I’d suggest keeping a diary of all your communications with the medical branch from the off. Names, dates, times etc and any reference numbers they might give you. Respond promptly to their requests and if posting anything use recorded or special delivery and keep copies of anything you send. They are a law unto themselves and it’s high time they were pulled up on their attitude and performance. I’m sorry to hear your news Alfaman. Your life has taken an unexpected turn onto an untravelled road. Good luck and fair winds on your future travels.
[zb] sake man i know exactly how it feels too get the phonecall next day after a scan, keep positive and always believe that something can be done, as for the dvla well there a law upon themselves, no point in lying too em as they will have access to your medical files and see everything, good luck with it all
Best wishes alfa man.
If you’re interested check out chrisbeatcancer on facebook, might be of some help to you.
Hope it all works out for ya fella. Keep us all posted.
I am sure you will get lots of support from us all.
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Best of luck pal, kick its ■■■ and all the best for your future [emoji846]
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Good luck with it all have fought DVLA medical section before not easy or nice hope for the best
alfa man:
Heres a wee bit of advice for any of you guys who suffer a bit of pain here and there but just dismiss it as “getting old”.
About 18 months ago I started getting a bit of pain in my back and left hip, over the next year it developed a bit into numbness in the calf and foot but I ignored it and put it down to a bit of sciatica and growing old also the fact I drive a scania not helping either. So just after Christmas this year after a noticeable increase in pain I finally decided to get checked out.
After a few doctors appointments I finally got an MRI last week and thats where things started to go wrong, I should have known it wasn’t a good sign when at 9 o’clock the morning after the scan the hospital were on the phone wanting me back straight away for more tests and now after a meeting with the consultant the news aint great.
I have a tumor in my spinal canal which has now started to impact on the nerves and cord and that is where the pain and numbness is coming from,it’s a big bugger stretching down over about 3 discs and at the moment they cannot tell what kind of tumor it is or whither it is attached to the spinal cord but either way the consultant does not believe that he will be able to remove it.
Now as if that isn’t bad enough he then delivers another kick to the balls when he say’s that this is a DVLA notifiable condition and as my spinal canal is badly compromised he believes I am no longer fit to drive so in his opinion I must stop driving right away. He did say that after DVLA assess the situation I might retain my ordinary licence but he thinks I will struggle to keep my HGV.
So any advice dealing with the DVLA would be appreciated.
Fortunately I work for a small family firm who have been fantastic and whatever happens I will have a job although god knows how i’m going to get on driving a desk but at least I can spend my time concentrating on fighting this thing growing in me rather than worrying about paying the bills.
So there you have it, I don’t know if the outlook would have been better if I had gone to the doctors earlier and I’ll never know now but if telling this wee story can prompt one of you guys into getting something that’s been bothering you checked out then great that was the aim.
Hi. Welcome to the club that no one wants to join. The most beautiful and wonderful people are in this club. Five days ago on the 24th May I went into hospital and had two tumours removed from my right kidney and I am now at home recuperating, unable to walk without assistance or care for myself. When it comes to tumours/cancers life takes on a different meaning. My life today is completely different to what it was three months ago when I found out and I was fit and active up until Wednesday morning. One thing I’ll not be doing when I recover is climbing back into a truck. With the long hours life is too short and I’d prefer to take a hit on money/lifestyle than climb back in. At this stage my advice is to forget about your license, you have more pressing thing to worry about. Join support groups for advice on your condition, they can answer all the questions you forgot to ask the doctor and can explain them better. Best wishes.
Peter
Best Wishes Alfa, hope you beat this & get back behind the wheel soon.
That really is bad news Alfaman. However,friend of mine had similar around 6 months ago and after chemo and radiotherapy hes now been given the all clear.
All the best for the future and hope all goes well for you…
Andrew/
I feel for you alfaman…yes if the doctors say it has to be reported…so be it…there may be a positive outcome further down the line, so best to be honest…i wish you well, but of course keep us informed, as we all care for our fellow mates and drivers.
Keep your chin up, I had heart trouble, 90% blocked, ended up with 3 stent, soon as told Doctor had to inform DVLA, but I informed as well, had treatment and had ticket back after 9 weeks from finding out, I sent all paperwork, with signed for delivery, and dealt with same person, some drivers I have talked to have waited 6-9 months for ticket back for same thing. It doe’s not have to be end, just manage things correctly and chase things through and you may be like me. My event was over 6 years ago, and I only have to do treadmill test every 3 years, paid for by DVLA, so chin up and keep on trucking
I am so sorry to read your bad news mate, at the same time I can’t stress enough the need to see a doctor when you get symptoms you are not sure of. For about 3 years I too have felt pains and tiredness which I couldn’t explain, I carried on working and refused to see a doctor until last November when I almost collapsed as I pulled heavy hoses out of a tanker, another driver saw me and rushed to my aid, I had what I thought was just a kidney stone problem, the next day was a Saturday and my wife sent me to the doctors, they took some blood for testing and that night I got a call telling me to get to an ER ASAP, My wife dragged me there and I was told I had 12 - 24 hours to live if I didn’t have a blood transfusion. As I hate hospitals, needles and am basically a whimp I objected but when my missus picked up my clothes and said “Fine, walk home naked then” I submitted. We they tested my blood they found something not known to anyone there. Next day I got a visit at my hospital bed from a blood specialist who told me I needed a bone marrow biopsy, this struck fear into me but I went through with it and it was discovered that I had a very rare disease called ‘Waldenstroms’ which is basically cancer of the blood. I was lucky in the fact that it was discovered before it got too bad, it has no cure and I will have it till I die, it seems my mother died from it and if it wasn’t for 6 months of chemo and now a miracle drug called Imbruvica which is being supplied by a charity it is under control but I have to take the drug for life, it costs a staggering $15K a month thanks to the disgusting health system we have in the USA, don’t ever critisise the NHS. I am however allowed to keep my truck licence and lead a normal life, apart from bone pain which is a side effect I can carry on as I did.
I am in that way far better off than you. I feel for you mate and am happy that your company are supporting you through this.
I wish you all the luck in the world and hope they can find some way to reduce the tumor or better still get rid of it completely.
I was never a very emotional person until I lost my brother to mnd , now it takes little to bring a lump too my throat , I hope you come back very soon to put a smile on my face , my thoughts are with you Alfa man
Hope you get well soon Alfa man and take care!
15 thousand a month is a lot of money for anyone Pat…do you have to find those funds yourself ■■
Its always the same reasons we are afraid we are going to be told you can’t work anymore or you can’t drive anymore and we think our life would be over its madness and it’s selfish
GET YOURSELF CHECKED AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR
alfa man:
Heres a wee bit of advice for any of you guys who suffer a bit of pain here and there but just dismiss it as “getting old”.
About 18 months ago I started getting a bit of pain in my back and left hip, over the next year it developed a bit into numbness in the calf and foot but I ignored it and put it down to a bit of sciatica and growing old also the fact I drive a scania not helping either. So just after Christmas this year after a noticeable increase in pain I finally decided to get checked out.
After a few doctors appointments I finally got an MRI last week and thats where things started to go wrong, I should have known it wasn’t a good sign when at 9 o’clock the morning after the scan the hospital were on the phone wanting me back straight away for more tests and now after a meeting with the consultant the news aint great.
I have a tumor in my spinal canal which has now started to impact on the nerves and cord and that is where the pain and numbness is coming from,it’s a big bugger stretching down over about 3 discs and at the moment they cannot tell what kind of tumor it is or whither it is attached to the spinal cord but either way the consultant does not believe that he will be able to remove it.
Now as if that isn’t bad enough he then delivers another kick to the balls when he say’s that this is a DVLA notifiable condition and as my spinal canal is badly compromised he believes I am no longer fit to drive so in his opinion I must stop driving right away. He did say that after DVLA assess the situation I might retain my ordinary licence but he thinks I will struggle to keep my HGV.
So any advice dealing with the DVLA would be appreciated.
Fortunately I work for a small family firm who have been fantastic and whatever happens I will have a job although god knows how i’m going to get on driving a desk but at least I can spend my time concentrating on fighting this thing growing in me rather than worrying about paying the bills.
So there you have it, I don’t know if the outlook would have been better if I had gone to the doctors earlier and I’ll never know now but if telling this wee story can prompt one of you guys into getting something that’s been bothering you checked out then great that was the aim.
Hope you get sorted mate all the best and take care.
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Once again thanks for all the good wishes guy’s, just thought I would come on with a wee update.
The last few weeks have been a bit difficult with all the tests and scans and also in between all the medical stuff trying to settle into a new job.
But now we’re down to the nitty gritty, surgery is going ahead on Tuesday, there still not 100% sure what they will find but the plan is to go in small and if they find it to be part of the cord or properly attached to the cord they will just take a small biopsy and come straight back out, but if it seems to be detached from the cord then they will open me right up and remove as much of the tumor as possible.
To be honest and although it will ■■■■ up my mobility for a lot longer i’m kind of hoping they are able to open me right up and take as much as possible.
Iain.
alfa man:
Once again thanks for all the good wishes guy’s, just thought I would come on with a wee update.
The last few weeks have been a bit difficult with all the tests and scans and also in between all the medical stuff trying to settle into a new job.
But now we’re down to the nitty gritty, surgery is going ahead on Tuesday, there still not 100% sure what they will find but the plan is to go in small and if they find it to be part of the cord or properly attached to the cord they will just take a small biopsy and come straight back out, but if it seems to be detached from the cord then they will open me right up and remove as much of the tumor as possible.
To be honest and although it will [zb] up my mobility for a lot longer i’m kind of hoping they are able to open me right up and take as much as possible.
Iain.
good luck with it all iain hope they can get as much of out as possible
alfa man:
To be honest and although it will [zb] up my mobility for a lot longer i’m kind of hoping they are able to open me right up and take as much as possible.
Iain.
Once you’ve had back surgery like that you’ll suffer from problems on and off the rest of your life, even if it fixes the issue. Take it from someone who did theirs in and was operated on having two discs repaired at the ripe old age of 21. It is possible to go back to truck driving, I actually started after I’d had my op and did almost quarter of a century in total but it’ll limit what you can do and even what truck you can drive. It is one of the reasons I did mostly agency.
Once you’ve had the op one of the things that dictates how quickly you recover is how quickly you can get on your feet post op and for that you need to ■■■■ up a boatload of pain, if you think its bad now then the day after the op it really gives it big guns the following day but the good news is it is only for a couple of days and only when you move. I can’t use bedpans so dying for a whizz I was forced to get out of bed the day after the op and shuffle to the toilet. A week later I was going home, three weeks later I was at college. The guy in the bed across from me had no pain tolerance at all, wouldn’t get out of bed which made things worse and he’d been there months as a result.