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Dealing with losing driving license after brain tumor

davepp
Offline

Hi, My Mum was diagnosed with a Brain Tumor (stage 4) in 2019. She has since had surgery and chemotherapy and is still currently doing well physically. She is mentally very down however. She lost her ability to drive due to the tumor and now feels like she is locked away in her house and it is upsetting her very much every day. It's been very hard for her to lose her car after 42 years of driving. The was widowed 20 years earlier so my Dad is not around to get her out of the house the way she used to. The last year of lockdown hasn't helped any either.

She has asked me to come on here and find out if anyone is feeling the same way that she does.

She is asking "Is there anyone who is a widow who has lost their transport due to cancer, and how do they feel about it? How are they dealing with it?"

Regards

Dave

  • Hello Dave

    I'm sorry to hear about your Mum's diagnosis although it's great to hear that physically she's doing well. 

    I think that there will be many members here who will understand how cancer can cause you to lose things that you've always taken for granted and just how big an impact that can have on your daily life. It's understandable that your Mum is feeling as she is. It's been an incredibly difficult year for many people and when you add in a cancer diagnosis on top of that and now she's limited in being able to get out and about despite things opening up, well I think it's natural that she is feeling upset. 

    We don't have many people here on our forum who have had a brain tumour but I'm sure that if you had a look at The Brain Tumour Charity website that you'd find many people, of all ages, who are in a similar situation as your Mum and may be able to offer their advice and support. 

    It can certainly help to talk these things through and your Mum is most welcome to give our team of nurses a call. I know they would be happy to chat things through with her and offer any advice and support that they could. They're available Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm on 0808 800 4040. 

    I'd also really encourage your Mum to talk to her Clinical Nurse Specialist about how she's feeling as it's just as important as how she feels physically. It may be that they're able to signpost her to local services that can help. 

    I hope this helps.

    My best wishes to both you and your Mum. 

    Jenn
    Cancer Chat moderator 

  • Offline in reply to Moderator Jenn

    Thanks for your reply. I had a look at the Brain Tumor Charity website and they have (very large) page dedicated to driving.

    www.thebraintumourcharity.org/.../

    For my mum (and for anyone in the future reading this), she said this statement from that page really summed it all up....

    "For many people, driving is an essential part of their daily life. Not being able to drive can impact all areas of your life, including employment, how to pick up the children, taking part in leisure activities, getting to a medical appointment and even where you live.

    It's not surprising then that people living with a brain tumour often report the loss of their licence as one the most difficult changes to deal with."

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