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You Will Love This
Fri, 04/21/2006 - 10:59My mother and I went out to lunch Thursday. I went to pay and there was an elderly couple in front of me. The elderly man had a walker with wheels and his wife had a walking cane. I stood holding both doors open for them. I noticed how the elderly man could barely move his legs and feet. I told this to my mother, so we got to wondering who was going to drive their car. My bet was on the husband. We waited and sure enough the husband who could barely move his leg and fit was the driver. IF AM LYING I AM DYING.
I want people to explain how this man's driving is safer than a person with epilepsy. How can me having Nocturnal Epilepsy not be as safe as this elderly man. I have not had a seizure while awake for 5 years, my seizures all occur while asleep. I am applying for a driver's license, why should my chance have to go before a medical board and this elderly man is driving. I feel those who tell they have epilepsy should have just as easy a chance as others. I haven't driven since 1984. The only reason I am applying for a driver's license now is due to the fact I now have nocturnal seizures.
Comments
Re: Re: You Will Love This
Submitted by NaBox on Fri, 2006-04-21 - 19:11
JScott,
Why should I get mad? My feeling Is everyone has their own opinion and the right to share their thoughts. There are those who drive and have an aura prior to their seizure. Believe me I have not driven since 1984. The true reason I decided to discuss driving again with my father is simple, my mother has had 4 back surgeries. She has scoliosis, stenosis, and fibramyalgia(SP?). She is in pain everday. I just got to thinking I have not had a seizure while awake in 5 years. I do know I have seizures while asleep. I reasearched the epilepsy and found I now have nocturnal epilepsy. I discussed this with my father and he supports me trying to get a driver's license. My neurologst said he would help in anyway. I want a license to run errands so my mother can stay home and do what she enjoys, that is gardening. I feel if she is going to be in pain why shouldn't she do what she enjoys.
Re: You Will Love This
Submitted by Dan Marple on Fri, 2006-04-21 - 15:00
I know what you mean. I used to have nocturnal seizures when I was on Depakene. I am taking tegretol now. I have had only one nocturnal seizure in the last 16 years under a doctor's supervised medication withdrawal. I was asked to turn in my driver's licence by the government idiots. When I submitted a letter from the doctor to the superintendent of motor vehicles, the same idiots were so embarrassed that they didn't charge me for the licence renewal. Where I live there is no obligation for the doctor to report nocturnal seizures to the government. The only reason I lost my licence was because I was too polite in asking the government for a driver's medical exam when I hadn't received it in the mail.
If a person is only prone to nocturnal seizures, I believe they are less of a risk on the road than a person who has a weak heart. It is discrimination of people who have a disability that doesn't occur in public. People with nocturnal seizures should only reveal their epilepsy to people who will hold it in confidence. People can't use what they don't know against you.
Re: You Will Love This
Submitted by JScott on Fri, 2006-04-21 - 13:02
Don't get mad at me for saying this but.... EP causes you to lose control of your actions and your thought process which is more dangerous then slow reactions. I know I wouldn't want to be driving when I have an absence seizure. Although, did you get the guys make and model of car? I don't want to be on the road when he is.