The Day from H*ll Compliments of DOL

Today, I went to get my driver's license renewed in the morning. Richard and I were going to begin working horses after I got back. But things just didn't go as planned. Why is that not surprising?

I wanted to get one of the new EDL's which stands for Extended Driver's License. That would allow me to drive into Canada and back without a passport. (think Canadian Nationals and Region 17 Championships) I looked on the Department of Licensing website to see what I needed to bring besides my soon expiring license only to find no information about the extra requirements for the EDL.

We arrived at the DOL at 9:30. According to the website most offices open at that time on Thursdays. Wouldn't you know it, the Parkland office didn't open until 10:00. That was the first problem of the day. We ended up waiting in a crowded lobby and not very patient people. Can we say flashes of mob scenes on the doors opening?

When they did finally unlock the doors Dave reached the number dispenser ahead of me. Lucky us we had number 002, we'd get help soon............nope that was wrong. Turns out there were different numbers for EDL's so Dave was back retrieving another number. This time we were number 506, still not bad but we waited amid the crying babies and grumbling impatient adults.

Arriving at the window, I laid out my soon to expire license along with my birth certificate, marriage license and court authorized name change. Once the clerk figured out the progression, we thought we were good to go........only to be informed I needed proof I was a citizen of the US. My birth certificate didn't count. Who knew? When did born in the US NOT make you a citizen? So it was back home to get a copy of our home owner's insurance policy because it has my name on it.

I called Richard to let him know it didn't look good for working horses today. Grabbed the requested paperwork plus every other form of proof of citizenship they accept just in case they'd find something wrong with the insurance policy paperwork.

Back at the Department of Licensing there are still more crying babies, along with some kids looking way to young to drive waiting for tests and a still overcrowded room.

This time the number I received was 518. Not too bad, we might make working horses after all. But maybe that was my mistake thinking I might still fit in working horses. We got through all the paperwork just fine. Then it was time for the eye test.

That thing is always tricky for me because of my permanent double vision. Looking into their little machine I realized this was a new test since my last license renewal.. First I read a line. Then I moved to a row of colors and from there they asked about a rectangle with a red dot. I couldn't see the red dot. When I did it was outside the box. But they went ahead and did my interview for my EDL and I thought I was good...........until they called me back to the window and asked for another eye test. Can you say sinking feeling, MiKael?

This time I was told I'd have to go to an eye doctor and get my eyes examined.They gave me a form for the doctor to fill out. The only way I was getting a license was with a doctor's approval. Since my current license expires on Tuesday, it was now or never, so we were off to find an opthamologist with an opening today.

I can't even tell you all of the things that went through my mind. Not being able to drive would seriously screw things up with working horses.....not just for the day, but permanently. I drive three loads of horses back and forth each day. No license..........no horse training.............Geez..........what a mess.

So we headed off to Tacoma to my regular opthamologist. First appointment available today was at 4:30 and not with my regular doc. No way could I get back to DOL today at that rate. Then we headed off to Dave's doc only to find he just happened to be out of town.

After several more stops at local Lenscrafters and Pearl Vision's, I finally did get an appointment at the South Hill Mall Lenscrafters at 2:30. If we were lucky I would get my eyes examined and still make it back to DOL today. Since Dave has a dentist appointment in the morning and Lindsay a CAT scan in the afternoon tomorrow, it was really important to wrap this up today if possible.

The doc was good about the exam. Getting approved to drive wasn't a problem except for one little fact.......... I needed a new prescription. Since we were doing this I decided to go ahead and try contacts. They finally have them that will work with astigmatism which is why I've never tried them before. And with contacts I might even get to wear make-up if I want. What harm could it be?

First, I took my signed DOL forms back to the licensing office. This time I was number 562. They were only on number 550 so I was thinking I wouldn't make it back for my contacts in time. Lucky me, all those numbers ahead of me didn't show and I actually got to see the same clerk for the third time today. The end result was my temporary driver's license and the sleeve required for the new EDL I will receive in a couple of weeks. At least one thing was accomplished, although they probably never should have issued that license without me having my new prescription.....but what the heck? If they can't figure out I'm a citizen from a birth certificate from Seattle they probably wouldn't get what "requires prescription" means.

We hopped back into the car making another trip to South Hill Mall. (The good part of this was I scored a 2 lb box of hand pickes See's Chocolates....all of my favorites) I picked out new frames, ordered new lenses and got fitted with contacts. I had a lesson taking the things out and putting them back in. It was a snap! Sounds good, doesn't it.................Well, that's probably the first clue that things will go wrong if they already haven't.

I can't see a thing with the contacts in. Because of my double vision there can be no prism in the contact lenses but that's only part of the problem. I can adjust.

The real problem is they set me up for reading in my left eye and distances with my right eye. Who knew they could get so creative with my eye sight! Currently I can't see either way unless I cover the other eye..........even then it's not good. They say I'll adjust........right now I'm wishing I could adjust them (not the lenses......the smart doc who thought of this).

It's a good thing I didn't drive myself through this fiasco, there is no way I could see well enough to drive home. And wasn't that what brought me there in the first place? The good ole DOL thinking I couldn't see well enough to drive. How could it be I arrived with pretty good vision and left pretty much blind. It must have been my day, don't ya think??

Then there's just one other problem.................well, that lesson at taking the contacts out that was such a snap. I can't even get my contacts out! And I can't see well enough to read the directions. Dave tried reading them to me but his interpretation is lost on me.

I was supposed to leave them in for 4 hours and then remove them. Each day increasing by 2 hours until I've reached a full day. I didn't push the 4 hour mark. Not being able to see to read my email or write my blog, I was more than ready to shed these things when the 4 hour mark rolled around. Enough time spent "adjusting" for one day so I tried taking the suckers out.

Two hours later and I'm still wearing one contact. The other one flipped out after about the third series of tried. It fell onto my lap somewhere. I never did "feel" the thing come out of my eye, I just caught a glimpse of a reflection of light as it rolled over one boob and down somewhere in my lap.

Dave and I were groping around trying to find the slimy thing. By the time we actually did locate it, the lens was pretty dried and rolled up in a little ball. I'm pretty sure wadding up contacts is not considered "careful handling." Somehow I don't think this is how life with contacts is supposed to start.

Each time I try to take out the remaining contact my stomach begins to flip and I want to puke. You'd think I was contemplating a roller coaster ride instead of taking out one silly lens. I'm thinking maybe I'm not cut out for contacts. I've lived without make-up for about ten years now, I guess I can finish out my tour on earth au natural. What do you think?

Oh, I forgot to mention, I'm wearing my old glasses over the top of my one eyed version of new contacts, I can actually see! Do you think this is a bad sign.............at this point I"m not sure what to think.

I hope I get some horse time tomorrow. After this day, I really, really need it. But before I can even look at a horse I'll have to go back to the optometrist's office and shed this last lens.........that is if that lens is even still in my eye. At this point, I'm not making any bets. How about you?