Rae1889
Veteran
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So last night I got in the mail (took them long enough) My notice of suspension for my license. I thought I accepted the fact that I couldn't drive until I was seizure free (and not sure I wanted to have it back if I only had 1 seizure a year)But it hit me, that I will always have to be dependant on someone or something for transportation outside walking distance.
I will always have to remember to buy a bus pass, or have change on hand.
I will always have to have someone drive me places outside the city, where no taxi or bus goes (ie: chad's parents live 3 hours away, as do a few of my bridemaids.)
I will never have complete independance again.
That shocked me. and then I started to read what teh requirements were for me to get my license back. I had to have a letter from my neurologist, copy of a recent CT scan and EEG, how long I have been seizure free (doesnt give a time frame of what is mandatory) and what meds I am on.
Then looking down a list of who cannot drive because they "pose a risk to themselves and teh general public" I was appaled by who they didnt have on the list. they had people who had heart problems, people with sight problems, deaf people, and seizure disorders
What they didnt have on there where people who were addicted to drugs or alcohol, people with a history of suicide attempts, diabetes and people with asthma.
I can think of so many scenarios that would warrant these people to not drive, and I hear about those way more often than someone who has E that crashes a car.
I have heard of suicidal people who have attempted it so many times and then one day, they get into their car, and decide to speed into oncoming traffic hoping to die.
I have heard of people going into diabetic shock (my grandpa) and crashing their car, more than once, and they kept their license.
I have heard of people being startled by something while driving and had a asthma attack and crashed.
Alcoholics and chronic drug abusers speaks for itself. and they keep their license. Unless they get caught driving while impaired and even then, it is a fine, and the license is lost for x number of months and they can do it again. and again and again. there is nothing from a doctor that sayd their habit is cured, they get it back because that is the penalty and they "did the time"
Now someone who has E, that is controlled, but they have a seizure once a week, or month is not allowed to drive because they are a danger. I am sure that most people (correct me if I am wrong) can tell when they are gonna have a seizure. (ex: someone seizes once a week. They wake up monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, and feel fine, and no auras etc. they should be allowed to drive. They wake up friday feeling funny, they know they shouldnt drive.) People with E usually know themselves and their bodies response just before a seizure. If you have only nocturnal seizures, you should be able to drive, as its impossible to drive while sleeping.
Even people who are groggy on cold medicine, know it is in their best interest to not drive. I think there should be more patient imput on whether you get your drivers license suspened or not, and how soon you can get it back. I know I am not controlled right now, and I dont think i will be. But when I am, I dont want to wait a whole year after every seizure!
I read that page, thought about all that, then cried solid for an hour until I had a few tonic clonics, and thats how my night ended (i had the feeling I was gonna seize all day yesterday so I knew it was inevitable, but crying so hard didnt help)
I will always have to remember to buy a bus pass, or have change on hand.
I will always have to have someone drive me places outside the city, where no taxi or bus goes (ie: chad's parents live 3 hours away, as do a few of my bridemaids.)
I will never have complete independance again.
That shocked me. and then I started to read what teh requirements were for me to get my license back. I had to have a letter from my neurologist, copy of a recent CT scan and EEG, how long I have been seizure free (doesnt give a time frame of what is mandatory) and what meds I am on.
Then looking down a list of who cannot drive because they "pose a risk to themselves and teh general public" I was appaled by who they didnt have on the list. they had people who had heart problems, people with sight problems, deaf people, and seizure disorders
What they didnt have on there where people who were addicted to drugs or alcohol, people with a history of suicide attempts, diabetes and people with asthma.
I can think of so many scenarios that would warrant these people to not drive, and I hear about those way more often than someone who has E that crashes a car.
I have heard of suicidal people who have attempted it so many times and then one day, they get into their car, and decide to speed into oncoming traffic hoping to die.
I have heard of people going into diabetic shock (my grandpa) and crashing their car, more than once, and they kept their license.
I have heard of people being startled by something while driving and had a asthma attack and crashed.
Alcoholics and chronic drug abusers speaks for itself. and they keep their license. Unless they get caught driving while impaired and even then, it is a fine, and the license is lost for x number of months and they can do it again. and again and again. there is nothing from a doctor that sayd their habit is cured, they get it back because that is the penalty and they "did the time"
Now someone who has E, that is controlled, but they have a seizure once a week, or month is not allowed to drive because they are a danger. I am sure that most people (correct me if I am wrong) can tell when they are gonna have a seizure. (ex: someone seizes once a week. They wake up monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, and feel fine, and no auras etc. they should be allowed to drive. They wake up friday feeling funny, they know they shouldnt drive.) People with E usually know themselves and their bodies response just before a seizure. If you have only nocturnal seizures, you should be able to drive, as its impossible to drive while sleeping.
Even people who are groggy on cold medicine, know it is in their best interest to not drive. I think there should be more patient imput on whether you get your drivers license suspened or not, and how soon you can get it back. I know I am not controlled right now, and I dont think i will be. But when I am, I dont want to wait a whole year after every seizure!
I read that page, thought about all that, then cried solid for an hour until I had a few tonic clonics, and thats how my night ended (i had the feeling I was gonna seize all day yesterday so I knew it was inevitable, but crying so hard didnt help)