church

Brief update: the visit to Madison was great, in that Dr. Mejicano, who is great and truly worth the price of admission said my wound was "beautiful," and my labs were "great" and explained very clearly what we're watching and why. He treated us as though we were capable of understanding this stuff and in fact we were. I really love being treated as though I'm capable of understanding my own situation, particularly when the news is good.

As I mentioned, my friend and colleague J.J. is hauling me to work when he can, which is every day this coming week, and that's just the thing for my morale. I work better in my office, get more done, and the interaction and stimulation remind me that I'm part of something that I really love. NCCC is a great place to be these days and soon there will be 160 young people running around our quaint little campus.

The campus is very much like a small college and I have to walk back and forth between my building and our 3rd floor administrative office in the next building. This is more walking than I was doing at home and I can feel it. You don't get stronger if you don't push a little and I was defaulting to the not ineptly named La-Z-Boy far to often.

After a good night's sleep it is easier to have hope and not be so impatient. Yesterday, I went to the DOT to try to get my lapsed driver's license renewed before I passed the 60 day limit. Needless to say, I went as Samatello. I checked in at the desk and got my number, sat in a very uncomfortable chair and waited for an hour, only to be asked if I was under a doctor's care. Good guess, Tonto! I said that I was and that I was not currently driving because of my injury, and would not drive until my doctor released me, but that I'd like to renew my license on time. The woman called the manager.

It turns out that if they suspect you are unable to drive, they put you on a list and require that you fill out a long form, and that your doctor fill it out too, in order to get a license. I suggested that had I not come in in good faith they would never have known that I was not driving because of an injury. The manager agreed, and said that now that she knows, they can't help me. She said if I wanted to take a driving test, I could get a license. I reiterated that I was not driving. She reiterated that I could get a photo ID, but no license. I suggested that this was penalizing me for coming forward and wasting my time and damned poor customer service. "You are free to go," she suggested. I had not been aware that I was in fucking custody, but it was a relief to know. I suggested that it would have been nice if the woman at the first desk, seeing the full body brace I display prominently, could have cued me when I hinted by saying "I am here to renew my license" that this might be a futile mission. The manager again offered me the long form.

After a long night's sleep, I can understand that there are some who will continued to drive when they can look neither left nor right. Most drivers regularly encounter able bodied people who seem to have this disability while driving. As a responsible middle aged citizen who hasn't been behind the wheel since June 17th, I resent being treated as though I am one of these people. I would think that showing up on time to be responsible would count for something. What really makes me mad is the limitation, though. I miss the freedom and independence and the idea that now some dimwit who never met me is enforcing something I am compliant with anyway just adds insult to injury (literally). Having done my best irate citizen imitation I took my fiberglass clad somewhat bizarre form out of that den of iniquity, as the speaker recited "now serving number 657."

I understand that one of the lessons I am to learn here is that, as my son said, I am "not invincible." Apparently, I need reminders. One of these days, I'll be a senior person trying to renew my license and some drone is going to figure out that I'm a hazard to navigation and I'll get my license pulled permanently. I request that my friends and family assure that I am not carrying weapons or sharp objects when that time comes. I may not be entirely cooperative.