Driven to Despair - Report on DVLA medical section

I’m just about to jump on this “merry-go-round”, with Covid adding to the fun, or whatever the word is.

In July last year I had a minor stroke. Not a TIA, a full stroke. I think it was an Ischematic (but not sure (not sure of the spelling either)).
It started on the Tuesday night, because when I woke up on Wed’ morning I’d ‘slept on my arm’, that numb tingly feeling. It’ll recover as the day goes on I thought.
It didn’t, instead it got worse.
Unfortunately I was in Germany, heading homewards from Switzerland, via Europoort and P&O Ferries to Hull.
What really made me realise this was more serious than a ‘slept on arm’ was when I stopped for a break. I used the facilities and washed my hands, as you do, but when shaking the water off before going to the dryer, my right hand was lagging behind and had no final ‘snap’. Anyway, to cut a longer story short, I didn’t feel ill at all so I kept on going, all the way to the ferry port.
Once booked in and waiting at the dockside I phoned my boss and explained I had a problem. I told him everything that had been happening, he asked “have you considered stroke?” I replied that I had now and it probably was. Up until then I hadn’t considered it, although tbf, I was concentrating on getting to the ferry driving one handed. Auld folk have strokes, I’m only 62, not an ‘auld folk’ at all :stuck_out_tongue:
Again, to cut a big chunk of waffle out, I drove the wagon from Hull to the company yard, then drove my car the hour to my local A&E Hospital. That last bit in the car was the most difficult to drive. So that was from Wed’ morning through to Thurs’ evening.

At hospital, I waited in A&E for an hour and a half before being examined. They agreed I’d probably had a stroke, did some tests and admitted me.
I had a CT scan of my head, they couldn’t see anything (no surprise there, trucker, thick as pig [zb] :laughing: ), no signs of a bleed or clot either :slight_smile:
I had a chest X-ray, all clear. They did an ultrasound of my throat, good blood flow velocities there.
Apart from my dead right arm, I also had minor problems with my right leg and the right side of my face, those have cleared up now, so I’m still the handsome [zb] I’ve always been (hidden under my ‘generous’ beard to give all you ugly buggers a look in :laughing: :laughing: )
They kept me in hospital for a week, then after satisfying the Occupational Health nurse that I was capable of looking after myself, they sent me home.
I was surprised that it was still down to me to inform DVLA that I’d had a stroke, via a form I had to download and fill in by hand. Brilliant, I’m right handed, my right hand and arm are useless.
I’d expected things to change after the Harry Clarke thing. Apparently not, it’s still down to you to inform them and put yourself out of work.
So I completed the form, with help, a week after getting out of hospital, and sent it to them. The beginning of August '21 by this time.
In April ('22), I got a letter from the DVLA Medical Dept, saying my HGV licence was rescinded from April 1st, following their enquires ■■? I TOLD them in August last year, 7 months of enquires to confirm I’d had a stroke :question: :open_mouth: I’ve seen that you-tube video, by one of the newspapers, about work in the Medical Dept during Covid :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

Since coming out of hospital I’ve been getting on with the physiotherapy programme I was given at hospital, which seems to be working. My right hand and arm are still weak, but I can do things with them and getting better at doing them. Initially coming on in leaps and bounds, now it’s very gradual improvement. My hand just sat and stared at me like a recalcitrant teenager when I wanted it to do something, after I first came out (of hospital). I was also dismayed that walking up to my local surgery, to hand in my prescription, half a mile or so, had me absolutely knackered. I did the Edinburgh Kiltwalk 24 miler twice before Covid, so half a mile should’ve been a piece of cake. So I’ve gradually been increasing the length of walks. Longest, so far, is a 12.5 mile circuit round Loch Leven, in 3:30, which is a bit slow for me.

So anyway, I’m getting fitter again. Any general fitness tests the DVLA want me to do should be ok. I’ve heard there’s a treadmill test. Looking at many drivers, I should manage that.
My boss is holding my job open for me, so as soon as I get my licence back I can go back to work. Assuming I get it back that is. The only thing delaying that will be the DVLA Medical Dept, so I’ll be in for a long wait by the looks of things.
I’ll be retiring at 66 though. I had been toying with the idea of continuing work after then, but this has brought home to me how precious ‘living’ is.
The only reason I’m not retiring now is, I don’t have enough money squirrelled away. If I could guarantee a reasonable income from now till I’m 66, I’d be finished with working already.