Rocket Surgery / Brain Science

[Coss]

Just across the ditch, same same here.

It wasn't until I was 25 that I started wearing a shirt in Summer. We used salad oil and vinegar, slippery girls

[Coss]

Continuing to post - the following, in order that my experience may help someone with a similar affliction:

Before the operation to remove the Tumour, I was told that afterwards, I would likely be told, not to drive, for up to a year ....

For someone who values his independence, this is bad news.

So before the op, I started to concentrate on my driving - A/. to see if any effect from the Tumour was already evident. But B/. I found that about 1 in 5 other drivers, were shockingly poorly skilled, drifting all over the lanes, stopping anywhere, including the middle of the road, etc, etc.

Effects on me = one hand sized blind-spot,  in my lower right peripheral vision, about where the right elbow rest, would be, when I was seated and driving. So not much to worry about, but it was there.

After the operation: I was very cautious, just walking and so on, then after 2 days I was "Up and at 'em" I  felt quite good. My Doctor mate, says he sees a lot of similar brain operation patients, leap out of bed after the op, seemingly back to normal in a few days.

I had a few light-headed periods, a couple of mild headaches of an hour, but all in all, the symptoms were consistent with a 6" incision in my scalp and a 2" hatch cut in the skull, now secured by titanium pins etc. Hello airport metal detector

And the blind spot was gone. So it seems that having a grape sized tumour pressing on your occipital lobe, is consistent with a blind spot and removing the tumour, has removed the blind-spot.

(In general, the occipital lobe deals with aspects of vision, including: distance, depth perception, colour determination, object recognition, movement, face recognition, memory information)

Now the interesting part:

So there I was expecting the Doctors to slap me with a "No-Drive" order or some such.

The last interaction I had with them, they took one look at me and said "1 MRI to check our work and then off home with you".

No mention of driving. So when I got home, I checked my discharge papers and couldn't find any reference to driving, anywhere.

It's like they were avoiding talking about it.

So I checked with my mate and asked him how such a prohibition, would be communicated to the patient. He hasn't been able to give me an answer. Talks around it.

I think I've arrived at the answer.

If the patient is obviously going to be impaired, they will get the physios and occupational health people in and they will do the "No Driving" bit.

If the patient is fine, they don't say anything. Because if they say "fine for driving" the patient might well, have an accident and then say, "but the Doctor said it was OK".

Conversely if they say "no driving" and patient can drive, then the patient might sue, or otherwise degrade the Doctor's professional reputation.

And my mate, head of an ICU in one of Perth's hospitals, has avoided giving me an answer.

So after a week at home, not driving, to keep the peace with my wife, I started tentatively driving short distances and now I'm back to normal.

I'm still concentrating too much, on making sure I'm doing it right, but I found myself zipping around Auckland the last week with no issues, so I'm confident I'm OK.

Phew.

Edited July 9, 2023 by Coss

[My Penis is hungry]

They are pretty quick to put you on no driving in Oz

 

I was suspended for a few years until they could sort out why I fainted, 

 

Over 75 and it's a yearly medical certificate

 

I'm not close to 75 but still need to produce a yearly medical certificate because of previous issue

[Mekong]

2 hours ago, Coss said:

I had a few light-headed periods, a couple of mild headaches of an hour, but all in all, the symptoms were consistent with a 6" incision in my scalp and a 2" hatch cut in the skull, now secured by titanium pins etc. Hello airport metal detector

Actually Titanium is non ferrous / non magnetic and therefore does not set off conventional airport metal detectors / scanners,  and also depends on sensitivity setting, but wise to inform the of implants before passing through detector. Some of the new more advanced detectors using.

If it did imagine the people with dental implants, pacemakers etc setting off machines 

I have Titanium plates and screws in my arm and leg and have never once set a detector off in over 35 years.

 

[bust]

7 hours ago, My Penis is hungry said:

They are pretty quick to put you on no driving in Oz

 

I was suspended for a few years until they could sort out why I fainted, 

 

Over 75 and it's a yearly medical certificate

 

I'm not close to 75 but still need to produce a yearly medical certificate because of previous issue

I remember getting stopped for a Random Breath Test once.

After producing my license the Police Officer asked me why I wasn't wearing my glasses

Confused I replied I have never worn glasses. Well according to your license you do. He suggested I sort it out.

Now because some incompetent individual made an error when processing my license I have to do a regular eye test and am unable to renew my license every 3 or 5 years

Unimpressed

 

[Mekong]

Got an email from my sister the other day and she was saying that she was pulled over for speeding last week. The cop asked for her license and registration. He said, “It says here, you need glasses to legally drive” she said “I have contacts" . He said, “I don't care who you know”, then when he saw her stunned face, he broke out laughing and said, “Just kidding, I always wanted to say that, it's your lucky day, you get off today “

[My Penis is hungry]

On 7/10/2023 at 4:55 PM, bust said:

I remember getting stopped for a Random Breath Test once.

After producing my license the Police Officer asked me why I wasn't wearing my glasses

Confused I replied I have never worn glasses. Well according to your license you do. He suggested I sort it out.

Now because some incompetent individual made an error when processing my license I have to do a regular eye test and am unable to renew my license every 3 or 5 years

Unimpressed

 

In Qld you can change it pretty easy, just go in with a doctors letter or optometrist with your new eye chart tests,

 

Reason being many people get LAZIC (speling) surgery so now don't need glasses and get their licence changed accordingly

[Mekong]

1 hour ago, My Penis is hungry said:

Reason being many people get LAZIC (speling) surgery so now don't need glasses and get their licence changed accordingly

LASIK stands for laser in-situ keratomileusis.*
Lazic on the other hand is a common Serbian Family name

*keratomileusis  the surgical reshaping of the cornea, carried out in order to correct a refractive error.

[bust]

6 hours ago, My Penis is hungry said:

In Qld you can change it pretty easy, just go in with a doctors letter or optometrist with your new eye chart tests,

 

Reason being many people get LAZIC (speling) surgery so now don't need glasses and get their license changed accordingly

I did the eye test at the Registry without any drama and it is no longer noted on my license. That's not the issue.

The issue is at the administration level which trust me is not an easy process.

[My Penis is hungry]

<<Now because some incompetent individual made an error when processing my license I have to do a regular eye test and am unable to renew my license every 3 or 5 years>>

 

Repeating, that doesn't happen in Qld after you get a clear test following eye Lazer slicing