Thursday, December 30, 2010

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.