Yeesh, erin. I'm glad you figured it out, but I hope you get to feeling better soon, that's no fun.

As an 'essential employee' it would be nice to be able to get to work in my vehicle and not trust in utterly unreliable bus services or walking with a chronic injury.

Yeah, I love your car (cause mine is similar) but it's not a snow car. And you are pretty essential, especially in the kinds of weather that your car is less reliable during.

I am glad that you are finding some reasons for the pain and this helps you find some relief.

Given that you have a hybrid now, and it's running fine. And I'm guessing it doesn't snow often in your neck of the woods, would it make sense to have a second vehicle for snow? ATV or snowmobile? Not sure how far away your commute is, so, those might not be viable options. Just trying to think outside the box. Would hate for you to burn tons of extra gas for a handful of days that you need gas guzzler.

Or? Maybe the EV Highlander (I think it's the Highlander...Toyota SUV). It has the higher clearance. And no gas burning!

my commute is ony 2.5 miles, totally reasonable walking distance if the sidewalks weren't above-the-boot drifts (and apparently my body is utterly against goose-stepping for reasons). Electric only is totally an option. Road trips are rare. The furthest I drive on a semi regular basis is less than 15 miles to Costco. I was toying with idea of a lease on a second vehicle, even though it is utterly absurd for me to have two vehicles....i'm totally not up to owning 2 vehicles but maybe if i tried out another option for a few months i'd like it enough to actually go through the hassle of attempting to sell or trade in the honda. Totally can't afford a new car. Right now savings is for new windows.

Or I can just commit to being physically sound and healthy so I can continue with my current emergency commuting option which is my two feet. Dumb body, messing up my plans with pain.

Maybe skis. Except i've never skiid. How hard is cross country skiing to pick up when you only practice every 5 years or so?

Huh, ATV....that might be fun. Impractical for most of the year (can't really load one on the honda....) but fun. Hrm. And local police don't give a flap about ATV's on the roads during snow even if it's technically illegal "info only, all nets." I got passed yesterday by 2 snowmobiles and could only wonder why portlanders have snowmobiles????

Mt Hood?

Huh, ATV....that might be fun. Impractical for most of the year (can't really load one on the honda....)

My thought is, keep the Honda, and buy an ATV. I believe they are a LOT less than a new car. Only use the ATV when there is snow. Drive the Honda the rest of the time. I do not see the ATV as a substitute for your car, just a temp measure, that might be easier than a snowmobile. Plus, I think snowmobiles want a certain thickness of snow to drive on, or it hurts the tracks... or something like that. Especially on the hard road.

{headdesk} I took vicodin in the middle of the night, on an empty stomach. No wonder nausea hit as soon as I was upright. Duh, stoopid erin, don't do that again!

Somebody tell me to step away from the free Kindle cookbooks from a hundred years ago.

Somebody tell me to step away from the free Kindle cookbooks from a hundred years ago.

Oh, nifty! I read one on dealing with WWI rationing that was really interesting.