This is not a regular pharmacy, only the Cancer Agency can dispense Chemo for me . The lab tests are to make sure the chemo drugs are not damaging my organs before they renew it. I argued that I have been taking this particular drug for many years and never have my monthly blood tests been out of range where it was necessary to alter my medication and I was willing to take the risk, but they won't go for it as it's the protocol. So it is blood tests or no chemo this month. They will do the Dr. consultation and check over, over the phone this time and write the prescription, but I will still have to go back to the Cancer Agency Pharmacy the next day to pick up the Chemo.
Before I went to the lab at the hospital today, I got a call from the Cancer Agency asking if I had any COVID-19 symptoms re: coming into the Pharmacy and after some discussion it was agreed they will send the chemo to me by courier. Apparently they are calling everyone coming in to see if they may be plague carriers.
I thought I would check my home and boat work supply stash with the hope I would find a mask as I have used them before. Only found one already used N95 disposable with blue paint dust and then in the back, I found a new in the box, NORTH industrial, reusable N95 respirator and a new box of 20 n95 filters for it, that I had completely forgotten I bought some years back.
So now I am feeling a lot braver about heading out to the lab in the afternoon. The hospital has stepped up their game. A manned check point just inside the door to clean your hands and a second check person in the hall at the lab. The waiting room seats were mostly blocked off to provide separation distance. I am in and out quick and back to the car. I have my N95 respirator and am feeling a little cocky, so lets get some other medical things from the local drug store and a few things from the grocery store like milk since it could be a month before I get back out. Everything goes great, very few people in the drug store or grocery and they had taken a lot of steps to prevent transfer and maintain social distance and all grocery staff were wearing masks and had the checkouts plex-glassed in.
Back at the car I load the trunk up and am feeling rather smug about this having gone so well and thinking I should not be coughing up my lungs in a couple of weeks. Then the universe takes exception to my smugness when I close the trunk and immediately realize I just locked my keys in the trunk and the cars is locked. Now normally, a seniors moment like this would be no problem as we older people plan ahead for such failings and I would get the spare car key out of my wallet, but I just take the cards now, not the wallet, for infection control. As I ponder this development, the universe is apparently not through with me, as a heavy but short cloud burst opens up on me. One thing that I do understand is that N95's do not protect against viruses if they get wet so off it comes, - not feeling so cocky now.
Now this is the older beater car of my vehicles and easy to break into with a metal coat hanger, but after checking with a few stores in the small mall, apparently now they only have plastic ones. So plan B, we do plan ahead, and its a call to the auto club and a few minutes later a tow truck pulls into the parking spot right beside me, and as the guy gets out I say to him "that was quick". Apparently the universe is not quite through with me, as he looks at me like I am a burned out schizophrenic street person, and walks right passed me to the grocery store - no I am not making that up. Finally the correct tow truck turns up and I am now decontaminated and locked in the bunker again like a survivor in a zombie apocalypse movie, but should be good for a few more weeks.