Patsy Robertson Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I am furious:-( I had a lesson from Diverse Road Safety a non profit organisation who help get disabled or people like ourselves who have had brain injuries back onto the road. It went really well, she documented I was no risk to other road users or pedestrians having full control of the vehicle. The next step was my GP however this morning he has refused to write to DVLA:-( He said he is not a specialist, despite DVLA telling my husband yesterday that his signature was more than acceptable. What more can I do! If I am honest I am fed up battling to do anything, everything is an uphill battle:-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin-lin Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Aw I am so sorry that you are stressed. I found that in the early part of recovery, any disappointment would set me back considerably from an emotional point of view. Have you contacted the hospital? Perhaps you could speak to your neuro surgeon's secretary and ask him / her whether your Consultant will write a letter in support. I had to do this lots in my recovery as my GP was always reluctant to make decisions without first consulting the hospital; even prescribing sleeping tablets. Hope you resolve things soon. L xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoobs Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Patsy keep ya chin up kid think you'll find ya Gp don't know much bout what we have gone thru get in touch with ya specialist nurse they helped me out. Havin said that still not had reply from dvla keep positive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsy Robertson Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Lin-Lin my husband spoke to my neuro surgeons secretary earlier on her response I thought was disgraceful:-( She said that he was very busy and not obligated to respond to DVLA which I know to be untrue. I worked with my surgeon for 20 years prior to my SAH so I am appalled at his lack of interest:-( Disgusted in fact. My husband has sent an email directly to my surgeon complaining about his secretary's attitude and emphasising the urgency to get me back behind the wheel. I feel completely isolated as mobility wise I am not that wonderful in terms of walking any distance so having to rely on family or my husband to drive me around is getting me down:-( I think 16 months is excessive in terms of still not driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsy Robertson Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Scoobs I will try my nurse specialist, thanks:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gill C Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Patsy so sorry this has set you back & understand your frustration completely. Your situation was exactly the same as mine except my registrar said it was up to the DVLA to decide in her initial letter. It took some explaining that she needed to tell my GP there was no risk of blackouts or fits & therefore in her opinion I could drive. My GP was loathe to say I was fit to drive as she also had no experience of SAH so relied on the registrars opinion. In the end the eye clinic had to write to the registrar to say my eyesight was fine to drive, the registrar then wrote to my GP to say I was not at risk of anything going wrong after the surgery & then my GP was happy to confirm all that to the DVLA!! I did ring my nurse specialist in tears one day to try & move things along which did help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelBel Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hi Patsy I hope you manage to get somewhere with the nurse specialist. It is unbelievably frustrating trying to get your licence back, on top of just trying to get on with life as you now know it. Being passed from pillar to post is stressful. I wish you luck. Fingers crossed you will get back behind the wheel very soon Kel x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldfish.girl Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Patsy, I am so sorry to hear this. I know exactly how frustrating the driving issue is. My GP was also very reluctant to get involved with DVLA. I think it was something to do with legal issues and they are not brain experts. My neurologist, however, was happy to do so although I also had to complain about her secretary too, obstructive & up her self doesn't even begin to cover it! Hopefully your husbands e-mail will do the trick. Did you get a copy of the instructors findings to send to your surgeon as this will cut down waiting times for you? I would also send the report to DVLA. Don't give up. I went to pieces many, many times over this issue & I have only been back on the road for about 5 weeks. Already it seems like that awful time was ages ago. Dealing with DVLA is a very long, frustrating road but YOU WILL GET THERE. You have proved that you are competent to drive the rest is just paperwork now. I don't say that lightly because I really do understand how hard it is to be without your freedom especially when walking every where uses up all your energy. I live alone with my son and quite far out of town with one bus an hour so I really do get how badly not having your licence interferes with daily life. Good luck! Michelle x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsy Robertson Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Thanks everyone. I have sent across attached to the email the PDF from the driving instructor so fingers crossed it helps with their decision. The GP just wasn't interested and in my opinion he blooming well should be. I attended the practice a few days prior to my SAH with high BP, daily migraine with aura, pins and needles and he sent me home saying I was ok I sometimes wonder about our wonderful NHS and I worked in it for 20 years:-( I need to keep my chin up don't I, it's just really hard when you have battled for over a year to sort out benefits, pensions I thought this may be a bit easier, more fool me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldfish.girl Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 (edited) Patsy, I read all the mis-diagnosis stories on here with absolute horror. I was lucky that the GP who responded to my 'medical emergency' call knew what my SAH was - he wrote '?SAH' on the paperwork for the ambulance crew he had phoned. Although he didn't hang around until they turned up & left me with a 7 year old child in charge - thank god things didn't get worse at that point, my son was scared enough! I made up a few (not repeatable here) phrases for what SAH might mean whilst lying there waiting for the ambulance- I had never heard of SAH before that day. As an NHS employee, you know exactly how to hit that GP where it hurts over his failing and have nothing to lose by doing so. Maybe that would wake him up to what he should have done on that day & teach his colleagues a valuable lesson. Perhaps others in that practice will attend training in the SAH/Stroke field and be better GP's for it? Michelle x p.s I have to say though that for me an acknowledgement along with an apology & a commitment to learn from their mistake is more than enough (they diagnosed me correctly & quickly but in my sons brain cyst case they could not have got it more wrong & their error caused a few more weeks of unnecessary suffering). Financial compensation will never help but a willingness to learn from their mistakes absolutely would. Edited September 12, 2012 by goldfish.girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsy Robertson Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 I would like to think it would, but the only other GP in the practice is his wife (rolls eyes). Closed shop basically isn't it She told me a few months ago there was nothing wrong with my legs they just needed more exercise! In the meantime my physio has told me to stop any exercise as it is flaring my knees up! I need to change doctors don't I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 It amazes me there is such a difference in attitudes in each country. Here in Canada, no one even told me to stop driving, although I have since heard that I should have been prohibited from driving for a month. They didnt even tell me to stop taking aspirin to thin my blood. There has been no follow up for me on a neurological level. SO I guess I am driving blind and daft. I think 16 months is more than enough time. If you have proven yourself with Diverse Road Safety then it should be suffice. But that is the opinion of a blind crazed driver from Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsy Robertson Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 Thanks Carl I am in agreement with you. Unfortunately I was in hospital for 4 months having contracting bacterial meningitis following my coiling but I do not have, fortunately, any serious disabilities. I do think my neuro surgeon thinks I must be affected mentally as he spoke to me like I was retarded on our visit to him at the private hospital:-( They have said it was remarkable that I actually continued with life following my bleeds but it is very frustrating that they believe it has had serious consequences to my day to day living:-( to the point they are worried I won't be able to drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpaggett Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I live in Michigan, USA and my license was never revoked. Although, I never tried to drive until my vertigo lifted. I did it the right way and went to get tested even though I didn't have to. I am aware that some people with a Brain injury think they are fine when they really aren't. Everything checked out and then I just started driving. I'm so outraged for you that you're in a catch 22. You're cleared to drive by a competent evaluator, but yet you're required to get a stupid signature from an ignoramus with a title or Doctor! How sad that we put doctor above anyone else even if the other person knows more! I hope you can get a signature from someone who will be 'Acceptable'. Could it come from someone else? If so, you might have an easier time with someone more objective than a GP who's already made up his incorrect little mind! Good wishes to you. ~Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Hi Patsy, I'm not sure, but perhaps PALS might be an option to consider or seek advice from? - http://www.pals.nhs.uk/cmsContentView.aspx?Itemid=944 xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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