Wednesdays by Devon

Wednesdays by Devon - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

After a long night at softball practice with many hours of studying and homework looming, the last thing I wanted to do was cut miniscule pills in half, and if I didn’t line them up perfectly inside the pill cutter, I’d watch them crumble like my mood. Every Wednesday, I have a standing appointment with my 90 year old Gong-Gong (the affectionate Chinese term for grandfather). I’d go into Gong-Gong’s room and head over to the five-drawer rolling cart that serves as his medicine cabinet. I’d pull open the drawers filled with bottles of prescriptions and vitamins and take out each bottle one by one to refill his pill box, which is divided into morning and night for every day of the week. From deciphering bottle labels that don’t even seem to be written in English to playing Tetris with pills to strategically fit all the tablets and capsules in each tiny compartment, my job on Wednesdays is to maintain Gong-Gong’s countless medications.

I have often questioned why my older brother didn’t have to learn about how to maintain Gong-Gong’s health and care when my aunt moved away. Meanwhile, I’d set alarms to squeeze the job into my busy teenage schedule so that I wouldn’t forget to check that Gong-Gong’s medications are ready for the upcoming week. My mom has consoled me with the explanation that even at a younger age, I am more conscientious, more detail-oriented, and more capable. But having to constantly keep a running list of medications in my mind and trying to track which ones had less than a week’s supply remaining and required refills was exhausting, and I resented it.

Gradually, with each passing Wednesday, I fell into a routine, and I started to see the job differently. The dreaded chore became a responsibility that I now complete with pride, and it became something pleasant, almost fun, during a midweek rush or rut. A guaranteed time set aside to spend a few moments with Gong-Gong. After getting home from a Wednesday evening softball game, no matter how late, I can always count on finding Gong-Gong waiting patiently and greeting me with his favorite question, “Did you win?” as I start to pull out the medicine cart. I always jokingly answer that we lost the game, and with a grin he predictably shouts in bewilderment, “Lost again?” After carefully refilling his pill box, I would proceed to list the game highlights for Gong-Gong while dispensing his weekly ear drops. We’d always laugh as I’d try to explain the game and my performance, and he wildly waves me away to express that he doesn’t understand and doesn't care to hear anymore. Before leaving his room, I’d confirm that he’s feeling well, and we’d say our good nights.

Within the first year, as I mastered my job, I started to do more than just refill the pill box on Wednesdays. It became more than just going through the motions to consider my task done. I started to pay more attention to what each medication did to help Gong-Gong’s health and developed a curiosity as to why certain medications needed to be taken with food and why others needed to be taken at a certain time of day. My curiosity extended to the possible side effects of individual medications and the effects of specific medication interactions. When Gong-Gong’s doctor prescribed a lower dosage for his blood pressure medication, I immediately saw the impact it had on his increasingly swelling feet and then how the doctor counteracted those effects by suggesting to revert back to the higher dosage or change to a different medication altogether. I realized how important my job was for Gong-Gong’s health. It was then I knew I wanted to study Pharmacology and Pharmacy.

As I begin my college career this Fall, I am excited for the challenging core math and science classes that will not only get me closer to my career goals, but encourage me to think outside the box and ask questions about the world around me. For me, math and science courses provide the perfect combination of problem-solving and innovation to reach solutions. While some problems can be solved with a step-by-step formula, others will require utilizing research opportunities that still allow me to explore more creative approaches and give me the freedom to test new ideas. My biggest goal is to get my pharmD degree in hopes to use it to assist, support, and educate the older generations who, like Gong-Gong, often feel confused and lost when it comes to the thousands of different medications available (and sometimes not available) to them.

I have held my job as Gong-Gong’s “pharmacist” in my family for over four years now. However, in a few short months, my favorite Wednesday job will be transitioned to another family member as I prepare to attend college and start my next chapter. Soon, Wednesdays won’t be the same. I hated Wednesdays. I learned from Wednesdays. I found my future from Wednesdays