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Friday, September 2, 2016

Flyover Scare--Unmitigated Fear

Wednesday, exbf took me to Birmingham for follow-up after hysterectomy and forced me to ride over  flyover! ACK! Those things scare me. I go down I-65 to Birmingham and get off on University to get to my doctor.  He refuses to do so, turning on 59/20 and then turns on Red Mountain to get to University and my doctor. He knows I hate the flyovers and get sick. He goes there anyway--pooh pooh-ing my fear. I lived.

When I was attending some event in Birmingham, friends gave me directions that put me on a flyover, the lower one, I think. It felt as though I no longer had control over the car, that it was just on its on. I was extremely lightheaded, feeling like I would faint. This was 20 years ago, but I still vividly remember the sensation. Although my car is being steered by me, I just feel as though I am going to fall off the flyover--the car with me in it.

So, he upset me greatly on the way down. On the way back, he rode the outer line all the way up the interstate. However, he did take University back to the interstate. I could just kill him some days. But, he got me there and back safely. I did not have money for my co-pay and neither did he, so he put it on his credit card. Whew.

I don't know how I could forget the co-pay. The C word turns my brain to jelly. That's why I need someone to drive me.

Any time he takes me to doctor or even when another friend did so, I pack a snack to dull the boredom of sitting around.  Yesterday, he got a 1/2 cup container of applesauce, string cheese, and a bottle of water. Usually, I include a pack of peanut butter crackers.  I do this because he is diabetic. A jar of peanut butter accompanied us but was never eaten. He threw his spoon in the back seat and I couldn't reach it. I was starving.

When I went on Thursday to my now monthly trip to the urologist, I had a bladder infection. I thought I was becoming ill with this for a few days.

I added wheat back into my diet, as I mentioned. That was a two-day trial. Today, I was on the search for things I could sub for wheat. I found two. I am too tired to go get the boxes and bags, so that will be for another day. Now, I am no longer eating wheat. Next week, in time for my birthday, I intend to gorge myself on dairy products.

Your turn
Do some bridges and flyovers freak you out? Will you drive a different route to avoid the scary ones? I recognize this is irrational, but I cannot help it. Do you have a fear you just cannot seem to control?






14 comments:

  1. OK what is a flyover? I do not like long causeways where I can't see the end, but it's not exactly readjust nerves I'm sure it did not help your nerves but men do not have much sensitivity to these things. I will go around the block to avoid a bad left turn.

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  2. carol,
    It is the high, long, "bridge" thing, really just a way to get from one part of an interstate to another. The sides are very low. If anyone can explain this better, please do.

    I once went through Mississippi to avoid going under water to get from Mobile to N AL

    There are intersections in town I just learned how to avoid because of the confusion and long wait. He never listens to me. Finally, he has had enough and asks me how to avoid them, too.

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  3. :) I had to google what you mean! You mean a bridge that curves and is the overpass to more highways underneath? There aren't TOO many in Iowa, but I've driven on my share of them. I think I'd be ok if I don't think of looking down... Great. NOW I will...

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    Replies
    1. McVal,
      That sounds like a good description to me. The thing is these go up and seemingly off to nowhere while they curve. Plus there is little barrier on the sides. I hate not being able to see where I am "flying." Yeah, looking down is not a good idea. Cannot look up, out, or down, just hold onto the wheel and steer. Scary.

      Delete
  4. I drive those all the time and they don't bother me, but put me in a crowd with no moving air and I am toast.

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    Replies
    1. Anne,
      Those kind of crowds frustrate me, nothing more. I guess we all pick our fears! Or, fears pick us.

      Delete
  5. I don't like being on the bottom floor of a multi-story car park. Not rational, but I have an image of them pancaking down on me...

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    Replies
    1. EC,
      I don't like being above the bottom floor in one of those garages. It's really frightening if I have to park facing the outer wall. I just can see me hitting the gas and plunging over the edge. Can you see there is a pattern to my fears?

      Delete
  6. I've never heard that term (flyover) before either. My sis and I went to Yellowstone a few years ago and she did the driving. There was a lot of construction and in many places you were right next to a huge cliff/drop off-it made me very nervous. Just one slip and....I like guard rails!!

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    Replies
    1. NAN, ACK! Just kill me now. I would have passed out. I like tall guard rails!

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  7. New term for me as well but I think it is appropo. I think the south and really big metro areas have more. We have a few long connectors but not how you describe.

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    Replies
    1. SAM,
      We don't have as many big metro areas in the South, so not sure if this is a Southern feature. The Can of Worms in Rochester, NY is pretty complicated with many flyovers. Malfunction Junction does not frighten me, just the flyover part.

      Delete
  8. I get the heebie-jeebies on high bridges.
    I try to channel Emerson's advice to always do the things I am afraid of.

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    Replies
    1. Urspo,
      That might work on some things with me, but high anything scares me too much to approach.

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.