elderwanda
08-30-2009, 04:31 AM
I spent the whole day driving today! I haven't been able to get in and practice much, because I wanted my husband to be with me when I went over the bridge that scares me, and he's always at work . The bridge is just a tiny thing. In fact it isn't the bridge that scares me, but the approach to it. That's because one time I had really bad dizzy spell at that point (the result of a food sensitivity, I think, but I didn't know that at the time.)
Well, I took the husband and kids back and forth over the bridge, twice, stopping at the local candy shop on the way. :) Then I dropped them off at home and continued driving, doing the ROAD thing. After a while, I was just listening to what they were talking about on the radio, and barely aware of any anxiety. I went over the bridge 7 times, which actually takes a while, because in order to turn around and go back, you need to drive around town a bit. On the 7th time across, there had just been an accident, and I had to drive over a bunch of broken windshield glass. I checked my tires, and they seemed okay, but I guess I must have had a nagging, subconscious worry about getting a flat, because when I started to drive towards the bridge again, I had a wave of panic. That time, I took a different turn to avoid the bridge, because I didn't feel like I could deal with it, but within less than a minute, I was feeling fine again, and ready to go.
I was able to stop by a couple of shops that I haven't been able to go to in a year!
I also had a bit of a fright when I drove to an old area that I used to drive in, and found that they had put a housing development there, and everything seemed different. I started a left turn onto a wide road, and suddenly realized I couldn't see the yellow dividing line anywhere, and briefly thought I was going the wrong way down a one way street. That brought on my physical anxiety symptoms, but I dealt with it just fine. I was on a two-way street, but if I hadn't been, there was hardly any traffic anyway, so it would have been okay.
I didn't want to come home! The only reason I headed home at all is because I knew the sun would soon be in my eyes, and I didn't want that.
The best thing is that now I know I'll be able to pick my kid up from his first day of school on Monday, and not have to show up 30 minutes late, apologizing that I was too scared to come and get him. Been there. Done that. Also, I'll be able to call a friend who I've been avoiding, because I've been afraid she'll want to meet me for coffee, and I won't be able to get there.
:D :D :D
Well, I took the husband and kids back and forth over the bridge, twice, stopping at the local candy shop on the way. :) Then I dropped them off at home and continued driving, doing the ROAD thing. After a while, I was just listening to what they were talking about on the radio, and barely aware of any anxiety. I went over the bridge 7 times, which actually takes a while, because in order to turn around and go back, you need to drive around town a bit. On the 7th time across, there had just been an accident, and I had to drive over a bunch of broken windshield glass. I checked my tires, and they seemed okay, but I guess I must have had a nagging, subconscious worry about getting a flat, because when I started to drive towards the bridge again, I had a wave of panic. That time, I took a different turn to avoid the bridge, because I didn't feel like I could deal with it, but within less than a minute, I was feeling fine again, and ready to go.
I was able to stop by a couple of shops that I haven't been able to go to in a year!
I also had a bit of a fright when I drove to an old area that I used to drive in, and found that they had put a housing development there, and everything seemed different. I started a left turn onto a wide road, and suddenly realized I couldn't see the yellow dividing line anywhere, and briefly thought I was going the wrong way down a one way street. That brought on my physical anxiety symptoms, but I dealt with it just fine. I was on a two-way street, but if I hadn't been, there was hardly any traffic anyway, so it would have been okay.
I didn't want to come home! The only reason I headed home at all is because I knew the sun would soon be in my eyes, and I didn't want that.
The best thing is that now I know I'll be able to pick my kid up from his first day of school on Monday, and not have to show up 30 minutes late, apologizing that I was too scared to come and get him. Been there. Done that. Also, I'll be able to call a friend who I've been avoiding, because I've been afraid she'll want to meet me for coffee, and I won't be able to get there.
:D :D :D