Another Easy Visit

Airport security confiscated a tourist’s glaucoma eye drops, so he called his insurance who called me. The drops come in a tiny 2½ cc bottle, so the seizure seemed puzzling. On the other hand, nearly ten years ago they took my tweezers, a beautiful needle-nosed instrument perfect for removing slivers. It cost $20. Later, I checked the Transportation Security Authority web site and learned that tweezers are specifically permitted. Naturally, I’m still fuming.

The visit was easy. Usually, I phone a refill to a pharmacy when a traveler needs a legitimate prescription, but December has been slow; no calls have arrived in a few days, so I’ve felt uneasy. Ironically, medical experts unanimously frown on giving prescriptions without an examination. They never explain how an examination in a hotel room can prove that a patient has, for example, glaucoma, osteoporosis, emphysema, acid reflux, or epilepsy. If he takes high blood pressure medication, and I find a normal pressure, must I refuse the refill?