Driving?

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I read some research paper from Florida, I think, that said that 25% of all people who had lost their drivers license due to seizures still drive. Be as honest as you feel you can (but don't go overboard! Some of us might not want to be too honest, including me!) would you drive without a license?
 
No - I would not drive without a license!

As for myself and my family - absolutely not!
 
I read the poll thread and I guess this one is really a duplicate! Sorry guys. But one thing, though. You all seem to live in cities with good public or private transportation systems or community support. I don't. I live in the hills of rural WV and there is no chance of their putting any out here. In fact, I don't have any other driving support people at all. Family? I have young kids and a mother who is so ill she hasn't been able to even roll over by herself since August. Like many of you on that poll thread, I also have never had an accident, points, or a ticket and I've been driving almost 40 years, much of that time commercially. I still hold a commercial license though I don't drive commercially now. In fact, though, I could still drive intra-state, just not inter-state. And yes, with every truck I see I really miss it. For me, though, it is mostly a lack of local jobs that's grounded me. I would never volunteer to give up my license because I have to get my family to the doctors, get to the store, church,etc. and I simply have no other options for that. But I wouldn't trade this place for yours. It has everything I want and mine's paid for!
 
I did drive a few times after diagnoses, but no longer. I thought I was only having simple partials or just auras. I think the term warnings is misleading. I though they would give me time to pull over. When I tried that I was able to pull over but I blanked out just long enough to hit a mailbox. It could have been a child. My 9 year old was in the car at the time and it scared the crap out of her. I sent the mailbox owner a little note and Lowes gift card 'cause I felt so bad.

I too live out in the country and have no transportation and Michigan is too cold and wet to walk much of the time. I walked to the store last week for the first time to get a can of Manwich - 40 minutes for a can of Manwich. Its nice out today so I'm planning a walk to the recycling center about half way to the store.

I love my home in the country too, but with the financial devastation E has caused us we're letting it go into foreclosure. My brother in law has bought us a home in town and we're renting to own from him. A 1889 Victorian. It too was a foreclosure and and needs a lot of work. Its about 20 feet away from the bus stop and the same in the other direction from a taxi depot. We all have to make changes and sacrifices due to E, but we have to make the best of it. I've always been a glass half full kinda girl anyway.

The thought of killing someone while driving is enough to keep me off the rode, forever if need be.
 
Whoa there - just because I reside in a Metro area (which
originally was not) does not mean I get around and have
easy access to every nook and cranny ~ be far from it!
It is just the contrary! I cannot express to you how these
asinine Bus and Taxi fares are (for not withstanding I can
ill-afford such!) and moreover, the heavy load I must sustain
on my back and my son's back (in turn he has a very bad
back which needs medical attention in which he is unable
to obtain) - and we have to ride our touring bicycles.

NOTE ---> I said "TOURING BICYCLES" - meaning Racing/Touring
Cycles, for such is our means for distance, for it is insane for
a regular bicycle to travel such great distance; for not only
are they heavy and can impose strain upon you - touring/racing
bicycles are ultra-lightweight therefore; with all these gears
we "fly". Moreover, in spite of the "Bike Lanes", motorists do
not heed them; and nary can we sit down and tell you of all
the close shaves and mind you - my own son was side swiped
and injured and his own bicycle is "wounded". It is expensive
to realign the rims. Motorists thinks its funny to see how close
they can get to cyclists or run them off the road - but I cannot
tell you how many have been hit and sadly, killed and seriously
injured - even with all the safety gear!

It is downright insinuating! I have already been hit twice in the
past; and not that long ago, such as it were were I was almost
"over the hood and possibility through the windshield" all because
of a vehicle that pulled out in front of a oncoming traffic and including
myself; and due to this, my front rim and tire was destroyed.

People do not realize the cost of the rim and tire is greater than
the cost of a single tire of one side! They are that expensive! In
turn, I had no option but to revert to a bigger tire by a few centi-
meters in the front, for many times I've hit the curbs due to those
idiot drivers that should NOT be on the road driving!

As for my pedal, it has been damaged and severely scratched;
even CM can post how it is so, my Trek, while many mileage has
been logged, has been damaged. CM can also post how my own
son's bike which I had given it to him, the Kronos - also a Touring
Bike, being damaged. Money I do not have to repair at the moment
but we must fix and repair with what we can for such bicycles are
fragile.

Metro-living isn't all that "easy-peasy" living as one dreams of;
maybe so in Major Metro Cities - but not like where I reside.

I am fortunate that my own elderly mother can take me down grocery
shopping from time to time when she has the time ---> but what
happens when the Good Lord calls her home? It will then create
a new adaption upon me whereas; a major adjustment will even
more needed to be made.

No, it's not all as one think it is.

Even in Georgia - when I was not allowed to drive for a time
being - and great was the distance betwixt the Physicians I had
to see, and as for the transportation to get there? I had to beg,
plead, seek friends, neighbors, someone - to take me there, all
appointments revolved around them. As for Buses or Taxi transport,
that would have been a major "Hahahahahaha", in your dreams!
I am very fortunate to be back home here and not up there, for
there would be absolutely no freakin' way I would be able to ride
my Touring Bicycle all over the place in Metro area in Georgia! I
would not survive!

:(

It is deceptive to think wise and otherwise - while it is true some
areas are fortunate, some areas are not so fortunate! Keep that
in mind ~ always!
 
I am cleared to drive but absolutely would NOT drive if my neurologist recommended against it. The danger to myself is one thing but the danger to others is quite another. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I caused injury or death to another person. And I live in a small town with NO public transportation.
 
WALK, don't run
that engine
it will all come to pass
people will call you
"that ass"
knowingly kill
others' love ones:e:
 
Yes...I probably would. My family survives due to my paycheck. If I were to lose that check, my family would be evicted and living on the county. I figure it this way...My seizures are pretty much under control, I'd be under more stress if I didn't drive, and I'm saving the county money by being financially responsible for my family. By my family, I mean that I'm also financially responsible for my mom in law, 2 teen sisters in law, and 7 yr. old brother in law.
 
Whenever ive had a sezure its only because of missing my med or the doc reducing it , therefore ive always carried on driving . But i do know how lucky i am that my e is so well controlled by my meds .
by the way why does,nt it give my location on my post ?
 
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One thing I've noticed is that the strong concentration involved in driving seems to be a strong deterrent to seizures. In fact, I feel more in control than at any other time. Has anyone else noticed the positive effects of intense concentration on seizures?

Does this thing have a spell checker?
 
Chatter-box said:
One thing I've noticed is that the strong concentration involved in driving seems to be a strong deterrent to seizures. In fact, I feel more in control than at any other time. Has anyone else noticed the positive effects of intense concentration on seizures?

Does this thing have a spell checker?
Click to expand...

Yes definately.
 
I wouldn't drive without a license because Im too chicken but the last time they told me not to drive they didn't report me or take my drivers license physically and sometimes I had to drive to get food.
 
When I mentioned the effect of concentration of seizures, I was thinking of the effect of concentration on my son's Tourette Syndrome tics. Now, it isn't the kiind of concentration where you give him a book and say concentrate on it, but it is a strong, more involuntary concentration involved in the task he is doing. At that time, his tics stop altogether and do not satrt again until his concentration is broken by another activity. It is real and a noticeable effect. The neurologist's have said that that is to be expected because of the effect of intense concentration of the release of neurotonins. You might ask your doctor if he has thought of that and just what he knows about this effect of intenst, involuntary concentration on tics and how that might transmit to Epilepsy. I certainly have seen that effect with my owh seizure activity.
 
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