Losing One
Mr. Swenson's wife called yesterday afternoon. She told me that he had died the night before and that if I had any prescriptions for him, I should put them back in stock. I was surprised, but then I wasn't surprised. He was an elderly man who had cancer and the cancer had spread. I'd seen him about a month ago and he still seemed all right.
I knew he wasn't going to stay that way. I'd taken care of a couple of people with cancers in the brain before. It wasn't pretty. It's one of the few things that I hope I never have to watch. I know that medical research has made great strides when it comes to treating cancer,but at Mr. Swenson's age, there probably wasn't much that could be done.
I don't like losing customers. It happens though, people move, get angry because of something or have to use a mail order pharmacy due to insurance issues. When you work with a large geriatric population as I do,you also lose customers through death.
I remember when I first started working at the store I'm at. Mr. Swenson was crotchety and sometimes difficult to work with with. He was also a bit bigoted and had no problem loudly stating his opinions at the pharmacy counter. My coworkers and I would cringe at some of the things he would say. I sometimes worried a bit about his safety. Minnesota has a conceal and carry gun law. I was afraid someone would get mad at him and open fire.
After he'd been diagnosed with cancer, he mellowed a bit. He wasn't quite as demanding and would sometimes smile. In the last few months he would chat with me a bit. He asked me where I went to pharmacy school. When I told him North Dakota, he smiled. He had some connection there although I can't remember what it was. In fact we'd got to the point where he had told me that I could call him Clint. (I generally don't use first names with customers, especially the older ones unless they tell me to.)
I have mixed feelings about his death. I will miss him,but I also know that things would have eventually been pretty bad for him health wise. So it's probably best that he left now. As a Christian, I know that he is in a better place. I hope that he finds a few Army buddies there, He'd like that.
I knew he wasn't going to stay that way. I'd taken care of a couple of people with cancers in the brain before. It wasn't pretty. It's one of the few things that I hope I never have to watch. I know that medical research has made great strides when it comes to treating cancer,but at Mr. Swenson's age, there probably wasn't much that could be done.
I don't like losing customers. It happens though, people move, get angry because of something or have to use a mail order pharmacy due to insurance issues. When you work with a large geriatric population as I do,you also lose customers through death.
I remember when I first started working at the store I'm at. Mr. Swenson was crotchety and sometimes difficult to work with with. He was also a bit bigoted and had no problem loudly stating his opinions at the pharmacy counter. My coworkers and I would cringe at some of the things he would say. I sometimes worried a bit about his safety. Minnesota has a conceal and carry gun law. I was afraid someone would get mad at him and open fire.
After he'd been diagnosed with cancer, he mellowed a bit. He wasn't quite as demanding and would sometimes smile. In the last few months he would chat with me a bit. He asked me where I went to pharmacy school. When I told him North Dakota, he smiled. He had some connection there although I can't remember what it was. In fact we'd got to the point where he had told me that I could call him Clint. (I generally don't use first names with customers, especially the older ones unless they tell me to.)
I have mixed feelings about his death. I will miss him,but I also know that things would have eventually been pretty bad for him health wise. So it's probably best that he left now. As a Christian, I know that he is in a better place. I hope that he finds a few Army buddies there, He'd like that.
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