CRAJ Fall 2022

Fall 2022 (Volume 32, Number 3)

Poetry Inspired by the Injectable Steroid Shortage

By Philip A. Baer, MDCM, FRCPC, FACR;
Rusty Goodman, MDCM, FRCPC; and Jane Purvis, MD, FRCPC

These are some funny, short poems, written in light of a recent shortage of Depo-Medrol^® announced in the spring of 2022, to illustrate how much we were missing a trusted treatment for the local management of joint pain, which fortunately has now become available in the market again.

31 Vials of Depo
31 vials of Depo on the shelf,
31 vials of Depo.
If 1 of those vials should happen to fall,
Cancel that injection, make that call.

30 vials of Depo in the cupboard,
30 vials of Depo.
If 1 of those vials should happen to break,
A steroid holiday patients will take.

29 vials of Depo on the tray,
29 vials of Depo.
If 1 of those vials should happen to crack,
No needles today, cut me some slack.

28 vials of Depo in my hands,
28 vials of Depo.
If one of those vials should happen to spoil,
Take some time off, no need to toil.

27 vials of Depo in room one,
27 vials of Depo.
If one of those vials should be lost,
None on black market, regardless of cost.

The Night Before Clinic
Twas the night before clinic
And all through the pharms,
Not a Depo was present
First do no harms.

On Shoppers, On Rexall,
On Heritage and Ben’s,
If the white stuff is missing
Empty syringes won’t mend.

No Covid to blame,
For this tragic affair.
At a gaggle of swollen joints,
I despairingly stare.

I never did dream
That this day I would see.
I guess I’ll go ortho,
And inject PRPs.

Roses are Red
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
No Depo available,
No shots can I do.

Daffodils are yellow,
Daisies are white,
Without Depo-Medrol,
Office days are a fright.

Lavender’s purple,
Spring grass is green,
This shortage of steroids,
Is the most annoying I have seen.

Depo at Hand
Do you need Depo at hand?

I do need it rheum, I am.
I do need, Depo in hand.

I would need it for a knee.
I would need it MCP.
I’d inject it pretty quick.
In a bursa I am slick.

Do I need it for a joint?
If no Depo, what’s the point?

I do need it for RA.
I can use it in OA.
I can use it for the gout.
I‘ll inject it all about.

I do need my Depo quick
Kenalog won’t do the trick.