I'm starting to reconsider my appointment with the brain injury rehab clinic next week.

I had my fall 5 months ago and I've been driving since with no problems. I drove 2 days after my fall, in hindsight, that probably wasn't good, as I came home from a 30 mins drive exhausted and miserable. The ER doc did not say don't drive (the only 2 things he cared about was me remembering my birthday and waiting 1 week to ride horses again).

I saw my old family doctor who said I should not ride for a year and should not even RIDE in a car for a year, for fear of an accident and further damage. I explicitly asked if he was reporting me to the ministry of transportation and he said no no, it was just a suggestion for my own safety.

I've been seeing my new family doctor regularly and he's the one that made the referral to the rehab clinic at my request. He's never mentioned not driving or anything to that effect.

But now I'm concerned that if I go to the BRAIN INJURY rehab clinic, they will have to file a report with the ministry, who will then review it and make some random decision about my license status.

This worry is compounded by the fact I'm the only driver in the family and we live rurally, so its not like we can just start taking a bus... the nearest bus is 20 kms away. Taxis do not come out this far.

My husband doesn't drive because he learned to drive out west, where there were no people and then when he moved east, he didn't need to drive (lived in the city where a car was a liability) and has not driven in over 15 years.

My daughter only has a learner's permit, she went away to university in the city where again, a car is a liability and she was never motivated by the "promise of freedom" She had freedom with public transit.

I drive daily, morning and evening, to the bus station and back to get my family to the bus so they can go to work. I generally avoid going downtown, but the few times I've been caught in rush hour its been fine, a bit stressful maybe, but fine. No near misses or anything scary. I've asked my family a few times if they have noticed anything while I'm driving and they both say my driving seems the same as always, but I don't expect they'd be the most objective either.

And I know that just because the doc reports you to the ministry, they don't automatically take away your license, but I'm really uneasy about going to the clinic now.

It makes me feel like I can't be totally honest about my symptoms or the severity without fear of losing my license. But how do I get the help I need?

For short periods of time, if I work very hard, I can mostly cover up my symptoms so people don't notice. They mostly only start to notice when I get tired or upset (which will happen at the clinic if I'm worrying about my license!!) so I could probably fake my way through the appointment, but then, what's the point in going?

Anyone else find themselves in this situation?

Right now, I'm seriously considering phoning the clinic, canceling my appointment and telling them I'm fine. I have an appointment with my family doc today and I might ask him about it.

Having my license suspended would create a major family hardship, I already feel like enough of a burden to them... If I was forced to stop driving, that might be enough to cause my marriage permanent damage. There would be no upside to having me around anymore.

At the same time, if I get no help, I'm pretty sure my husband is out of here anyhow, I don't know how much longer he can be patient with me and this situation.

Anyone??

Starr

The fact that you live in a rural area should make driving less of a risk. I do not drive in the congested areas. I do OK in the more rural and suburban areas with less traffic.

If they question your driving, just tell them you stay away from the busy areas.

But, go to you appointment and see what they have to offer. The rehab clinic I went to did a driving test and said i do fine even though I had a melt down in a congested area.

Sounds like your family needs to get back behind the wheel. It would likely be better for you if you did not have the pressure to drive.

What are your most limiting symptoms that you still have?

Before you cancel your appointment, I'd suggest confirming for sure one way or the other what the laws are regarding driving privileges in your area. So I think when you have the discussion with your doctor I’d have a detailed discussion about what their responsibility is regarding reporting.

FWIW, I think that your recovery is important enough to keep the appointment at the brain injury rehab clinic. If you know the exact rules, that decision will be easier to make rather then worrying about what could happen.

I’m in Arizona, and here the doctors are required to report to the transportation department when they feel that the brain injury is severe enough to compromise a patient’s ability to operate a motor vehicle. I did have to take a behind the wheel driving test to have my license restored. It was a great day in my recovery journey!

Best to you in your recovey.

Thanks for the replies Mark and Lightrail, I appreciate it!!

I've been reading the MTO website all morning. http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dan...tandards.shtml
To me, it looks like they will have to report it and then the MTO will review it and decide based on the info the clinic supplies whether I'm fit to drive.

There is a process to regain your license, it costs the best part of $1000 to take the test.

Driving is one of the few times of day I feel like me again... the rest of the time, not so much. I had years and years of driving experience before my accident, more than the average person and was always a good driver before, no tickets, no accidents, nothing. Clean!

My ongoing symptoms...

-- headache

-- dizziness when I walk too fast (though my gait is altered to compensate, my family calls it walking like "King kong")

-- light and sound sensitivity (I always wear my hat and sunglasses when I go out, including when I drive)

-- still very tired and require a nap daily, though I do sometimes miss a day

-- anytime I increase my heart rate doing work, my headache increases, so I try to work slowly when I have to work and lots of things just don't get done. (Everyone gets fed and mucked out and their basic needs attended to, but not much more)

-- have a hard time with math skills, making change or being sure I get the right change is next to impossible

-- variety of emotional issues, including anger, crying for "no reason", judgement and impulsiveness (these two mostly relate to making purchases and the ability to say no when someone pressures me a bit)

-- most apparent when I'm tired or upset, words are hard to find, my speech comes out stilted, I find it hard to understand what others are trying to say and make myself understood.

-- still not able to return to all my "duties" around here. If I had a real job, depending on what it was, I might not be back yet. Around here, many things are just beyond what I can do. (Like install fencing, which is something I normally do in the spring, summer and fall, luckily right now we are in a drought and we have clay soil, so no chance to dig even if I could!)

I mostly only drive from our rural area to the small city where the buses are. The small city also has the grocery store and stuff like that. I rarely go to the big city, except that the clinic is in the big city, but I've been a couple times and its been ok. (I never went into the big city much before my injury, so I'm not that familiar with it anyhow)

My daughter has been working on getting her license, we have a graduated system here, so it takes a LONG time to be fully licensed. She's very much a beginner and hates driving my truck, she says its too big.

My husband... he's not a safe driver, which is why I do all the driving. If the driving gets left to him, I'll walk or move into town (which I hate). If anyone in our house should have their license suspended it is him! He doesn't have the focus to pay attention long enough... actually many of his "quirks" are very much like TBI symptoms... being so tall, maybe he's hit his head too many times, I don't know!!

He's always surprised when other people drive and there are no horn noises, because when HE drives, he hears horns all the time! Scary. Scary. Scary.

Starr

In the UK you have to notify the government department responsible for issuing licences if your injury will affect your licence. However, much like in Canada once you loose it getting it back is more difficult and when you do - car insurance goes through the roof.

Have you thought about getting an independant assessment of your driving ?
Over here there is a scheme where drivers can be assessed independently before deciding to notify the government. It may be useful to have in your pocket when you go to the clinic.

Thanks sospan... I will look into whether there is a scheme like that I can participate in.

I know the rehab clinic I'm going to is one of the testing sites where you go to regain your license... that's what makes me a bit iffy about going...

I saw my family doc this aft and asked him about the guidelines, (which I found online from the CMA http://www.cma.ca/determining-fitness-to-drive)
and he said I had nothing to worry about being as I've not really been affected by my accident!

He said, they will likely do a small assessment and reassure you that you are 100% ok and send you home.

Today I like my (NEW!) family doctor quite a bit less than I did. He also refused to continue treating my rash until I decide to start taking the prescription he gave me for Cipralex (anti depressant).

He feels its will cure all my problems including my rash and that if I refuse to take it, its because I really don't want to get better.

I'm not taking anything until I go to the brain clinic next week... assuming I go and all that.

I'm just so frustrated and upset about that visit.
Starr

Interesting () approach by your doctor - blackmail !

It is also a strange thing though to recommend anti depressants which can for some people make you drowsey and slow your reaction times and then at the same time support you in driving.

I personally wouldn't take the medication before the assessment