I know people who have not even had a Panadol in years because they don’t believe in medications to take away pain. I do. I am currently taking three different pills a day as part of my treatment (plus an optional pill for really kick arse bad pain) and there was a time, about six months ago, when I was taking five to six a day.
I carry a little medications purse on me at all times. I am reassured by having them with me, just in case. In case the pain really kicks in, in case I end up somewhere else when I have to take my medication or in case the world suddenly runs short of my medication.
I am so conscientious about keeping plenty of them on hand that I think my pharmacist is suspicious of the amount of prescriptions I put through him. Personally I would have thought the chemo hairdo and the cancer medication would make it obvious, but that doesn’t make him any happier when he sees a script that has been written by one of my oncologist’s residents and not by his own hand. Really, dude?
Despite all this, the other day I forgot to take my medication. I panicked. And then I realised I still felt OK. Missing a pill isn’t going to be kill me. But, I worry about what all these pills are doing to me in the long run. Wouldn’t it be lovely (and a hell of a lot cheaper) to be pill-free?
