[southie]

Since I've obtained my Learner's permit, then obtained
my Driver's License, then been driving, been monitored
by the DMV (Dept of Motor Vehicles) Med Board - having
submitted those (bleep) long forms whenever they felt
like sending them 2-3-4 times a year or if I'm lucky, once
a year (and you could hear my Neuro or Doctor *groan*)
when they came in, and they had to fill it out. But since
this often meant, blood work, EEG, the whole kit and
kaboodle - and since my seizures were nocturnal, I didn't
drive at nights, and it had to be extreme emergency for
me to drive at nights as I was night blind.

And now the Epi's Nurse has informed me that I cannot
drive for 6 months!

Imagine that! After ALL these years with a flawless
record, even the Cops were surprised, and I had a call from
the DMV themselves and they were a little surprised too.
So they asked me a bunch of questions.

I mean I had a little bump in the "road" - there are 70, 80,
90 year old folks out there that are far more dangerous
and more of a threat than I am!

[Porkette]

Hi Sharon,
I'm sorry to hear that you won't be able to drive for awhile. I know that each state is different regarding how long a person must be sz. free before driving. Here in NY a person has to go 1 yr. without any sz. and have a Drs. written statement that it's safe for them to drive. Consider yourself lucky since you've been able to drive I've never been able to drive in my life and I always had to depend on others to get to work. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

[LIZARD]

Okay...color me confused. I thought you just said they were nocturnal and you don't drive at night...so why are you beng monitored re seizures and driving?? If I have an aura wake me up and then have a sz in bed, I usually mention it to my doctor, but we both agreed that since I'm not barreling down I-95 when I'm asleep, it's not worth mentioning to DMV, especially with all the drunks on the road who--AHEM!--aren't under a microscope the way we are! If you have a sz in sleep, whothehell's biz is it but yours (and possibly your doc's)??


LIZARD, for you

[lor]

I drove for one year then got in an accident (NOT DUE TO E. I cut a lady off while turning & she ran into me). I totaled the car thus had nothing to drive. When I got married I could have gotten a car but I let my DH talk me out of it cuz he was afraid of me getting in an accident due to E. I now agree with this. It IS possible & I'm affraid of hurting someone (killing the person would haunt me forever) But like was mentioned, what about all these old ppl who won't admit it, but must have trouble at least sometimes? (my dad has trouble hearing. What if he didn't hear the firetruck coming?)
Porkette, How did you get a job since you can't get there by yourself? You didn't know those ppl would help you & did you think/wonder 'What if my driver got sick one morn.?' I see an ad & my eyes light up but then I see the bus routes don't go near.

[Porkette]

Hi rainzy,
You asked how I got a job without being able to drive. I was lucky to find a job where my DH works but after he retired he offered to take me to work and pick me up. When my DH gets sick I can either take a Family Sick Day from work where they will pay me or I can take the bus to work. I also have a few neighbors that live nearby and I could get a ride from them. I'm very lucky to have a DH that will drive me to work and home as well as live near a bus route. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue

[southie]

I can't make sense of all of this either, if it weren't for
the personal information - I would post the - never
mind - I will copy and paste and remove the personal
info off:

Here's the Press Release:


An Off-Duty Deputy Arrests A Driver For Fleeing And Eluding After Driver Is Involved In Two Traffic Crashes

Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
Investigative Operations Bureau
-Crime Scene Investigation Unit
-Burglary Unit

Avner Alfaro (Arrested)
DOB: XXXXXXXX
Address: XXXXXXXX
(Arrested on charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, grand theft auto, providing a false name to a law enforcement officer, no valid driver’s license and leaving the scene of an accident)

Deputy XXXXXXXX Heaton (Off-duty at time of incident)


Melissa XXXXXX (Victim-Driver of Nissan)
DOB: XXXXXXXX
Address: XXXXXXXX

Sharon XXXXXXXX (Victim-Driver of Daewoo)
DOB: XXXXXXXX
Address: XXXXXXXX

Steven XXXXXXXX (Victim- Passenger of Daewoo)
DOB: XXXXXXXX
Address: XXXXXXXX

What: An off-duty deputy who was in the process of initiating a traffic stop on a driver for driving at a high rate of speed and not having a vehicle tag, arrested the driver after the driver was involved in a traffic crash, lead him on pursuit and then became involved in second crash.

Where: The incident began at the intersection of Keene Road and Belleair Road in Clearwater and ended at the intersection of Belleair Road and Lake Avenue in Clearwater.

When: The incident occurred at about 5:07 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, 2007.

How/Why:

Deputy XXXXXXXX Heaton was off-duty and on his way home from work in his cruiser when he observed a Chevy Camaro driving at a high rate of speed and with no tag near the intersection of Keene Road and Belleair Road in Clearwater. The driver who was heading northbound on Keene Road then came to a stop in the left turn lane of that intersection.



As Deputy Heaton was in the process of initiating a traffic stop, the driver of the Camaro made a left turn onto oncoming traffic and a white Nissan that was heading southbound on Keene Road was unable to stop and struck the Camaro causing it to fishtail. The driver of the Camaro was able to regain control over his vehicle and accelerated to a high speed traveling westbound on Belleair Road.



Deputy Heaton activated lights and sirens and initiated a pursuit. According to the deputy as the driver of the Camaro approached the intersection of Lake Avenue, he drove onto oncoming traffic, swung around two vehicles stopped at the intersection and attempted to make a right turn onto Lake Avenue. The driver of the Camaro then lost control of the vehicle and struck a Daewoo head on.



Deputy Heaton pulled up behind the Camaro as the driver continued to try to get the vehicle into gear. Deputy Heaton then exited his cruiser and approached the Camaro with his weapon drawn and arrested the driver, 18-year-old Avner Alfaro without further incident.



The deputy summoned rescue for the driver of the Daewoo, 45-year-old Sharon XXXXXXXX, who suffered back and neck injuries. She was transported by ambulance to Mease Countryside Hospital. The passenger of that vehicle declined transport to the hospital. Both the Camaro and the Daewoo sustained front end damage.



Deputies later made contact with the driver of the Nissan, 24-year-old Melissa XXXXXXXX and an accident report was taken. She was not injured and the vehicle had minor damage.



Avner Alfaro was arrested on charges of aggravated fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, grand theft auto, providing a false name to a law enforcement officer, no valid driver’s license and leaving the scene of an accident.


------------------------------------------

My car was destroyed and was crushed and
hauled off 3 business days after the accident.

Both my son and I sustained neck and back
injuries but my son was confused in regarding
to the insurance issues because the Deputies
were telling him that the Felon had no Insurance
and the car was stolen, and my son was thinking
of himself, he had no insurance either, and I kept
telling him my car insurance covers him, and he
wasn't understanding this.

My mom is taking me down to my Epi next week
and we will find out what all is going on and get
this all straightened out because the Nurse is
stating that the Epi said "No driving in May(?)"
and I just met the Epi in May and he was running
some tests and we were to meet in July when all
the results were to come in so he could come up
with all the final diagnostics and conclusions as
far as I know, not a word was spoken about me
not driving. In fact, I remember very clearly his
staff telling me how to get to the Radiology that
was nearby my home, and if the Epi didn't want
me to drive, why would they give me the directions
and how to get there?

That's why all the confusion.



I would LOVE to post the link to the website but
with our personal info on there, I just can't post
that link there.

[lor]

Sharon, Maybe the nurse was saying 'the epi told you "no driving", in May' (meaning, in may the epi told you no driving). If they don't know whats what (they didn't have the test results) they like to assume the worst, just incase. The staff doesn't particulary know what to do about things, so if you asked dirrections, they would tell. Also, the staff maybe assumed you were asking so you could tell the person who is giving you a ride....my FIL often gives me a ride to Dr & if he needed dirrections to someplace, they would tell Me, he doesn't even go in.

[southie]

Originally Posted by rainzy

Sharon, Maybe the nurse was saying 'the epi told you "no driving", in May' (meaning, in may the epi told you no driving). If they don't know whats what (they didn't have the test results) they like to assume the worst, just incase. The staff doesn't particulary know what to do about things, so if you asked dirrections, they would tell. Also, the staff maybe assumed you were asking so you could tell the person who is giving you a ride....my FIL often gives me a ride to Dr & if he needed dirrections to someplace, they would tell Me, he doesn't even go in.

No this wasn't the case at all.

I'm divorced, and the only driver, and they knew all of
this beforehand. I won't go into all the details, but I
will state this. I do have a Deaf & Hearing Advocate that
is now working with me on this matter and issue.

If the Epi did say "NO Driving", and the interpreter did
not sign it - then the fault lies with the interpreter who
failed on their part, and makes me wonder what all the
Epi said that the interpreter did not sign to me?
STOP TO THINK ABOUT THAT?

But I will state this, yes, they knew about the whole issue
and situation, that was the reason why they scheduled
me close to home so I wouldn't have to drive so far away.

I see my Epi next week, and we will go on from there.

But it's all very strange considering it was only the 1st
Office visit, and even more strange that they were the
ones who were calling me all the time, to which I would
call them back via the Relay Service and they would know
who was trying to contact me and connect me. But since
this accident, they've somewhat become cold and I'm not
sure how to put it in words.

But the accident has nothing to do with my Epi, and the
Sheriff's have repetitiously declared over and over and
over again, that it was no fault of mine, the whole thing
was absolutely unfortunate.

That's why it's a little puzzling.

[Darlene]

I am like Porkette, I have E. ever since I was around the age of 10. So I have never driven, but managed to get around. I am lucky to have a wonderful husband, and also after our kids come of age to give me lifts to placed need to go to.

At one time I used the city bus lines which I felt lucky also. I guess since I have never driven I don't feel as unlucky as you, Sharon.

Darlene

[southie]

Hi Darlene,

I was born with Epilepsy and with Neurological problems
that is progressive, so I've had it all in my life. All my
seizures are nocturnal. So having seizures during the
daytime are extremely rare.

Even though my son is an adult, he can't drive. So really,
as for any Public Transportation, they're really given it
the ax around here.

If I have to - I would take my Racing Bike and ride 25
miles one way to my Epi's office in the dangerous traffic
even though it's far safer to drive than it is to ride a bike.
But if that's the way it's going to be, then so be it.

But I'm not worried about it right now, I'm going to let
the Advocate speak in now. Because "IF" the Epi did
say it, and the Interpreter didn't sign it, then that's
the Interpreter's fault - not the Doctor nor the Patient
and you can't blame the Patient or the Doctor and
the Interpreter can loose their Certification or License
over it - that is - "if" they are authorized.

Now if the Interpreter had signed that, I wouldn't have
any problems volunteering not to drive at all. So this
was almost like "IN YOUR FACE" type attitude, well to
me it is.

I'll just leave it all in God's hands.