Help Cat Learn to Drive
Donation protected
I first got my learners when I was 16, probably one of the scariest yet most important part of a teenagers life second to your first job and finishing school. Many years later they raised the renewal price by around $100 and suddenly I was unable to afford to renew it.
That was in 2006. We are now in 2015 and the need to get my licence is now paramount for many reasons.
The biggest one is my husband. He has a disability called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that developed during his high school years. He then suffered a stroke in his early 20s that’s rendered his left leg almost useless and without feeling in his foot. That means he becomes exhausted doing everyday tasks like food shopping, sweeping the floors and simply being around people. His exhaustion gets so bad we sometimes have to stop and go home otherwise he is at risk of falling asleep at the wheel of the car. Because of this we don't go to barbeques or parties, we don't go out to dinner, driving holidays are out and we barely even go to the beach at the risk of him not being able to get us home. Now imagine being like that for the REST of your life.
The leg weakness and lack of feeling on its own can be dangerous and the doctors are still to this day unsure of why and if that suddenly spreads to his other leg I need to be able to drive him places as he will no longer be able to (and drive him to the hospital!!). So, because of his disabilities I often need to be with him for what we all take for granted to be everyday tasks.
The second reason is my unemployment and the depression that has come hand in hand with. I am restricted by where I can work. It has to be easily accessible by public transport and cannot be too far from home so my husband can pick me up if need be. I have been currently unemployed for a year and a half. With 15 years of experience in the field one would assume I would be a shoe in, but I feel if I were to drive, I would make a better candidate. Being out of work for so long has completely stripped me of any confidence I have in myself and thus brought on a strong depression which is causing me to put on weight and hermit at home. With my licence I would be free to travel without the stresses of public transport limitations.
Why have I not attained it already?
The test is $21, that is easy... the Licence if I pass said test is almost $150. If I fail the test twice but pass on the third attempt, I will have forked out around $200 and I simply don't have that and IF I saved up, we'd be eating noodles for the next 12 months and not be able to buy anything outside our food budget. What kind of life is that providing for my husband? What kind of quality of life would he have with no medication, hobbies and no dining out if it is a special occasion? No gifts, parties, Christmas, nothing. Not even a bottle of coke, I am that serious.
Why will it be that dire? Because we are both on Pensions. His Disability Pension and my Carers Pension and frankly between us right now, we cannot even afford the car service and new tires let alone my learners. Sure we COULD pay for it, but who will explain to the real estate why it is more important than the rent... or electricity... or phone bill. Which bills will go unpaid?
Even my job network provider told me to get my licence and he could not fathom why I was sitting there in tears.
It's not that I 'want' my licence; it is that I need it but sadly with our economy the way it is in this Country, that is a pipe dream.
Please, can you help us, can you help me, can you help my husband? Can you help me pay to get my Learners Permit. Any donation, even a couple of dollars helps and is still more than I can put away right now.
That was in 2006. We are now in 2015 and the need to get my licence is now paramount for many reasons.
The biggest one is my husband. He has a disability called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that developed during his high school years. He then suffered a stroke in his early 20s that’s rendered his left leg almost useless and without feeling in his foot. That means he becomes exhausted doing everyday tasks like food shopping, sweeping the floors and simply being around people. His exhaustion gets so bad we sometimes have to stop and go home otherwise he is at risk of falling asleep at the wheel of the car. Because of this we don't go to barbeques or parties, we don't go out to dinner, driving holidays are out and we barely even go to the beach at the risk of him not being able to get us home. Now imagine being like that for the REST of your life.
The leg weakness and lack of feeling on its own can be dangerous and the doctors are still to this day unsure of why and if that suddenly spreads to his other leg I need to be able to drive him places as he will no longer be able to (and drive him to the hospital!!). So, because of his disabilities I often need to be with him for what we all take for granted to be everyday tasks.
The second reason is my unemployment and the depression that has come hand in hand with. I am restricted by where I can work. It has to be easily accessible by public transport and cannot be too far from home so my husband can pick me up if need be. I have been currently unemployed for a year and a half. With 15 years of experience in the field one would assume I would be a shoe in, but I feel if I were to drive, I would make a better candidate. Being out of work for so long has completely stripped me of any confidence I have in myself and thus brought on a strong depression which is causing me to put on weight and hermit at home. With my licence I would be free to travel without the stresses of public transport limitations.
Why have I not attained it already?
The test is $21, that is easy... the Licence if I pass said test is almost $150. If I fail the test twice but pass on the third attempt, I will have forked out around $200 and I simply don't have that and IF I saved up, we'd be eating noodles for the next 12 months and not be able to buy anything outside our food budget. What kind of life is that providing for my husband? What kind of quality of life would he have with no medication, hobbies and no dining out if it is a special occasion? No gifts, parties, Christmas, nothing. Not even a bottle of coke, I am that serious.
Why will it be that dire? Because we are both on Pensions. His Disability Pension and my Carers Pension and frankly between us right now, we cannot even afford the car service and new tires let alone my learners. Sure we COULD pay for it, but who will explain to the real estate why it is more important than the rent... or electricity... or phone bill. Which bills will go unpaid?
Even my job network provider told me to get my licence and he could not fathom why I was sitting there in tears.
It's not that I 'want' my licence; it is that I need it but sadly with our economy the way it is in this Country, that is a pipe dream.
Please, can you help us, can you help me, can you help my husband? Can you help me pay to get my Learners Permit. Any donation, even a couple of dollars helps and is still more than I can put away right now.
Organizer
Catherine Beck
Organizer
Aspley QLD
