One day last summer, as I was filling a perscription for Allan at the clinic I had an idea. In the shipment of boxes from the hospital that had closed down in Illinois were some empty medicine bottles. We had begun using them with our patients that return monthly for on-going medical care. Instead of the tiny plastic zip closed bags we normally used, our regulars would get their meds in a nice bottle. We asked that when they returned to bring the bottle for their "refill". The success rate of returns was about 60% I guess. Ling Ling, especially loved the new bottles. It was really great when we gave out meds that had to be cut in half because those didn't get crushed that way. So my grand idea was to ask my mom to start saving their bottles when they were empty. Now I don't consider my parents old, but they are grandparents and like most grandparents they take some medicine. I thought that in the few months before their visit they could gather up a few. I was thinking 10-12 at the most. Our system of returns was working well.
Unfortunately, as you may remember, our internet was gone for most of the month of July, so one evening in early August I asked Mom to begin saving her empty pill bottles until their visit in November. Mom, thinking that if 2 grandparents saving pill bottles was good, surely a whole Sunday School class would be better. Wouldn't we be surprised if she could bring a quarter to a half of a suitcase of bottles. A few Sundays later, she stood up in Sunday school at First Baptist Opelika and presented her request. That day a member of the class mentioned he knew someone who worked at a place that manufactures bottles right there in their hometown of Opelika, AL and he would see if any were available. A few more days passed and Mom and Dad left for a 10 day trip to West Virginia.
When they returned there was a message on the answering machine from the president of their Sunday School class. A couple of boxes were waiting in their Sunday School room in the music room of the church. So one afternoon, Mom and Dad went to pick up the boxes. As they walked into the choir room, a staff member was there doing some work. She told them what they were looking for was over in the corner behind the piano. Over in the corner were 4 large boxes of medicine bottles. Now when I say large, I don't mean a good size. I mean so large that my dad couldn't carry them. In all it looks like there were close to 4000 pill bottles, maybe more. Taped to the top of one of the boxes was a note that said "Be careful what you pray for."
Mom, Dad and I have giggled and giggled over the overflow of bottles. Mom decided they would pack up a "balikbayan" or door to door box and ship as many as would fit- this was about 1600. When those get low, she will then ship another. For now they have a closet full of pill bottles waiting and we have an overflow here. Ling Ling was really excited about our abundance. So if you visit our clinic, you will notice that more than just the "regulars" get their medicine bottled.
Pictured is just a small amount of the pill bottles now at the clinic.
The rest are in the back storage room.
Unfortunately, as you may remember, our internet was gone for most of the month of July, so one evening in early August I asked Mom to begin saving her empty pill bottles until their visit in November. Mom, thinking that if 2 grandparents saving pill bottles was good, surely a whole Sunday School class would be better. Wouldn't we be surprised if she could bring a quarter to a half of a suitcase of bottles. A few Sundays later, she stood up in Sunday school at First Baptist Opelika and presented her request. That day a member of the class mentioned he knew someone who worked at a place that manufactures bottles right there in their hometown of Opelika, AL and he would see if any were available. A few more days passed and Mom and Dad left for a 10 day trip to West Virginia.
When they returned there was a message on the answering machine from the president of their Sunday School class. A couple of boxes were waiting in their Sunday School room in the music room of the church. So one afternoon, Mom and Dad went to pick up the boxes. As they walked into the choir room, a staff member was there doing some work. She told them what they were looking for was over in the corner behind the piano. Over in the corner were 4 large boxes of medicine bottles. Now when I say large, I don't mean a good size. I mean so large that my dad couldn't carry them. In all it looks like there were close to 4000 pill bottles, maybe more. Taped to the top of one of the boxes was a note that said "Be careful what you pray for."
Mom, Dad and I have giggled and giggled over the overflow of bottles. Mom decided they would pack up a "balikbayan" or door to door box and ship as many as would fit- this was about 1600. When those get low, she will then ship another. For now they have a closet full of pill bottles waiting and we have an overflow here. Ling Ling was really excited about our abundance. So if you visit our clinic, you will notice that more than just the "regulars" get their medicine bottled.Pictured is just a small amount of the pill bottles now at the clinic.
The rest are in the back storage room.
Thank you Ledbetter Sunday School Class at First Baptist Opelika, Alabama
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