Medical Status/ CVS Pharmacy - Doing Good.

As you read yesterday, during the pet rescues a filthy, mung covered nail and my foot got to know each other pretty well. Not to mention the cats who were extremely upset that I wasn't their owner and who explained to me in no uncertain terms that they did not want to go on a boat ride.

Well, first thing today, I drove out to East Jefferson General Hospital where today and Monday the staff and FEMA are administering Hepatitus A, Hepatitus B and Tetanus shots for free. I definately needed them. When I spoke to my father this afternoon, he was pretty relieved, said that he had a nightmare last night where I lost my right foot, and all I had was a gnarly mangled nub.

While I was being processed in a tent, I noticed that the gentleman asking me various standard health related questions and who worked for FEMA, had his left leg in a splint. I inquired if he had gotten that injury while down here. He explained that when he arrived in New Orleans the Thursday after the storm, he had shortly thereafter torn the ligaments in his knee in a recovery related accident. They did not ship him out, he wouldn't let them. This man is still down here helping, even considering the fact that he will probably have to have an operation in order to walk again.

The whole process for me to receive the shots took about 30 minutes, but the difficult part - I thought- was going to be filling a prescription for Augmentin, the antibiotic that I obviously needed. My hand, where one of the cats had bitten through a leather glove was starting to swell up and was smarting.

I was informed that the hospital could not fill my prescription or give me a few samples to get the stuff into my system, but there was a nearby CVS Pharmacy which was open and who could potentially do it.

I drove over and upon entering experienced my first air conditioning in 14 days. They had power. It's crazy how acclimated I've become to the heat down here. 72 degrees is down right chilly.

I digress... CVS Pharmacy actually filled my Augmentin prescription, which normally costs in the $200 range for 16 pills, for a whopping 85 cents.

85 cents.

I was astounded. I asked if they were billing FEMA or something and the manager explained that CVS was bearing the entire cost for this and that this was one of the ways they were helping out the community.

I ended up having a long talk with two onsite managers, Don Marshall and Gary Safewright. They informed me that all the CVS Pharmacies in Jefferson Parish were open, but this was the only one not running on a generator. Further, their entire staff in the store from pharmacists to the cashiers were trucked in from Orlando, Florida. Each CVS Pharmacy in the area is operating with borrowed labor from around the country. It gets even better, these individuals are actually all staying at a motel in Slidell, LA - that's now, with the loss of the twin spans over the lake to the East, over an hour commute each way. What can I say except, yeah CVS, you have my business from now on.

On a more curious note. The managers told me that they were running supplies from their stores over to a military regiment based near the Causeway Bridge. At first I understood and was pleased. CVS was providing dog food to the soldiers so that they could feed stranded animals and strays in the area. What's curious, is that they were also supplying our soldiers toothpaste, medical supplies, sunblock and items like nail clippers... I thought our military took care of their own. It's possible that this is simply more generosity on the part of CVS, but the managers did not exactly explain it that way.

I'm going to go on one of these deliveries tomorrow evening and check it out. Unless I'm exhausted again.

Rescue pet update next.