Learning to Help Customers Part II

Every have an incident when a formula or product is out of stock or manufacture for a bit. I had this happen. A badly needed formula was offline for a short time. The infant in need didn't know this. All the infant and parent knew was the need was present.

What might you do? Turn them away and say it isn't your problem and there is nothing you can do? You are too busy to help them?

I know you are busy. Try this next time.

I am backed up now but I promise to check into to the best of my ability tonight and in the next day. I do not promise I can come up with anything but I will do my best. Mean time you do keep trying.

I had a patient that needed formula. The doctor was at his witts end. Imagine the parent. Think how you might feel. I always tried to practice pharmacy as if I wanted to be treated or might treat my family. If it were your child you would be going crazy.

I admit that my volunteering gave me access to more resources and ideas in these areas. The doctor and mother were amazed when I came up with about six weeks of formula and for free.

How did I do this? I called Skyline Urban Ministries, a food pantry where I volunteered. I asked if the Director could help me locate the formula. He did. He called around and found some at Presbyterian Urban Ministries.

The doctor and family were patient for life. Why do I go the extra mile? I guess it is in my nature. Why do I share this here? To show it doesn't take that much extra do a little more for you customers. I really was taught to use the term patient above customer.

Remember treat people like you want to be treated, you want your family taken care of and you will be one of the better pharmacist around. I firmly believe this will build your business more than prices or gimicks. Read the "Little Red Sales Book." Gimicks may get people in but it takes quality to keep a customer.

Dealing with Aged Parents

Do your parents say or do things like this?

You want to put me in a home?

When rearending four cars; it wasn't my fault they stopped to fast!

The trashcan jumped out in front of me.

The curb was too close to the street.

Won't take a cab; even though they can darn well afford it?

Leaves water running over in a bathroom sink for an hour and does damage to areas of carpet in four rooms?

Leave milk out or other cold items for hours?

Other forgetful indicators of dementia of some sort?

Has a personality change; either becomes really negative or sweet sweet?

Here is a letter I wrote to my sister in a journal but never gave her.

Dear Sister:

I know you love mom. You are an angel. You have been in some ways more of a mother to me than mom sometimes. You want to mother everyone, including my son Tanner. You are warn out. I know you are working on getting mom help. Sister it is okay to give up.

Setting boudaries is okay. Or, but mom in assisted living for a while until the medication either works or doesn't work. You are showing signs of being worn out.

I know you don't ask more of me than I can give. At one point I would have drained myself like you are. I realize now that I can no longer drain myself and take care of an autistic son. Plus, ______(husband...fell at work needs knee surgery but ended up with Deep Vein Thombosis, and Pulmonary Emboli...but God saw these were caught and he is alive...with filter in place to catch clots) needs special attention. I also have been sick with high fevers over the last two years. The only thing showing up is high C-Reactive protein and cortisol levels; indicating stress. Well now that I have gone 2 months with only two fevers and one sinus infection; I am exercising and committed to preserving this break in my health.

The bottom line is I can help but not on the level mom needs. Sister, I can't tell you what to do. I can tell you that none of us are equipped to help 24/7. Or, total to fill in the holes. You have a job. I don't want you to carry such a burden. Think about what I have said. You are a loving carring person but overloading yourself may make you not able to be there down the road when mom may need us further.

We have tried to get her to go and get medication that would help her to stay in her home. If being in assisted living would help until medication or a solution would help....that would be great. However, I am worried she may be unsafe by herself. Unless she agrees to having help come in a couple of days a week and going to adult daycare 2 days a week; I feel she must be placed in assisted living. However, my sister is in charge.

My therapist has taught me about boundaries. She uses the airplane analogy about parents putting on your oxygen mask first before placing it on small children. If a parent isn't breathing; they cannot help their child(ren) effectively. The same goes for helping their parents.

Here are some resources that should be helpful for caregivers and some specific to elderly.

http://www.helpguide.org/elder/caring_for_caregivers.htm

http://www.caregiving.org/data/Emblem_CfC10_Final2.pdf

http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/Publications/22-277.pdf

Remember by setting boundaries you take care of yourself which allows you to care for those you care give

Learning About How To Help Customers

One time long ago a young couple had a bounced check. I knew they had only bounced one check in their lifetime. Yet, the store manager would not overide the check. This bothered me because they had done it for others that bounced checks many times.

The young couple had moved into another apartment and the deposits were the cause of the bounced check. This was when Ceclor was brand name and expensive. Their young baby had a severe ear infection. It was a choice between diapers/formula or ear infection medication.

I had learned that working in a small town and for a grocery store, most towns had a ministerial allliance committee. Basically, an interfailth council that adminsters funds for cases such as this.

I called them and asked them if they might cover the medication or part of it. The couple said they could pay for half if someone might cover the formula. I had also learned that that the group had a charge account at our store.

The end was the the alliance paid for the formula and diapers. The couple paid for half of the medication. This was all they could afford until pay day. I never understood why the store manager wouldn't overide this check when he had done it for others that bounced checks numberous times. I had almost paid for half of the medication myself. I had done this many times before.

Bottom line, pharmacists can go beyond to help their customers if they are willing to learn about things.

A Night of Climbing Windmills in Weatherford, Oklahoma

One night as I will lovingly recall, I climbed windmills for about three hours in Weatherford, Oklahoma with a friend named (changed to protect identity) Marshall.  We drove around the town and others had paired off and I was just friends with Marhsall.  It was awkward in the car so I said let's go climbing windmills in the country.
It was a risky idea.  We climbed about twenty.  The boards on many of the windmills were rotton.  Marshall was a bit overweight. I am now but wasn't at the time.  It was a blast.  I came closer to Marshall that night than I ever had before.  Marshall has a voice like no other.  He sang that night so that I almost fell in love with him.
I had meet Marshall before college on a program in high school on a program called Close Up.  Where a bunch of kids went to Washington DC with their history class.  Marshall was a fun person to talk to then and on that night climbing windmills in Weatherford.
We climbed about 10 all together.  It was hard, fun and exciting.  We found out a lot about each other that night.  We bonded by helping each other, catching each other and becoming a team.  It is like managment weekend retreats where you pay a hefty some to become a team.
The moon was shining bright that night. If it hadn't been I am sure we would have made a trip to the ER with a couple of broken limbs.  We covered everything from children to how we felt about God and plans for the future.  Because we were going to be pharmacists; we talked about why we were becoming pharmacists and what we wanted our careers to look like in the future.
The views of Weatherford in the moonlight from the top of windmill were breath taking also.  I will remember climbing the windmills in Weatherford that night with Marshall for a lifetime.  Marshall is married to another person and I am too.  We were never connected in that way.
However, that night climbing windmills will always be special and tucked away in my memory forever.  This is something people do not get going to a school like Oklahoma University.  There is something to be said for going to a smaller school. I am not bad mouthing OU.  I am only stating that there are things a small town university offers that a big one doesn't. Where would you ever go climbing windmills in Norman, Oklahoma?

Ft. Reno

Ft. Reno.

Yes, an early early outpost.

Hidden on a modern highway, people going

by and by. A graveyard of stories to spout.

The names of those,

Lived on post.

Died of most,

and many causes; lots.

Oklahoma make it,

Part of old 66

Driving rituals!

Stop all this sfuff; being so virtual!

Poem

What to convey?
Heck what do I say?
Depends on the moment,
What I need to get out.

Why does it help?
Almost like therapy?
Like a gulp of medicine you take,
Then a release or relief of syptoms happen in time.

Does it cool or thoughts?
Release the memories?
Allow us to share our grief?
Understand or come to terms?

I am not so sure.
But it is better than a hurl.
I know it works for me.
That is all I care it to be.

Author Notes

Poetry and poems I write have come to mean help for me as a means of therapy

© Sandra Lynn Mallo Adcock. All rights reserved,

My Day Your Day

My day your day,
A wing and a prayer.

First step out,
Mud on shoe.

Second step out,
Glid into puddle.

Muddle and puddles,
Huddle time for us.

My day your day,
Our wings and our prayers.

At least friend,
Have you in my heart and mind.

Together we are strong,
Forever best freinds are we bound.

Author Notes

Funny, yes. I tried to make it match the picture s much as possible

© Sandra Lynn Mallo Adcock. All rights reserve