Bellevue Blues Better Than Never Before

Bellevue’s changed from back in the day

The nurse took one look,

her eyes met his

You’re sedated she said

And over medicated

What do you mean he asked

I’m on prescribed meds I’ve been using them for about a year

I just got discharged from Beth Israel Psyche Ward and they gave me all these scripts but I can’t get them filled cause they cut off my coverage

These are my meds, he displayed his scripts; I have to get them filled

young man she stated we don’t just give out drugs like that

Her hand rested on her hip

She wore pressed white cotton trousers

Held a clipboard in her hand

She examined the prescriptions one by one

I get 30 capsules of Cymbalta he said it will cost 145 at drugstore.com and I’m not sure that’s not the generic one either then there’s this Canadian pharmacy sells the generic duloxetine (du LOX e teen) for seventy-three dollars and I live on social security disability I can’t afford all this money I need my drugs - I’m down on my luck waiting for disability retirement insurance to kick in because I really need these medications you see

It’s up to you sweetie she slid the clipboard in his hands, here are some forms to fill out

We have procedures we follow around here - just follow me sir

she led him to a separate room to see the social worker; be interviewed

The social worker politely informed him,

You can’t just fill prescriptions here; we have a clinic you have to attend regularly we don’t just hand out medications we’re responsible for your care and well being too

The patient explained Geodon keeps the hallucinations at bay

Lamogine’s for the bipolar moodswings

Cymbalta along with Mirtazapine works excellently for depression

And helps to control the suicidal ideation

I play chess for 20 hours sometimes I forget to bathe or eat

The Ambien’s to go to sleep - the Klonopin’s to stay calm

I suffer from anxiety and insomnia

Sometimes I take all of them and still can’t sleep

Without them I go manic

It’s just no fun never being allowed a really good night’s sleep

I attend a mental health center

They have doctors nurses therapists even social workers but they don’t have a pharmacy

Well the nurse said it’s up to you it’s either us or them - you have to choose, we give you a month’s supply when you come in each month and there’s no extra charge

you have to make up your mind - let me assure you we excel at treating mental illness

we have the best of everything here that they have there or anywhere else

after all it’s our specialty it always has been

plus we even have a bed ready for you, she smiled sweetly and walked away

He filled out another form and waited once more for his name to be called.

Note: Bellevue Hospital is in New York City's lower Manhattan area. Bellevue opened its first “pavilion for the insane” in 1879 and its first alcoholic ward in 1892. Bellevue Hospital has been famous since then for its mental health services.