Dear Tom's wife:
In Europe, people who have had 2 hypos in a year cannot drive. Link here.
The ADA says to pull over if you are low. They tell you it's similar to driving drunk.
But we know that seasoned diabetics cannot always tell when they are going low. They become immune to that sensation.
The ADA explains the risks here
Each state here currently has different laws. Here's California's matrix. If we lived in that state, which we don't, hubby would not drive!
If you take insulin and live in Texas, you need a medical evaluation. You can click here to find your state.
But here's the deal. My husband would never admit that he takes insulin. He thinks it's none of their business. And to top it off, I'm pretty sure his doctor would put down on a medical evaluation that he is perfectly capable of driving!
I know that my hubby should not ever be behind the wheel of a car. But that does not prevent him from driving. If I go with him, I drive. If there is anyone else in the car with us, I drive. That is my rule. I/we will simply not get in the car with him if he is behind the wheel. And yes, I get terribly tired of doing all the driving.
And yes, it was my sister who brought about this change. Was I upset with her? Not at all! I am eternally grateful that she said to me, "I will not ride if he is driving." I needed to hear those words. I needed to be made aware of just how dangerous it is to get in the car with someone who has diabetes behind the wheel. It really is like driving drunk. Some drunk drivers never ever get into a wreck. But you just never know when it could happen.
For the past 2 years, my mantra has been that if he gets behind the wheel, he takes his life into his own hands. But he will not take my life, my friends or my family's lives into his hands. It's just not allowed.
Yes, he fought me tooth and nail on this one. He got mad. He threw a fit. He refused to get into the car with me behind the wheel. But he did get over it. And he no longer drives my car. And I rarely if ever get into his truck if he is driving.
Read the links. I think it will be a real eye opener. It was for me!
DW
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2 comments:
My dh is type 2. Recently he has been going very low in the 20s and 30s. The drop is sudden and has happened while he is driving.
I was riding with him 5 days ago and he almost crashed into another car. He jammed the brakes and jerked to a sudden stop. This is not the first time this has happened. I am over 50 and the sudden stops like that make my body hurt for days. And of course, he was blaming the other driver but I knew better.
I do not want to get into the car with him again. I know we will have a big argument in the next few days when he wants me to go with him to his favorite restaurant.
Mary
I have had many fights with my husband over this. He now knows that if he wants me to go somewhere with him, then I do the driving. He still doesn't like it, but I am NOT willing to risk my life when he goes low and refuses to pull over and let me take the wheel.
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