Day 34: Another Lesson Learned

Friday, September 9, 2011

We had a pretty good day at school today, although it was a bit different because Lisa, another teacher who is there every day, was gone for the day to do some business on the main island. That meant that Abbie and I covered all the kids and things were really well, especially because we had several kids out because of various reasons. Plus that, of course, Friday is research day and beach day, so that makes the day go more quickly anyway.

After dropping off the carload of girls who had ridden with us to Tamarindo Beach, we went back to school to help get the school secured for the storm and then went into town to check mail and go back to the clinic. The doctor had said Hannah’s meds could arrive today so we should check for them after school. We got up there and found the person we needed to talk with. She handed me a small piece of paper with some note written on it; some in Spanish and some in English, and said I needed to call the Walgreens in Fajardo to give them my payment information. “No problem,” I thought, and dialed the phone. It wasn’t a surprise to be placed on hold immediately, and then to wait for a considerable amount of time before someone answered my call. It also wasn’t a surprise that I had to go outside the clinic in order to keep a good signal. What was a surprise is that the person on the other end of the line told me they had only received a fax for the prescription and she told me we would have to come to Fajardo (that’s on the main island, remember…), bring the original prescription, pay for it, and pick it up there. This is what she concluded after she asked me about six times who the doctor was and what the address was of the clinic, and what the prescription was for, which I had answered each time she asked. She also asked me several time if the prescription was for me or for Jessie, and each time I advised her it was for Hannah.

Finally, I just gave up, when the realization hit me it would probably be quicker and more likely for us to actually get the meds if I just called Hannah’s doctor back home, ask him to write another prescription, have my husband pick it up and overnight it or second day air it via USPS. The woman at the other end of the line eventually realized I was completely frustrated and at a loss (I burst into tears), and at about that time Hannah came out and said that the woman in the clinic wanted to talk to me again. We ended our phone conversation with no solution. Then I was told by the woman at the clinic that some other doctor in Fajardo was going to write a prescription and have it sent to Walgreens and a woman was going to pick it up and get it on a plane to Culebra, but that would take some time. “Oh really?” I thought, sarcastically. “Do ya think???” She told me she would call me when it was ready and I would have to call Walgreens again and give them my payment information at that time. She talked to me as though she was thoroughly disgusted and I pretty much decided then and there we were going to have to do something different in the future when it comes to Hannah’s health. The cultural values in this case are a chasm too great to cross. I’ll be really surprised if I actually get a phone call from the clinic and probably have a heart attack if the prescription ever actually shows up here. It exponentially increases my appreciation for health care in the States.

We left the clinic an hour or so after arriving (with nothing, of course) and went to purchase some things to ready ourselves for this weekend’s tropical storm. Determined to be more prepared than last time, we stopped at Superette Mayra (pronounced MY-ruh) and picked up some lanterns, a flashlight, more mosquito repellant, and some snacks.

This evening was spent with me in a pretty sour mood (I apologized to Hannah for being such a grouch). We searched for and pulled out boards to secure the hurricane shutters. We’ll actually put them up tomorrow morning, but at least they’re ready. We also rolled up the rug that got soaked in the last storm and put away things we thought might need to be taken out of the wind. Being wiped out physically and emotionally, we ate snack food and, for the first time since our arrival, watched television.

Today I’m thankful that every day isn’t like this. I’m thankful that my daughter was very understanding with me and readily accepted my apology. Thank you, God, for forgiveness.