Feeling Vulnerable

The last couple of days have not been the best.

Yesterday, my husband and I were out and about together and just going to do a couple of errands and then on for coffee. I have a Mobility Parking Permit, which allows me to access Mobility Parking spots available. Today I was driving down the main street and saw that a park had opened up in just the right spot. I turned the corner normally and then everything rapidly deteriorated. As I turned the corner, instead of using the brake or gentle pressure on the accelerator to move forward, I put my foot hard on the accelerator and smashed into a building.For some unknown reason, both at the time and since, I can’t for the life of me explain why this happened.

I remember sitting there holding on to the steering wheel. I vaguely recall someone saying that I could let go and I slowly removed my hands from the death grip on the steering wheel. I have ended up with minor injuries, mostly bruising but luckily my husband came out of the crash with no injuries at all. For that I am very grateful. We are also thankful no-one was walking past on the footpath when it happened and things could be much worse.

So, on top of having to get things organised for our overseas trip, we have insurance and police requirements to fulfil so that we can get on with our lives and hopefully buy a replacement Suzuki very soon.

I am feeling vulnerable because to me my accident is a classic accident – if it involves an older person – to be a sign that that person needs to give up driving. That would be my worst nightmare. All my independence, in the blink of an eye could be taken away from me. I am so concerned that my GP will tell me that he feels that I should no longer be driving. I’m not sure I could cope with that. I have to wait until Friday to see him and hopefully get the all clear to continue to drive again when I get another car. If I can’t drive then I don’t know how I am going to continue my various activities.

Trying very hard not to be too much of a ‘Negative Nelly’ about the risk of losing my licence, but hope that my doctor won’t swoop in and take it off me.

So, I will be crossing every finger and every toe and holding my breath to hear my GP’s verdict and hopefully it is the one where I get to keep my licence.

Here’s a podcast on this topic.