Just thought I would say hi and check in, In case you dont know who I am, im the bloke who had the epileptic fit in his truck and fractured his collarbone in my sleep.
Its been 8 months now and I am no further in finding out what sort of epilepsy it is, I have had several seizure’s since, one I ended up in hospital, but I am ok now.
I have pretty much given up on my driving career, the reason being I need to be seizure free for a year for my car licence and 13 years for my HGV (10 years without a seizure and 3 years off my tablets), I am on tablets because they stop me from having seizures, so its catch 22, i can stop taking them but it will increase the chance of me having a seizure!!
Well that’s a right bugger. I can sympathise as far as giving up driving’s concerned. Can’t really say much, except, hope you manage it ok and find other work that you can handle. Not an option in my case.
Wheel Nut:
Hi again Potter. keep yer end up mate, you aint missing nowt down the road.
Cheers wheel nut, the strange thing is I am not missing it as much as I thought I would, dont get me wrong, i miss going away and I miss travelling all over the place, but I dont miss the jams, idiot car drivers and most of all stroppy security guards
I was talking to a mate who drives and he says that its getting worse…
Hi Potter
Glad to see you are getting on with your life, maybe a different route than planned, but your wheels are still turning.
Good Luck, Good Health.
Hi Potter
5 weeks before I get my car licence back, fortunately I did not have an HGV or PCV licence.
Keep in touch with British Epilepsy Society about changes in legislation ( I can never understand why its a year for returning a car licence but virtually impossible to regain a LGV or PCV licence) as I would like to know if there is a difference in the frequency of having seizures again purely based on the type of licence you hold.
Do not be afraid to grab all the benefits you can - if you have had a second seizure whilst taking prescribed medication you may be entitled to a disabled rail card (40% off rail travel including special offers for you and upto 1 other person travelling with you). I have spent thousands on rail travel in the last year including £70 for my wife and I to travel to London instead of the c£400.
Do not laugh but you may also be elligble for a bus pass!
There are other benefits that did not apply to me but may be applicable to you.
Finally remember you have skills and knowledge that are valuable, and can be utilised in other areas of the industry -
Management, training, conultancy, sales, perhaps even a role in VOSA or Highways Agency.
My initial dream job in RAF fell at the first hurdle because of epilepsy, and here I am 37 years on having worked my whole working life (so far) in road transport.
Good Luck and remember there are people out there having several seizures a day - I consider myself lucky.
I have already got the free bus pass, its very handy, I just need to figure out what bus routes to get on now, I will never get the 51 and the 15 mixed up again (it was the difference between 20 mins and 1hr 15 mins ), I have applied for all the other things that’s available, like you said, its been 2 seizures in 3 months, my brothers girlfriend had 15 in a row the other day!!
Like I said in my earlier post’s I was going to be a traffic manager but I have a little bit of sense, so thats out the window
Thanks to everybody for the kind wishes and be safe out there!!
