I waited at the Kaiser Pharmacy yesterday. I read this on its message board (which posts the names of the prescriptions that are ready and has news as well):

Get sick...
Stay sick longer...
Welcome to Skyline Pharmacy

I think I probably missed something of theirs, but the three lines I saw certainly worked for me.

I went to Kaiser because I have this gross painful and annoying lump on the inside of my right elbow. I went to Kaiser first a couple of days before we left. I saw a physician who was 30 minutes late and gave no explanation nor apology, who had not swallowed what she was eating and whose tongue was coated with masticated bread, who did not shut up long enough to sense in a closed mouth that she needed to clear her mouth, who did not shut up because she did not want to waste her time listening to my concerns, and who did not explain away my concerns but instead told me I had none. She said moist heat to break down the blood clot in the vein (that's what the lump is). She said clots in superficial veins, where this is, aren't the kind that dislodge and cause stroke. She said it might break down in five weeks or so. She said all this barely touching my arm, hardly examining the lump.

Yesterday's doctor wore jeans and a sloppy shirt and stood on one foot and leant on the other, propped on a stool. This is not a wild west saloon, I refrained from pointing out. He did manipulate the lump and then told me it's scar tissue and there for good. If it's painful, take anti-inflammatories for a week and then it won't be painful. Ever again, like a week of OTC is a permanent cure? This question affronted his dignity and he did not answer.

It is likely scar tissue from IVs, and since, being right-handed, I give blood from my left arm, I can only think that the oral surgeon's IV damaged the vein. Or it could be cumulative, which I prefer since that means I can continue believing I have been served by at least one competent medical practice in the past five years.

I asked how the blood that this blocked scarred vein is supposed to carry gets back to my heart, and yesterday's doctor said the body grows new veins in detours. Really? That's clever of it, except it means my body accepts that this cul-de-sac is permanent.

But anyway I remembered to get the next two months of pills, which is when I saw that sign. I am anxiously awaiting surgical, rather than chemical, contraception. I am going to have a party the day I go off the pill, I swear.