Divine Instacart

“I need food,” said my chronically ill client, J, on the phone. For him I pick up on my day off because it could be literally life or death. “All I’ve had today is a slice of chocolate cake and I’m getting dizzy. And I overslept and I missed dialysis.“ Knowing he had food stamps, I tried reaching first a staff member who lives nearby and then a volunteer to see if somebody could go shopping for him. Nobody was available so I wound up ordering on Instacart. Concerned he might pass out, I stayed on the phone with him while we waited for the food to arrive. He managed to open the door and the delivery guy immediately saw how ill he is. “You got it?” He asked, handing over the bag. “Yeah,” said my client, “I’m on dialysis and I didn’t eat”. “ I was on dialysis, too" said the delivery guy, "I used to get it in my neck.” "They did it in my neck before” said J. "I got shot and my kidneys failed," said the delivery guy. "I got this by using drugs," said J. "Word?" said the delivery guy, sounding incredulous. "I’m going to make a sandwich" said J. "You got cheese?" asked the delivery guy who knew he had only brought baloney and wonder bread and fruit punch. "Yeah," said J. "And I have spicy honey mustard." "I knew you were a mustard guy" said the delivery guy, laughing. "Yeah I can’t have ketchup." "Yeah, because of the potassium," said the delivery guy. "You got a kidney?" asked J., wondering if the guy had had a transplant. "You have to take these herbs," he responded. "If you go to the herb spot and ask for bitters, they’ll know what you mean. And sea moss." "Sea moss is supposed to be good" said J. "Yeah," said the delivery guy. "Organics and nutrients. I’ll make you a list. I live around here." And then they began discussing the neighborhood and I left them to it J. called back later. "That was God," he said. J. is not particularly religious, but he was certain. "That was divine intervention. I didn't have to tell him anything, he told me what I go through. He said he was shitting himself and all that." Diarrhea is a major struggle for J. "He was on dialysis for two years and had a point in his life when he wanted to give up, too. He said he took vitamins and drank a lot of water. I drink a whole lot of juice.". When we hung up, he sounded more hopeful than he had in a long time. I had no idea you could order a dialysis buddy on Instacart.

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