Operation Get Us Home

First time ever taking a vacation and my dad says come to texas. So my kids and I packed up some clothes grabbed some munchies and after 29 hrs we finally made it. Everything was going good. Went to San Antonio saw my sister. Went to Killeen saw my aunt I haven't seen in 24 yrs. But on the way home from Killeen my tranny started to leak. I didn't see this leak until we got home. We took it to my dad's friend and he says it's a seal and recommended a transmission shop. Not thinking about it we drove it to the shop. Only to find ourselves driving for 45 minutes. The tranny started to slip so I pulled over and put more fluid in it. Got it to the shop. They said they'll have it done by Wednesday morning. Wednesday comes along and the owner of the shop says his internet is down and he can only accept cash. So I pulled out cash which was supposed to be used for food and school supplies and clothes for my oldest kayden. $500 later we get the car. The kids and I are on our way back to my dad's when the tranny decides it's not going to shift. I know this feeling cause my tranny went out on my Honda a cpl yrs ago. I was in the fast lane on the north Dallas toll hwy.. whatever they call it. I almost got into several accidents trying to get off the hwy. So I get off and everywhere I go there's no parking. I need to pull over somewhere to get my map to tell me how to get back to the shop. So I'm driving around downtown Dallas scared and confused and lost. The car won't go past 2nd gear. My stomach is starting to hurt. My dad calls me I answer.. where are you he asks. I look around and tell him I'm in front of the Dallas library and my car won't shift into 3rd. He says he will meet me back at the shop. It took me about 20 minutes to get back to the shop.. my dad arrived at the same time.  Called the guy cause he left his shop. And he comes back. Gets in the driver seat. We drive around the block and he tells me my 3rd gear is fried.  My dad talks to him. It's going to take another $1300 to $1500 to rebuild the transmission. I don't have money anymore. My dad is currently trying to get a loan to pay his bills.. and so he can't afford this either. So I need help.  I am the type of person who doesn't ask for help. If I can't do it on my own then it's not needed.. or so that's my mindset. But I need to get home. I need to go back to work and go back to my life. My son needs to get back so he can go to school. I am asking for up to 4000 cause of the expenses of the transmission and I need gas to get back home. I need food for the kids and now I need help with rent and school supplies and clothes since I've spent my money on this car.  I'm deeply sorry for asking for help but I don't know what else to do. Please if you can help me even by sharing, I'd be eternally grateful. Thank you all.