Hi, I week ago today I started driving again after 7 years. I have
driven a bit in 7 yrs but not a lot. We lived in NYC and that
totally freaked me out. Since we first lived in apartment I had to
move the car twice a week due to alternate side of street parking.
Then we moved to a house and I my Daughter. We had a garage so no
more need to move the car and long story short I got pregnant so
choose not to drive. In addition my husband encouraged me not to
drive because we just have the one car and well city driving was a
challege for me.

Now present day we moved to MD mid March. Now my Daughter is 5 and
starting Kindergarten end of Aug. We don't know if they will bus her
and even if they do I still want to be able to get there if she ever
needed me to pick her up. So I started driving again. It is about
8tenths of a mile to her school. There are 2 ways there back roads
or taking the highway. With the back roads there are 5 turns and
well turns freak me out but I started practicing that way and did
really well until the next to the last turn ended up being a one way
street. Once again a trigger for me because you can't make a u
turn.

So I started taking the highway which you have to go in the other
direction at first and make a u turn. The major issue with the
highway is the median strip (once again you have to go to further
before you can turn around but it is a straight run)
I'm finding I prefer this way most of the time because it is a
straight run but for example this afternoon I just couldn't make
myself get on the highway because of the traffic. Now when I go
around 9 or 10 pm I make it almost to her school. Just 2 more blocks
but ughhhhhh LOL the last turn before her school is at a light.

I have some ideas because I've made it to a turn and there is a strip
mall and I figure I can cut through that and avoid the light. I
haven't gone through that parking lot yet but I have made it to that
point.

So I'm feeling good about the progress. However; monday I found out
we are going back to NYC and won't be back for over a week. I really
believe all this past practice will stick with me anyway but I do
wish I had this week to practice. I won't have a car in NYC and even
if I did I'm not crazy about driving there anyway.

So to end this long post my goal is to make it to her school by Aug
15th. The library is right next to the school so I'm focusing on
visualizing taking the kids to the library even if for 5 mins. LOL
that is another issue going into a public place alone. But Baby
Steps right.

I see my psycharisits the beginning of Aug so I plan to talk with her
about these goals.

So if anyone has any suggestions, encouragement, whatever it would be
much appreciated.

Lastly, while we are in NYC I plan to do the trip in my mind. I know
to visualize helps a lot. As a matter of fact I remember when I
first had this condition many years ago that is how I started doing
anything. Just thinking about walking outside my door could trigger
a panic attack but in time it got easier and eventually I made it
outside. So fortunately I do have some skills and as I stated
earlier any suggestions will be appreciated.

PS one last thing I'm doing cause I did this be4 and it helped is I
play the same CD. I remember when I started driving to work for the
first time after being housebound I did that and instead of thinking
I had X miles or 15 to 20 minutes to get to work I would say for
example only 3 more songs as I felt my anxiety rise :)

Thanks in advance for the input and letting me post.

Mimi