For anyone suffering from a cold or the flu, online service providers can be a lifesaver. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2018
If you’re going to be laid up for a couple of weeks with the flu, the Bay Area is a good place to do it. A remarkable number of services and conveniences are a phone call or swipe away.
For example, take-out food and grocery delivery services are a godsend when you’re sick. During a recent illness, I couldn’t leave the house for almost a week (my husband was out of town) and needed some basic groceries. The first delivery service brought canned chicken noodle soup, eggs, juice, bananas, ginger ale and a dozen other things in less than 90 minutes. I used a second grocery delivery service for a larger order, placed 24 hours in advance. Once again, all the items were exactly what I ordered and the delivery took place within a two-hour window as promised.
Twice, I had to use ride-hailing services to go across town to doctors’ appointments and the emergency room. I never waited more than five minutes for any of the rides. I was grateful that the transactions were so effortless and each driver told me to “feel better soon.” A little compassion goes a long way when you’re feeling lousy.
Finally, I ruined my iPhone while I was home with the flu. I accidentally spilled water on it in the middle of the night. I spent several hours trying to repair it myself and then sought help from AppleCare. In spite of valiant efforts on the tech’s part, it was impossible to restore the data on the damaged hardware. It really was time to replace my old phone anyway, so I called Apple. I told the agent I was stuck at home sick and couldn’t go pick up the phone, so she said it could be delivered to me within two hours for a small fee. I was thrilled with the possibility of getting connected again, and Apple didn’t disappoint. The courier arrived on time with my new iPhone and I had it working in about 30 minutes.
In conclusion, I want to give a big shout-out to Lyft, Instacart, Good Eggs and Apple for helping me out. Reliable service providers are always invaluable and especially when you’re going through something that knocks you for a loop.