When the High Temp of the Day is -16 Degrees

We're back to our regular winter programming, with sparkly snow and that familiar sub-zero chill that makes it difficult to be outdoors for more than 15 minutes at a time before your fingers, toes and nose start feeling mildly frostbitten.  I spent  part of the weekend working in the ED, where I ran my own little fast track section for visits that really weren't emergencies at all: sore throat, cough, pinkeye, oral thrush, STD scare.  The ED clinicians use a nifty prescription medication dispensing machine after hours when the outpatient pharmacy is closed.  The genius dispenser looks almost exactly like this candy vending machine:

You order the prescription medication of your choice (nystatin suspension, azithromycin, triamcinolone, etc) on the computer.  A prescription label is printed out, and the nurse puts in a password that allows the machine to release the medication so it can be labeled and given to the patient.  Sometimes the medication gets stuck and you have to bang on the dispenser and yell at it a little, like a real live vending machine.