Forum Replies Created

  • ross-bergstedt

    Member
    December 8, 2022 at 2:35 pm in reply to: Driving with PD (DWPD)

    Hi Sherman and Toni,

    Sherman, kudos to you for self-regulating your driving. I am currently 56 yrs old, and was diagnosed when I was 49. I am a car enthusiast and truly still love to drive. Thru my brilliant Physical Therapist a few years back, I avoided taking myself off of the road due to some neuropathic pain in my right foot, which compromised my dexterity. I also have MS, (diagnosed 2011) so some days are certainly worse than others, and the MS just so happened to compromise my right side arm and leg. With strengthening and limbering (is that a word?) exercises, I found that I was much improved in my driving ability and confidence.

    I do avoid driving much at night or in rush-hour traffic. I am medically retired, so I have flexibility running errands, etc. I have had the conversation with my family, particularly my wife and adult niece, since they are my primary caregivers when I need direct care, that if they felt my driving skills had diminished, to please let me know. That way, I could either A.) have my driving evaluated and ask if there were any assistant devices that would help, or B). just shut it down, sell my extra vehicle and keep a fund that I could use for Uber, Lyft or the like.  My wife and Niece were very happy to hear that I think, possibly because they had been worried, without voicing it, that “what do I do if I think that he shouldn’t drive any longer?”.

    Thank you.

    Ross