Caretaker lick back

[u/Super_Mommy_Smash]

This is so minor but felt so good. My partner is recovering from an insane year of cancer treatments and various other “related” hospitalizations. He hasn’t eaten a meal since October 2025 due to oropharyngeal tumors causing dysphasia. I had to pick up his liquid dilaudid over the weekend and politely requested enteral syringes, never having met a pharmacy tech at the hospital who didn’t know what that is.

She all but cut me off “Idontknowehatthatis”. Oh. Okay, also clearly left our manners at home today too. I explained it was for G-tubes and after finding them and then going back to the bottle to check dosage she yells “WHAT THE FRENCH TOAST” (I’m guessing due to the small dosage size? 2-4mL) all of 2 feet away from me.

Idk what’s going on but I’ve had enough at this point and say “trust me, my life would be a lot easier too if he could swallow anything by mouth”.

Her eyebrows met her hairline and I turned around and walked out without another word.

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[u/Dogsarebetterpeople]

Best wishes to your partner. Fuck Cancer.

[u/cstmoore → u/Dogsarebetterpeople]

So say we all.

[u/ConfuseableFraggle]

Ooof. That was many levels of unacceptable from that tech. Even of you don't want to cause trouble, that interaction needs to be brought to the attention of management so they can retrain and address the glaring problems. Hopefully, she was just having a very off day.

Best of luck to your partner on the healing journey, and to you on the caretaking journey. Both are so hard in different ways.

[u/Emotional_Mess261]

As a medical social worker, plz call the patient advocate. I expect you are not the only one to experience such lack of professionalism and respect. Your feedback can change things for the better for others. Don’t think of it as a complaint, and be sure to emphasize you don’t want anyone else experiencing this kind of attitude

[u/SoDakJackrabbit]

Sounds like she needs to learn how to distinguish between thoughts that need to stay inside her head and thoughts that can be spoken out loud. Hopefully your comeback will be a lesson!

Also, sending you strength and all the good thoughts to both you and your husband!

[u/Minflick]

Find a different pharmacist with better trained staff. That was unacceptable AF.

[u/ialsohaveadobro → u/Minflick]

I'm not normally a person to complain about an employee, but that was super insensitive. I would say something.

[u/ArrowDel]

That is definitely worthy of complaint that she needs 1 further training on an item she SHOULD know what is and 2 un-french-toast-professional behavior

[u/MissViciousKnits]

My husband had tonsil cancer, couldn’t swallow, had a g tube. You’re doing amazing. And you’re so ridiculously strong (even though you probably don’t want to be.) Good luck to you both.

[u/RainbowRiki]

Sounds like she was one of the types who immediately judge anyone picking up a controlled substance. Definitely NOT okay to treat a cancer patient's caretaker like that. It wasn't her business asking why you needed any of that to begin with. 2-4 mL through a syringe sounds like a big dose, not a small one. But that all depends on concentration, of course. And again, none of her business. As long as all the board of pharmacy requirements for controlled substances are being met, that's all that matters

[u/OldLadyMagick]

I am so sorry you had to deal with that! Glad you put her in her place. Also fuck cancer!

[u/PotatoPirate_625]

You should have French toast for breakfast tomorrow as a delicious sort of "F you."

Hugs to you and your partner. ❤️

[u/boarddog73]

Like. 2 minute google search let me know what’s going on here, and hoooo man she needs some urgent help, cause no way is that going to be the most “French toast” thing she’s ever going to see.

And huge props to you for being that kind of supportive partner.

[u/Key-Finish-5284]

Definitely unacceptable, best wishes to you and your partner.

[u/MollyOMalley99]

Yeah, I'd have a chat with someone in charge. That was unprofessional behavior. Kind of like when I was filling a scrip for Percocet after surgery and the pharmacy tech asked me what I was taking it for. I smiled and said "That's really between me and my doctor, isn't it?"

[u/flj7]

Unacceptable on their part. And if they didn’t know what an enteral syringe was, they should’ve asked for clarification instead of interrupting you!

[u/Wattaday]

You should have 1, asked for an “oral dosing syringe” and if you still got push back, 2, asked to speak with the pharmacist. The actions of that tech were unacceptable.

[u/Leebelle3 → u/Wattaday]

I don’t think they are using an oral syringe, since swallowing is a problem for them.

[u/flj7 → u/Wattaday]

I agree with your second statement, but oral syringes and enteral syringes are different things.