Four trips to DMV and two trips to my ophthamologist to finally renew my license and get the Real ID. Wait, first things first. It has been 6 year cancer free. Well almost. The time of my diagnosis is around Mela’s birthday and the Masters so I am getting a jump on things.
What is it about a government employee with a clipboard getting in the car with you to determin your freedom that turns a 60 something into a quivering 5 year old with his hand in the cookie jar?
Four years ago when I had to renew my license, I had had the surgery to remove my eye and the cancerous tumor that decided to attach itself to the eye. I was able to renew by mail and chose to do so.
Fast forward four years and I had to go to DMV in order to renew. I figured I may as well get the Real ID. I essentially did it online. Easy enough. That is where easy ended. Then four trips to DMV and 2 to the opthamologist. I won’t bore you with the details.
The fourth and final trip to DMV was for my vision driving test. Prior to the date found myself listening to Carrie Underwoods Co.untry Music station on Sirius XM and for the first time heard her song - Jesus Take the Wheel. The title seemed a rather apt metaphor for my upcoming test if not my life.
That Janary 4, I had scheduled the test for 8:45 am. Kids would be in school, most commute traffic would be done and that afternoon winter sun would not be blinding me (no pun intended). I went to Window 15 and tried to resurrect some of my lobbying skills as I chatted with the DMV employee. Seemed like a nice guy. He said it would probably be him but someone would be out and I should wait by my car.
About fifteen minutes later he came out. Thank goodness. A modest rapport had been developed. Time for the vision driving test. The difference between the regualr driving test and regular driving test. First, only some DMV employees do the vision driving test. Maybe they get hazard pay for driving with the blind. Anyway, the driving course is about twice as long and the judge if you can see and second part is basic driving skills.I PASSED.
Over the last six years I had been getting two MRIs a year to see if the cancer came back. It typically goes to the liver and lungs and there is no statistical survival rate. Glad to be here.
Years 4 and 5 are apparently the high odd years for it returning. I remember asking my oncologist if it continues to get worse - ie years 6,7 8 etc. He said Nick, if you wake up - enjoy the day! I can not I have always done that but not bad advice regardless of your circumstantces.
Be kind, Be Strong, Be Humble & God Bless!