Wednesday, August 01, 2007

And so I DON'T get a break!!!

I have to laugh, otherwise I would be in tears. His overseas trip was extended and he didn't take enough Rx with him to see him through. It's 11 am....and I have been running around all morning. It's night where he is. He has enough Rx left for 2 more days.

I went to the post office. They will not ship presription drugs....they have to be sent through a pharmacy. Since it takes his HMO 3 days to fill an Rx, that's out.

I called United Airlines. Due to post 911 TSA regulations, there is a 10 day hold on new member accounts and you cannot send anything without an account with United Cargo.

I went to UPS 15 miles from our house. The "international expert" just happened to be at that location. Basically, it's the same TSA reg. I don't have a UPS account...I can't ship. But she also said that for the country where he is, I need to go to a specific agency and get permission from them to have the drugs delivered to him if they were to arrive there.

So, I have a friend who used to be an international triage nurse and I called her. She said he needs to go to the American consulate who can find him a doctor that will write an Rx to get him back home. Problem is, he has been tied up 18 hours a day in meetings over there. So she told me to tell him just to go to ER and explain what's going on.

I emailed him all the info from the bottles of each of his Rx. Because he's tied up in meetings right now, I can't get him on the phone.

In my email to him.....I suggested that he get his employer to purchase a ticket for me and I'll just fly over and bring all of his Rx to him.

He told me last night that it was 60 degrees there. I asked if he took a jacket....he said "no". I just keep saying to myself "duh!" LOL!

Anyway, I've spent half my day doing research and running around for him, so now I'm going to do something for me! :o) Maybe I should go buy a new outfit just in case I end up on an international flight! No....maybe I'd best go shower and wash my hair in case I only get an hour's notice! :o)

4 comments:

Diabeteswife said...

Life is good and all is well! He went through the American Counsulate and they got a doctor who wrote out Rx for everything that he needed. So I took a couple of days and drove to see my mom and then to see 2 of my sisters. Took an artist buddy with me and we just had the best time ever.

Now I'm back home and one of my sisters called and said she wants to come down and spend a few days with me....so the week is going to fly by once again.

Hubby seems to be holding his own. Said they were working through the weekend. He gets back to the states on Thursday. Hope he does well between now and then!

Anonymous said...

So glad to hear everything turned out okay. Guess it's a good wakeup call to international travelers to always take more meds along than you think you need.

Last night our son talked to me about my husband's diabetes and depression, as he'd really noticed the personality changes in the weeks he's been home. When he talked to his Dad earlier during his visit about how his sugars were doing, his Dad came right out and told him that he was eating and doing what he wanted, not testing, and not taking meds because he'd lived a full life, the only thing worth sticking around for might be grandkids, and that wasn't really enough.

We had a really good talk about where things stand with Dad, what will probably happen, etc. I even pulled out the meter that displays the last time he tested -- December 1 -- where the reading is 542. Very sad, but I feel a burden has been lifted now that at least one other family member knows what I'm dealing with here. I don't have to continue my protector-in-chief role where the kids are concerned, as now that I've talked with one, it will be easier to share things with the others.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe I found a place that is really wonderful for me. I can understand how important it is that my husband has his meds when traveling. I always pack more than he needs and I also include a small list of all his meds and put it in his wallet. Any meds that have the original RX like his needles I include in the plastic bags. The thing about my husband is that he always brings back at least half of what I sent him with, which means he dosen't take it like he is supposed to. My frustration is that since he can't see, legally blind, I am the one that takes out from my time to make it for him.

But here is the real kick in the head. For the past year he has made me feel like I was going crazy, so I made an appointment with a marriage counselor last week and since I once was trained as a counselor, I presneted just the facts to him. Nothing emotional, just facts. Well, I was shocked to hear him say to me, the all I am to my husband is his "caretaker". He asked some imortant questions, such as, what does your husband do for you to make you feel good. I honestly said "nothing". After several more questions relating to the same category of making me feel good, he said, and I heard it very clearly, "your marriage is not going to last!! I did not hear anything after that, and for the past 2 days I have been in a daze. Oh..my husband who is legaly blind was driving the F150 and as I saw him trying to pull into the driveway he almost hit a car trying to pass on thr street, and then he proceeded to back into the driveway and ran into my explorer. No real damage. I told him to give me the truck keys before he hurt himself or someone else and he told me NO! the keys belongs to him. So sad. He care more about his needs than the lves of others. Tomorrow I'm canceling the insurance on the two cars that he likes to drive as a half-bind-man(?). My 6 year old grandson has more sensse!I really appreciate having this opportunity to vent. I'm here to listen to! Fran

Diabeteswife said...

Fran, it is just so fortunate that he has not hit or killed someone. Can you call the motor vehicles department and ask them if they can call him in to test his eyes and maybe revoke his license?

I do think that over time, they try to get us to be caretakers for them. I am still in the refusal stage. I think my hubby would be happy if I would set out his pills, give him his shots and just drive him wherever he wants to go! NOT going to happen! LOL!

Funny, I thought my hubby was trying to make me crazy. But with counseling, I have come to realize that it's not me. It really has nothing to do with me. It's him. And I have had to put that "monkey" back on his back and refuse to let him make me think I'm losing it. It has taken a lot and it is constant work. It's another reason why I blog, so I have a record of the events that take place. It helps. And it helps to read posts for others like you so that I know it's not just me.

We are not alone in this.....although sometimes, it can feel like the most alone thing in the world.