Mental Health Support
Related: About this forumsometimes, it's the little shit.
so, i have posted before about my baby girl, and the trouble she is having. yesterday was a complete and unnecessary pile on for her-
ok, she was on her was to college, with high hopes all around. then she just broke down. one of the things she started doing to get herself back together was art. especially drawing. she is very good, and had a great art program all through grade school. she also joined her sister as a tattoo fan, and designed one for herself after being hospitalized.
the guy that did the tat for her (and for me, which pissed her off. another story.) offered her an apprenticeship. it seems like something she can fall back on no matter what, so we agreed to support that. the big obstacle is transportation, so she has been trying to get her drivers license. she is 18, and took the test once, and flunked badly after a panic attack. (before dx)
i took her yesterday to try again. i had her drive there, and honestly, her nerves are just not able to drive. she nearly rear ended 3 different people on the 30 minute drive. i did my best to stay cool, but i know she was already rattled.
so, she went into dmv, and i went shopping in the mall where dmv is located. first she had to track me down for the cash for the fee. then they made her take the written test again. 1 wrong, yeah! then when she went to take the road test the inspector stuck his head in the car and told her there was too much dog hair in the car. refused to get in, told her to go vacuum the car.
now. in fairness, there were about 50 short hairs on the passenger seat. the rules say it can't be "dirty or greasy". the back seat, honestly, was kinda hairy. not to me, but to someone who looks for such things, yeah, it had hair. my son uses the car for work. he works for a doggy day care and picks up and drops off dogs. they ride in the back, buckled in. the rule says passenger seat. i really thought it was ott, but....
so, freaking slightly, she follows his direction to go vacuum the car, following his directions of "up that way a little". turns out it was almost a mile, and when pulling into a parking place, she nicks a guy's bumper. being a "brand new" car, it has one of those plastic bumpers that are held on by mostly nothing, and it pops. turns out it belongs to the owner, and someone runs to tell him. the guy comes out, the cops are called, and i am a mile away and on foot.
she cries, calls me, not knowing really where she is, and i take off walking. fortunately, both the car owner and the cop agree that the tester was nuts, and that it was completely inappropriate for him to order her to go off as a never licensed driver.
the guy is very nice, the cop knows him and attests to his character, we agree to take care of the damages, exchange info, and she doesn't end up with a ding on her record before she even gets her license. she insists on taking the test again, really so that we can go back and yell at the supervisor, which we do.
needless to say, she flunks again.
it was a long fucking ride home.
sometimes, it's the little shit.
she get the results of some extensive testing on friday. i am trying to talk her into letting me come along, because i know that she needs someone objective to hear and remember what is said. she is gonna hear it through some f'ed up ears.
sigh.


I've been avoiding learning how to drive for quite awhile now. I'd probably be fine, if I make sure I'm not tired when I drive. Been a touchy subject.
elleng
(138,751 posts)VERY good to hear guy was nice, cop knew him, agreed tester was nuts. Seems like a couple life lessons here.
HUGS for you and daughter.
fujiyama
(15,185 posts)The first time I couldn't reverse back-up. We never even got on the road. I was driving my parents minivan which didn't help any.
The second time, I remember testing with this woman that yelled to make a turn at some point. It got me really frazzled. I remember coming back and just yelling and screaming at my parents and basically bawling. It was so frustrating - after all, all these other idiots on the road had a license. Why didn't I?
Finally the third time the tester gave me the license. I made a mistake, but somehow I think she could see I REALLY needed that license. I was about to start college in just a few weeks and I was going to be commuting to school. Growing up in the suburbs a license was basically a must and most of course had it when they turned 16. I somehow relied on friends and parents until 18, which made for a somewhat difficult two years. Riding the bus through my junior and part of senior year was not fun at all.
so beat..