Today’s trip to the car dealership was, unfortunately, a complete bust. We went in with hope, trying to resolve the mess that’s become our car situation, but we left empty-handed. To truly understand the frustration and the emotional weight of today, let me start from the beginning.

About a month ago, my husband, daughter, and I were involved in a car accident. It was one of those moments that happens in slow motion, yet you can’t stop it from unfolding. The impact left our car completely unusable and all of us with injuries that we’re still recovering from. Thankfully, we’re alive and healing, but it hasn’t been an easy road.

My husband came out of the accident with two fractured ribs—a painful injury that makes even breathing a struggle some days. My daughter suffered fractures to her pelvis in two places as well as a fractured tailbone, which has made sitting, standing, and moving a real challenge for her. As for me, I was left with heavy bruising and a bruised spleen. While my injuries may seem lighter compared to theirs, the emotional toll of seeing my family hurt has been just as hard to bear.

As if recovering from the accident wasn’t enough, it brought with it a whole host of other problems—chief among them, being left without a car. Not having reliable transportation has been incredibly stressful. To make matters worse, our insurance company wouldn’t provide full coverage because our car lacked an anti-theft feature. Because of that, we were stuck with only liability insurance, which doesn’t cover a rental car.

In the midst of this chaos, one of my friends stepped in with an act of kindness that truly touched my heart. She offered us her car for about three weeks to help us get through this difficult time. It’s hard to put into words how much that meant to us—it gave us a sense of temporary relief and made things just a little bit easier. Still, we knew we needed a more permanent solution.

Desperate for one, we thought we’d come up with a clever plan: we’d use my daughter’s good credit to secure a new car since our credit is less than ideal. It seemed like the perfect workaround. But as luck would have it, another roadblock appeared. My daughter doesn’t have a driver’s license. A technicality, yes, but one that completely derailed our plan.

The dealership visit, which we had hoped would bring some much-needed relief, turned into yet another disappointment. We came home feeling defeated, each of us carrying our own blend of frustration and exhaustion. The house was unusually quiet—a stark contrast to our usual chatter. My husband, in particular, seemed to be carrying the weight of the situation on his shoulders, and I can’t blame him.

All in all, this entire ordeal has felt like an endless series of obstacles. It’s been an adventure, but not the kind I ever wanted to experience. At this point, I just want our lives to go back to normal. I want us to have a reliable car again, to leave behind the constant frustration, and to close this difficult chapter once and for all.

Until then, we’ll keep moving forward as best we can, one step at a time.