DMV trip this morning

[cjsmith]

I have a temporary disabled parking hang-tag again, for the first time in probably a year. (I gave up on the doctor who couldn't fill out her section of the form. Now I have a doctor again!)

Amazing how quickly one can get into and out of the DMV, without an appointment, if one is willing to show up and queue up before the place opens. I was at work by twenty after eight.

I don't need the placard all the time. I don't even need it frequently. For certain situations, though, there's no substitute. The alternative is to stay home. There's a growing list of events and places I simply won't go.

It's amazing what a relief it is to know I have this thing.

Comments

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

yay!!!! i think of you every morning as i hike into my office and pass the handicapped parking spaces. i'm so happy you got one, even if it's just a temporary one.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

You have one of those vast parking lots? How is that hike for YOU, by the way? I can't imagine it's pain-free.

This will be my third temporary one, or maybe my second -- I can't remember whether I ever got Dr. O to fill out the form right, or whether the first time I tried was the time I gave up on her. If I'd been taking care of myself the whole time, I'd be on placard number six by now. (They last six months.)

I wonder how many temporary ones they'll do before they say ENOUGH already.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

our parking lot is more wide than deep, spanning the entire width of the building on one side. it's only six cars deep where i park, so the hike isn't too hateful.

i was under the impression that the temp placards were for temporary needs like broken leg, post-op recovery, stuff that would go away. maybe i misunderstood. there's half a dozen people with the permanent ones at work, and they all have what appears to be permanent needs. i'll ask Bob on monday and see if he knows.

will having this help you out at the Y any?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it's not too awful! That's about the size of ours at work. Wide, but not too deep.

Temp ones are supposed to be for temporary needs, yeah. But no doctor has yet admitted that this problem of mine isn't going away... despite the facts that a) it hasn't gone away yet, b) in three years it's gotten worse, c) they have no fucking clue what to do.

There's no real organization to who has these things and who doesn't. There are rules, and in California I could quote them, about what classes of disability should qualify. But it's all up to the individual doctors to decide whether to sign for it. Those doctors don't necessarily know the particulars of the law or even read the form. (I almost went in with a form saying I had lost both hands!) I know people with placards who can square dance all day. Seriously. All day and into the night. Then there are many people without hang tags who are in big pain just walking from their car to a building door. I'd say, if there's a bunch of pain, it's time to ask for one of these. If the doctor says no, ask again. Nobody says you have to use the thing every time you park the car.

This won't help me at the Y, sadly. The problem at the Y is all INSIDE the building!