CBC is running this story today and I think everyone should pop over and read it.
My sisters & I were faced with this issue years ago with Dad. At that time, we had him in for testing for AZ because he was doing funny things. Dad who could always balance a cheque book to the penny, now was having some accounts go into collection. It was painful but his driving was petrifying.
Our worse fears were that he would hurt or kill someone while out in the car. He forgot how to properly turn off the car many times and had to call for road side assistance. He returned with mystery marks down the length of the rear quarter panel. Power steering fluid was put into the brakes causing them to eventually seize up. The list went on and on.
But to Dad, having his own transportation available at whatever time of day or night was his ticket away from the quietness of the house and his soul.
To say that we had to campaign hard and long to Dad's doctors to pull his license was an understatement. None of the doctors wanted to be responsible for taking away his driving privileges. Soon it was time to re-new his license and we thought he would never pass the eye test, let alone seem competent. Well yes, he had trouble seeing the eye chart, but the lovely elder woman giving the test was more than helpful in supplying the right answer! He got his renewal.
Eventually, the Department of Motor Vehicles did pull him in for a re-test of the driving laws and Dad failed. The license was handed back and Dad's driving days were over. We got lucky...no one got hurt. It could have been so much worse.
Have the talk with your aging parents & grandparents. Have a plan before lives are affected.
My sisters & I were faced with this issue years ago with Dad. At that time, we had him in for testing for AZ because he was doing funny things. Dad who could always balance a cheque book to the penny, now was having some accounts go into collection. It was painful but his driving was petrifying.
Our worse fears were that he would hurt or kill someone while out in the car. He forgot how to properly turn off the car many times and had to call for road side assistance. He returned with mystery marks down the length of the rear quarter panel. Power steering fluid was put into the brakes causing them to eventually seize up. The list went on and on.
But to Dad, having his own transportation available at whatever time of day or night was his ticket away from the quietness of the house and his soul.
To say that we had to campaign hard and long to Dad's doctors to pull his license was an understatement. None of the doctors wanted to be responsible for taking away his driving privileges. Soon it was time to re-new his license and we thought he would never pass the eye test, let alone seem competent. Well yes, he had trouble seeing the eye chart, but the lovely elder woman giving the test was more than helpful in supplying the right answer! He got his renewal.
Eventually, the Department of Motor Vehicles did pull him in for a re-test of the driving laws and Dad failed. The license was handed back and Dad's driving days were over. We got lucky...no one got hurt. It could have been so much worse.
Have the talk with your aging parents & grandparents. Have a plan before lives are affected.
No comments:
Post a Comment