Thank God for paranoid, pill-hoarding delusions

I use a large (national) pharmacy. The pharmacy is located in a large store. The store has .... hell with it.

I use the Walmart pharmacy. I bank at the little bank in the front, next to the nail parlor. I fill my prescriptions at the pharmacy. I shop in the store.

Yesterday, I planned to do all 3. I dropped off my prescription (the 450 mg Lithium Carbonate ER). I love the pharmacy. The employees are very kind and compassionate. They're smart and efficient. They know me by name. I love the pharmacy.

After dropping off my prescription, I did some shopping. Got some dried fruit for the disaster kit. Walmart was out of Cherry Cola Diet Rite. Shame on them! I did my shopping thing for an hour, finding everything else on my list (* Cat food- all, conditioner, etc.). See, I love Walmart.

Imagine my shock when I got back to the pharmacy. "We're sorry, Ms. B., but it's going to be a partial." What?

They were out of Lithium. They could give me six tablets (I guess to keep me from becoming "Breaking News"), but that was it.

How can a pharmacy run out of Lithium? I'm just boggled, baffled, and bewildered (oooh, ringing ears side effect). How? A sudden rash of bipolar diagnoses? Huh?

Thank God for paranoid, pill-hoarding delusions. I always have an extra month on hand. Gonna have to use it.

But they will call me when they get the Lithium. AAAAGH.