an individual? A November 2004 issue of Forbes Magazine says in the United States, employers, government and consumers spent $215 billion on prescription drugs in 2003, two percent of the entire U.S. economy. This is almost double the amount of drugs purchased ten years ago. So prescription drugs is big business. Many of my clients are lonely people. My son, who was a night-time DJ, has mentioned the number of lonely people who would call him at the radio station during the night hours, just to talk to someone. During my interview for this position my boss mentioned if and when I had the time--then spend some time with those individuals who appear to be lonely, as I may be the only human being they would talk to face-to-face during the day. My clients have produced pictures of grandkids, ranging from two weeks old to those serving in the armed forces. I have heard stories about pets, present and past. One lady even produced a picture of her as a youngster and her favorite pony, a picture some 70-years old. Two ladies, with tears in their eyes, have shown me picture of their deceased husbands, one on his John Deere tractor. Another lady, 92-years old, was thrilled to tell me she now had the dish so she could listen to her polka music. She's just a youngster, compared to my oldest client who will be reach her 102nd birthday this summer. The only drawback of this position--when serving mostly seniors citizens--is that you will lose some of them to death. Already three obituaries have appeared in the local newspaper--people that I had delivered prescriptions to. I'm enjoying my new position and hopefully I'm making a day brighter for some individuals in this area. I'll plan on sharing some of my working experiences with you in the future. Post/Read Feedback PREVIOUS GYM CRACKS: Click Here