Mary started on-the-road driving instruction yesterday. Her instructed said that if today she doesn’t improve greatly in her ability to turn the wheel, she will not be able to continue. This was quite distressing to her, and I will admit, to me as well. She spent at least six months trying to get driving instruction lined up with the local driver’s rehabilitation program.

But my desire is that the answer from the driver’s rehabilitation program will be clear. Can she learn to drive or not? My feeling is that learning to drive may not possible.

Update:

This afternoon Mary texted, “No more training.” I texted back that I would leave work and pick her up and bring her home. I didn’t want her to be waiting too long at the scene of disappointment.

In the car, I asked, “What did your instructor say?” She said, “I couldn’t push the brakes at the right time, or turn sharp enough. It isn’t her fault, it is my autism.” Mary told me that she planned to do the dishes and laundry when she got home.

I dropped her off, and went back to work. I struggled emotionally at work. There are some limitations that just cannot be overcome.

Shortly after I came home, I was talking to Ralph, and I thought I heard someone downstairs doing laundry and singing. When Mary came upstairs, I asked her if she had been singing. She said she didn’t know all the words. but she was singing a worship song.

Maybe she is relieved that she doesn’t have to learn to drive, even though she really wanted to learn. Now, she says, she can look for work in her brother’s city. They have a much better bus system. Her brother likes that idea.