It has been way too long since i lasted blogged about things. I feel like i have been so busy fighting battles this year and it has really started to make things so complicated. I got notice just before Thanksgiving that the state of Texas is revoking my drivers license for the black out while driving back in June which i blogged about. I was involved in a car accident and did not realize that i had hit anyone. No was injured but it did involve me being chased by several very angry cops who thought i was high on drugs or drunk. I really wish that my doctor had discussed with me testing before driving during all the years of me being a diabetic i have not had one doctor event suggest that i do. I had never had a friend or heard much about hypoglycemia unawareness until it happened to me. I am quite anxious about an up coming hearing to try and save my drivers license.
I am fortunate that my ex fiance is an attorney who i can call at anytime with a legal issue. He has been so great about all this craziness i call my life. I found out that the hearing is with a Justice of the peace and is a very informal type of hearing where i can personally plead my case. I do have advice and what to say during the hearing which im sure will help. My case is somewhat complicated so i know this has really tested my patience in every sense of the word. I was and still some what scared if they take my drivers license. I am single Diabetic women who’s whole freedom is some what attached to my freedom to drive. I am fortunate that if i did lose it there is a decent transit system in place. The hard part would be to justify my car payment and insurance on something you are not able to use.
I did at the time realize the seriousness of the situation and made great improvements in my personal diabetic care since that incident. I got an insulin pump and continue to fight to get a CGMS for the pump. The first pump i had malfunctioned and i did not catch that it was not working and almost died. I conquered my fears and gave an insulin pump another chance.I test around 10-16 times a day to catch as many lows as possible. I test every time i drive. If i drive over an hour i pull over and test again. I always carry two meters and have a back up one in the car and always have glucose and icing in the car. I don’t want to injure or cause anyone else harm. I hold myself very accountable every time i get im my car. I have learned so much from this experience and want to share it with everyone. I feel like if i help stop one person from getting into the situation i was in i accomplished my goal of getting the word out. I know everyone thinks that it cannot happen to them but i have to say it defiantly can. I have my fingers crossed and a back up plan if the hearing is not going well. I will ask for a hearing with my attorney present if they want to revoke it. Then i will bring in my attorney. I am hoping that it will not have to go to that point. I am just going to plead the facts to them and hope all goes well. The ironic part of this is that there is people out there that have 3 or 4 dui’s and still driving.
Wow I am sorry to hear that they are taking your license. My Daughter is 14 and is going to be driving soon. (YIKES) Have a teenage drive is scary enough, but to know that this type of thing could happen to her is even more scary. We also live in CA where if this situation were to happen to her they would basically charge her with Drunk driving (they have very strict diabetic driving laws) and she would have a criminal record along w/the anxiety of a wreck. I am going to preach testing EVERY time before she drives, probably not allow her to have anyone in the car with her even after that restriction is lifted. I would hate for something to happen and her have someone in the car. Where to draw the line.
The funny thing is that the doctors i had never mentioned a thing. I think testing before driving is a good practice for any type 1 diabetic. Make sure she also wears a diabetic id bracelet if she is driving. I was not wearing on when i was pulled over. They found my insulin and figured out i was diabetic. Texas has very strict laws as well. I am hoping to retain my drivers license but won’t know until my hearing.
Wow, hope it works out for you and it sounds like you have taken great steps in making sure that nothing like that ever happens to you again. Make sure you take your logs to show how often you are testing! Also any documentation that you can bring showing that you are fighting to get a CGMS would help too, I bet
GOOD LUCK TO YOU. I LIVE IN NEBRASKA AND ON 5-23-07 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN TESTED MY SUGARS WERE AT 48. ANYWAYS I FLIPPED MY CAR TWICE, AND WAS EJECTED BEFORE MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. I THANK GOD THAT I HURT ONLY MYSELF. LUCKILY THERE WAS A DOCTOR DRIVING NEAR ME THAT STOPPED AND HELPED. I ENDED UP BEING LIFE FLIGHTED TO A HOSPITAL. I WAS IN A COMA FOR 2 WEEKS. I’VE BEEN DIABETIC SINCE I WAS 2 AND NO ONE EVER SUGGESTED I TEST BEFORE DRIVING EITHER. THE STATE OF NEBRASKA NEVER TRIED TO TAKE MY LISCENSE. BUT LIKE YOU, I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY TO ALWAYS CHECK B4 DRIVING. GOD BLESS!
Thanks Scott and Antonia. I really have learned so much just wish i had an idea that this was a possibility of what could happen. I really am hoping i keep my license. This has been a very tough couple of months try to get my pump then my denial for CGMS and then the possible revoking of license.
It happened to me too many years ago and the doctors never warned me either. I had my baby daughter in the car with me when it happened. Luckily everything turned out fine in the end. The police officer at that time threatened to take my license away too and I did receive a notice from the state of Pennsylvania regarding my driving privilege but I went straight to my Endocrinologist at the time and pleaded with him, discussed my plan to test every time before I got behind the wheel, and to seriously watch every low sugar cycle and act on it. He agreed with me and signed off on the Pennsylvania form.
It’s been fourteen years since that accident and a low sugar has not occurred again while driving. It takes alot of work, determination and preparation that many people take for granted until it happens to them.
I agree that we should all be warned and educated by our medical professionals on this one.
Tarra,
I forgot to say I hope that you convince them because you really sound like you will follow through.
You’ve learned the hard way and you can do it but I warn you that it will be hard but it can be done. It still worries me every time I get behind the wheel. Keep in tune with your body especially when time is consumed with other things! Good Luck, You can do it!
I just had to reply to your post and didn’t have a chance to look at your profile so I don’t know if you are T1 or T2, but like you I can relate to being a single woman with diabetes and depending on the freedom to drive. This sounds like such a stressful situation and I hope it turns out well. I’ll be keeping positive thoughts for you.
I too hope everything will work for you and you will keep your license. While reading I can’t help but to think how much work we have ahead of us creating awareness.
Test before driving sounds like a great campaign.
I would think that this should help your case in obtaining a CGMS. Too bad the judge in this case can’t order your insurance to get you one. Don’t give up!
Tarra,
Hope things work out for you in court and I hope the judge doesn’t go to hard on your situation. I know they don’t tell us that we should test before driving and really they need to give us more information on how to deal with diabetes before they send us off to care for our bg’s.
I have also found that when people are denied for pumps and cgms it is due to not enough information given to the insurance company from the doctor or the insurance company has not received a copy of the medical necessity from the doctor or from the pump/cgms company. If you have double checked on this I have not found a company that would refuse it. Check the medical necessity to see how it was filled out by the doctor.
I usually fill out everything other than where the doctor has to fill out or sign. I inform them I am testing 8 - 10 times a day and my A1c level is over 7 or my blood sugars are not in tight enough control due to those being the biggest reasons for giving these devices, the A1c also validates the information.
