I put Albuquerque in my rear view mirror. I have a quarter of a tank of gas, and a new friend of mine just loaned me $40. I can get halfway to Dallas; halfway to where I need to be. I'm going to have to lean on my friends for what feels like the millionth time this year... yet for the what feels like the millionth time, I just didn't have a choice.
Jimmy Stare, a legend in the Recon community, sends me $50. I figure it's going to be enough... four hours later I realize it's not quite going to cut it. Once again I have failed to properly research my route, and have therefore woefully underestimated the time and resources needed to make the trip.
I take a deep breath, in through my nose, out slow through my mouth. I hit up the Raider Project, my sponsors, and they PayPal me a cool, crisp $100. The stress bleeds off. I'm going to be almost seven hours late, but I'm going to get there.
I've been homeless since July, though I had just secured an apartment a few weeks prior. I was going to miss almost three weeks worth of work to attend this space-age-cutting-edge-no-meds brain therapy at the Carrick Brain Center. I had no idea how I was going to finish paying rent for December, let alone make January's bill... but I did know I was just sick and tired of being crazy. If Carrick's cutting-edge neuroscience was half as effective as Nick claimed, then things might get tough, but they would be worth it in the end.
I must have had four anxiety attacks on the drive to Dallas. A relatively new phenomenon, anxiety attacks had hospitalized me three times in the previous month. For these attacks I kept the speed at five over, gripped the steering wheel with all my might and screamed at the passing asphalt until I couldn't scream anymore.
Seven hours late and stressed to the max, I arrive at the high rise that houses the Carrick Brain Center's Dallas location. There are two things that set the Carrick Center apart from any other medical care company that I have experienced.
The Science is cutting-edge.
They care.
It's not just a tag-line, or a motto, these people legitimate care about their patients, and especially their Veterans. I was greeted cheerfully, without mention of my tardiness, and whisked off to my very first evaluation. I felt like they had been waiting patiently for my arrival... which I discovered later had been exactly the case.
