Stitches
I found some t-shirts at Goodwill and cut them into loops with moderate success. Anything less than 1/4 inch falls apart when you stretch it, but crocheting with 1/4 inch or bigger loops (so you're really crocheting with 2 strands at a time) requires a pretty big hook. I suppose it would work for a rug or maybe a pillow.
I see some people are selling t-shirt yarn on Etsy.com. Apparently they have cut a t-shirt in spiral to get one long strand. I'm not sure I have the patience for that. However, I did cut a couple of my loops apart and made a macrame bracelet out of them. Only problem with that is figuring out what type of closure will work. I just tied a knot in the end and slipped the beginning loop over. It fell off at work, and I found it later in my smock pocket.
Stripts
Speaking of pockets.... those of you not in the biz may have noticed that we seem to have a lot of stuff in our smock pockets. Here's a list of what's in mine and why:
Ballpoint pens - pharmacists are completely lost without pens. I have 3 at all times because I have found over the years that 1 backup just isn't sufficient. I buy my own so that I know which ones are mine. Otherwise, I steal everyone else's and have a pocketful of pens at the end of the day.
Highlighter - there's always something to call attention to; a change in directions, a note that the patient needs to see the doctor, a note that the insurance company, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to stop paying for a drug, etc. There are usually highlighters around, but they always seem to be yellow which doesn't show up well on our receipts.
Pastel permanent marker - to make a big X on the open stock bottles. I'm generally pretty easy-going, but it does bother me when other staff members can't take a second to mark an open stock bottle and we end up with a bunch on the shelf. Everyone knows when I've been working because the shelves turn into a lovely rainbow of pastel shades.
Black permanent marker - mostly for writing notes on faxes to doctors. Regular pen either doesn't show up well enough or the doctor's staff just ignores it.
Small note book - I feel naked without my little cheat book. It's mostly phone numbers. But it also has lots of notes about fixing insurance rejections (override PA codes, DUR rejection codes, group numbers or processor control numbers that aren't on the patient's insurance card but we have to enter anyway.) The days when all I needed to know was drug info are long gone.
Colored lip balm - Hey, I still wanna look good!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Loops
Stitches
Usually as the weather turns colder I start getting more serious about crochet. I like to watch movies that no one else around here wants to see, crochet, and drink too much coffee. The next DVD of Dead Like Me will be arriving soon. Now I need to decide what my next project will be.
I have a couple of ideas floating around in my head. I've been trying to make a mobile/sun-catcher idea work, but I can't seem to find yarn that drapes well and looks good with the cut glass drop beads that I bought.
Another idea that I've been kicking around is cutting up old t-shirts and crocheting them into something. So I think I'll run by my neighborhood Goodwill today, buy some t-shirts, get out the rotary cutter, and go to town. I'll try to follow the instructions for making plarn and cut straight across the t-shirt, making a big loops and then hook the loops together.
Scripts
You know how I was complaining before about other pharmacists being so negative? I've got a story for you that could easily be told as a rant, but I found humor in it, so here goes...
A woman called me on the phone at work last week and said she wanted her methadone refilled. I told her that methadone can't be refilled; it has to be a new written prescription each time. She argued with me that her doctor did put refills on it. And I replied that even if he did, I still couldn't legally refill it. Looking at her file, I saw that she had a refill on hydrocodone and asked if that was what she wanted. She said no.
She then called her doctor's office, and they called us. They spoke to the technician who didn't know about my earlier conversation with her. I don't know exactly what the doctor's nurse said, but the end result was that the hydrocodone got refilled.
The customer came in, and the cashier rang up the hydrocodone. The woman called me over to say we made a mistake; we were supposed to fill methadone. A circular exchange transpired.
"I want the methadone; the round ones. The doctor called in refills."
"The doctor has to write new prescription each time. It cannot be phoned in."
"What's this?"
"Hydrocodone. That one they can call in"
"I don't want that. I want the methadone; the round ones"
We go around and around a few times. I really don't know how else to say it.
As we're chasing our tails, I notice she has a rolled up piece of paper in her hand that looks like a prescription. After a minute or two she says "Oh, so you need this." And she hands me the piece of paper which is, indeed, a written prescription for methadone written about 2 weeks before.
We fill the methadone, and as we're ringing it up she asks me if we can put a note on her file so that we don't get confused next time. I gave her my biggest customer service smile and said, "So we don't get confused? Oh no, we're fine, Ma'am. Just bring us the written prescription next time and everything we be easy." While I'm saying this, I hear the technician behind me trying not to laugh.
Usually as the weather turns colder I start getting more serious about crochet. I like to watch movies that no one else around here wants to see, crochet, and drink too much coffee. The next DVD of Dead Like Me will be arriving soon. Now I need to decide what my next project will be.
I have a couple of ideas floating around in my head. I've been trying to make a mobile/sun-catcher idea work, but I can't seem to find yarn that drapes well and looks good with the cut glass drop beads that I bought.
Another idea that I've been kicking around is cutting up old t-shirts and crocheting them into something. So I think I'll run by my neighborhood Goodwill today, buy some t-shirts, get out the rotary cutter, and go to town. I'll try to follow the instructions for making plarn and cut straight across the t-shirt, making a big loops and then hook the loops together.
Scripts
You know how I was complaining before about other pharmacists being so negative? I've got a story for you that could easily be told as a rant, but I found humor in it, so here goes...
A woman called me on the phone at work last week and said she wanted her methadone refilled. I told her that methadone can't be refilled; it has to be a new written prescription each time. She argued with me that her doctor did put refills on it. And I replied that even if he did, I still couldn't legally refill it. Looking at her file, I saw that she had a refill on hydrocodone and asked if that was what she wanted. She said no.
She then called her doctor's office, and they called us. They spoke to the technician who didn't know about my earlier conversation with her. I don't know exactly what the doctor's nurse said, but the end result was that the hydrocodone got refilled.
The customer came in, and the cashier rang up the hydrocodone. The woman called me over to say we made a mistake; we were supposed to fill methadone. A circular exchange transpired.
"I want the methadone; the round ones. The doctor called in refills."
"The doctor has to write new prescription each time. It cannot be phoned in."
"What's this?"
"Hydrocodone. That one they can call in"
"I don't want that. I want the methadone; the round ones"
We go around and around a few times. I really don't know how else to say it.
As we're chasing our tails, I notice she has a rolled up piece of paper in her hand that looks like a prescription. After a minute or two she says "Oh, so you need this." And she hands me the piece of paper which is, indeed, a written prescription for methadone written about 2 weeks before.
We fill the methadone, and as we're ringing it up she asks me if we can put a note on her file so that we don't get confused next time. I gave her my biggest customer service smile and said, "So we don't get confused? Oh no, we're fine, Ma'am. Just bring us the written prescription next time and everything we be easy." While I'm saying this, I hear the technician behind me trying not to laugh.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Exceptions
StitchesI've been crocheting for about 6 or 7 years now, and I've gotten a little bored with following patterns. These days I usually try to come up with my own patterns. It takes a lot of time and patience, but it sure feels good to know I created something original.
Sometimes I make exceptions to the no pattern policy for special projects like the 7-pointed star baby blanket for a co-w
orker's grandson. He's due any day, and my co-worker doesn't know I made this. I'm counting on her being too busy to see this before I give it to her. The pattern is from a book by Ruthie Marks that is on my virtual bookshelf at Powell's books. Click here to check out my shelf.
orker's grandson. He's due any day, and my co-worker doesn't know I made this. I'm counting on her being too busy to see this before I give it to her. The pattern is from a book by Ruthie Marks that is on my virtual bookshelf at Powell's books. Click here to check out my shelf.The hat was also a pattern from a book. The hubs has resisted letting me crochet anything for him, but I knew he wanted a warm hat. I searched the web for pictures of finished hats, and gave him 3 or 4 to choose from. He chose the one from Son of Stitch and Bitch which is also on my virtual bookshelf. I was surprise he chose this one. I was sure he was going to want the Flying Spaghetti Monster hat.
Scripts
There are a couple of dramas on TV right now about nurses, which has me wondering why there aren't any shows about pharmacists. I think my professional life would make a great sit-com. Of course, the lead would have to be played by a stunningly gorgeous brunette actress. The pilot episode would be about the time a customer brought a bug in a bag to the pharmacy and asked me if it was a louse.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
I Actually Finished a Crochet Project!
Stitches
Yay! I finished the tote bag. It turned out deeper than I wanted, and it's still a little poofy on the sides. But I think I have the concept down. I'll go ahead and use it for awhile, see how well it holds up, etc. Then I'll try to make one more the size I really want.
I rarely use patterns anymore. I'd rather try to figure out how to make something on my own. As a result I end up doing a lot of frogging, but I sure love finally getting something finished.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Selling Out
Yes, I will gladly sell-out for Powell's credit. A click on the Powell's logo will take you to a list of my favorite crochet and science books. If you buy something from my list or anything else from Powell's site, I'll get store credit. Yay! I love the internet!!
Powell's, if you haven't already heard, is the most awesomest book store ever.
Now that that's done, it's time to push my blog on unsuspecting friends and family members.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
What do pharmacists really need to know about urine?
Scripts
It's continuing education time again.
For those of you not in the biz, we are required to prove that we have been attempting to keep up before we can renew our licenses each year. How hard we have to work to prove it varies from state to state. The requirement here in this state is minimal. If all I did was make the state board happy every year, I would be sadly uninformed.
The computer age has made the process so much easier (and more relevant in my opinion). When I was just getting started back in the stone age, we had to either go to a boring, expensive lecture or find a print lesson, take the quiz, and mail it in. You really had to pay attention to who was sponsoring the correspondence lessons. They very often were thinly veiled advertisements for drugs.
The expensive day-long lectures have either pretty much gone away, or I'm just not on the mailing lists anymore. There are still plenty of 1 hour lectures out there, but I rarely go for moral reasons. These are sponsored by drug companies, and the lecture is following a dinner at one of the expensive restaurants downtown. You want to know why drugs cost so much? Because big drug companies spend as much on this crap as on R&D. And they spend even more lobbying congress. (Getting down off my soap box now)
Now I can sit down at my computer and chose from at least 50 different lessons to take online. This means I can get credit for gaining knowledge I might actually use. Yipee! Back in the old days, if all I could find to get credit was a lesson titled "Unrinalyis: A Guide for Pharmacists", I would have to learn about urine.
For my cont. ed. this year I've got the quizzes on pressure ulcers and zinc for colds under my belt. The pressure ulcer article had some detailed info that I doubt I will ever use, but I wanted to know what the current treatment recommendations are. The zinc lesson was timely because I just self-treated with zinc for a cold. The lesson says that studies are mixed, and further research is needed. My own research has been very positive. There are always zinc lozenges in the house, and my colds rarely get past the scratch throat phase before might zinc stops them in their tracks.
I've got about 6 weeks to finish, and 6 online quizzes should take care of my requirement. My license doesn't expire until November, but I want to send it in early. The Dept. of Health got a new computer system for license renewals over a year ago and is still having trouble processing the renewals in a reasonable amount of time. That's government oversight for you.
It's continuing education time again.
For those of you not in the biz, we are required to prove that we have been attempting to keep up before we can renew our licenses each year. How hard we have to work to prove it varies from state to state. The requirement here in this state is minimal. If all I did was make the state board happy every year, I would be sadly uninformed.
The computer age has made the process so much easier (and more relevant in my opinion). When I was just getting started back in the stone age, we had to either go to a boring, expensive lecture or find a print lesson, take the quiz, and mail it in. You really had to pay attention to who was sponsoring the correspondence lessons. They very often were thinly veiled advertisements for drugs.
The expensive day-long lectures have either pretty much gone away, or I'm just not on the mailing lists anymore. There are still plenty of 1 hour lectures out there, but I rarely go for moral reasons. These are sponsored by drug companies, and the lecture is following a dinner at one of the expensive restaurants downtown. You want to know why drugs cost so much? Because big drug companies spend as much on this crap as on R&D. And they spend even more lobbying congress. (Getting down off my soap box now)
Now I can sit down at my computer and chose from at least 50 different lessons to take online. This means I can get credit for gaining knowledge I might actually use. Yipee! Back in the old days, if all I could find to get credit was a lesson titled "Unrinalyis: A Guide for Pharmacists", I would have to learn about urine.
For my cont. ed. this year I've got the quizzes on pressure ulcers and zinc for colds under my belt. The pressure ulcer article had some detailed info that I doubt I will ever use, but I wanted to know what the current treatment recommendations are. The zinc lesson was timely because I just self-treated with zinc for a cold. The lesson says that studies are mixed, and further research is needed. My own research has been very positive. There are always zinc lozenges in the house, and my colds rarely get past the scratch throat phase before might zinc stops them in their tracks.
I've got about 6 weeks to finish, and 6 online quizzes should take care of my requirement. My license doesn't expire until November, but I want to send it in early. The Dept. of Health got a new computer system for license renewals over a year ago and is still having trouble processing the renewals in a reasonable amount of time. That's government oversight for you.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Setting Trends
Stitches
Here's the tote bag I've been working on.
I was pretty down on it before, but I've decided to give myself some credit for attempting my first bag without a pattern. I think I know what I did wrong now. I'll frog the sides and try using a smaller hook so that they will lay more flat and be more dense. Hopefully, that will give it a little more structure.
Once I get it down, I'll post the pattern to AssociatedContent.com along with a couple of others that are already there.
My crochet empire is growing by the minute. Now if I can only get Oprah to make my bag one of her Favorite Things.....
Scripts
I discovered a breakthrough in suspension reconstitution today. After adding half of the distilled water, tightly cap the bottle, turn it upside down and drop it on the floor. It works great!! Those little chunks that sometimes would stick to the bottom of the bottle and refuse to mix go away just like that!
Of course, I discovered this by accident. I'm a more than a little clumsy, and I didn't mean to drop the first of 4 bottles of amoxicillin on the floor. But when I saw how well it worked, I dropped all of them. I'm sure they will be teaching this method in the pharmacy schools this fall.
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