A Pill Organizer? (7/14/25)

There have been times that I have had to take a pill twice or three times a day.  Usually it was an antibiotic, and only prescribed for a week or two.  Occasionally I would forget a pill, especially once I was feeling better and not so focused on the illness.

I have seen many “older” folks with pill organizers.  You’ve seen them.  Those plastic boxes with multiple compartments marked with days and times.  I thought they were a helpful tool for those whose minds were slipping a bit.

About a month ago, I started to take medicine, initially as a test to see if it improved my tremor, which would solidify the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.  The medicine, carbidopa / levodopa, did reverse the tremor when dosed high enough, but was also accompanied by significant side effects at that level.  However, at a lower dose, while the tremor persists, I have great improvement in back pain and bladder spasms, both well worth the tradeoff of some mild gastrointestinal upset.

Currently, I am supposed to take the medicine three times a day, with food.  How difficult should that be to remember? I even kept the pill bottle at the table.  I eat three times a day.  Take a pill when I eat.  No problem!

It didn’t take too long to find myself asking, “Did I take the pill?”  

As life is becoming more routine, settling into the rhythm of retirement, and getting accustomed to the idea of having Parkinson’s disease those “routine” things are becoming mindless.  Because I go through the same activities repeatedly, I find myself wondering, “Did I just take the pill, or was that this morning?”

Maybe I am having early signs of dementia, but I don’t think so.  My wife and I have the routine every night, where she asks me a list of things, “Did you bring the cat’s food bowl in (so the racoons don’t get into it)? Did you lock the garage door? …”. Most of the time I can give her a confident answer, but sometimes I need to honestly say, “I don’t remember!”   I need to check and see.  I think this is normal, at least it has been for me throughout my life.  Nothing new! (Just ask my wife!)

So, to resolve the issue of remembering to take three pills a day, I bought a pill organizer.

I guess I am now one of the “older” people! 

Dave Drozek with

Ruminations from Retirement

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