Published archive
Every story reflects work that often goes unseen.
A regular patient of mine was living with chronic pain so severe that he needed a hip replacement. Unfortunately, he couldn’t qualify for the surgery due to his diabetes not being controlled enough. His HbA1c levels were above the required target, which meant the surgery posed to...
Read full story → Anonymous · Alberta · Community pharmacist · Apr 25, 2026A patient came to refill his blood pressure medication, but I saw he had no remaining refills and hadn’t been taking the medicine regularly. When I asked about his current blood pressure, he said it was in the 170s. He explained that he only took the medicine when he felt symptom...
Read full story → Anonymous · Alberta · Community pharmacist · Apr 10, 2026A man came into the pharmacy wanting to buy Polysporin for a surgery site that hadn’t healed properly. At first glance, the area didn’t look dramatically swollen, but I noticed it was inflamed, discoloured, and warm to the touch. He said it had been painful for two weeks. The pha...
Read full story → Anonymous · Saskatchewan · Rural / remote pharmacist · May 17, 2026A patient returned to the community after a prolonged hospital stay for a high-risk cardiac condition. During hospitalization, several medications were changed—some stopped, new ones added, doses adjusted. The hospital provided only a one-month supply, expecting the patient to fo...
Read full story → Augustine E · Alberta · Community pharmacist · May 03, 2026A patient came to the pharmacy for a urinary tract infection assessment. She mentioned she didn’t have a family doctor and hadn’t had bloodwork done in eight years. I offered to do a heart health assessment while she was there, and she agreed. During the check, her blood pressure...
Read full story → Tomi A · Alberta · Community pharmacist · May 03, 2026A woman came to the pharmacy seeking treatment for a urinary tract infection. As part of my assessment, I reviewed her provincial health records to check her kidney function and any recent bloodwork. I noticed she hadn’t had any blood tests in over ten years and didn’t have a fam...
Read full story → Tomi A · Alberta · Community pharmacist · May 03, 2026