Drivers License

Darren LongLeave a comment

It has been quite the process of healing after receiving the brain surgery (2014), but the day has come for me to finally transport myself from the house to Walmart. I have successfully taken the driving test and got myself a freaking Drivers License. The day-after doing that, I got myself a car. Wow! This is incredible! Something I haven’t done for 10+ years, and the test was pretty straight forward.

I mean, I’d previously drove a car for over 20 years before getting the surgery, so taking the test to drive again wasn’t too new…

What’s next?

Six Months…

Darren LongLeave a comment

Visited the Neurologist today. The doctor asked how I was feeling, since being on this new med.

“I’m feeling good. It’s taken time to have my body and brain get used to this newest medication.”

When changing to a new seizure medication, it takes my brain and body time to get completely off the old and completely on to the new. At this time, I can easily say it’s taken me nearly a year to get through the change. But it has been worth it…

Next thing the doc was able to help me with, is filling out the paperwork to say it’s “okay” for me to finally (after nearly 12 years) get a drivers license. I’m not running out to get this tomorrow, or anything like that. I’m certainly not in any rush. I’ll need to have this doctor fill out these papers every year to say that I’m well enough to drive.

If this is what I have to do from now on, I’ll do it. At least I can get a license.

Now, taking the Drivers License test…. THAT is something that I haven’t done (what seems like) forever.

Visit the Neurologist

Darren Long

Saw the Neurologist last week. The main thing that we were talking about was just my new Oxcarbazepine. I feel fine with it. Even though there are other seizure meds that I’ve taken twice a day, and they were quite an ordeal with the drowsiness, this one seems to work just fine. I asked my Neurologist if we were seeing each other again in three months, and she tells me: “No, I’ll see you in six months…”

“Eh, okay.”

Meds switched back…

Darren LongLeave a comment

As explained, the Oxtellar XR is too expensive. I’m back with the Oxcarbazepine twice-a-day. What I have to say about Oxcarbazepine is to be careful with it. I definitely have found out that this seriously needs to be taken 12 hours apart. Don’t take this one off schedule with the control and side-effects it has.

With all the previous medications I’ve taken over the past decades, the 24-hour pills have been better when dealing with these side-effects of making me tired. I’ve taken those 24-hour ones at night.

So far…. not bad. No “serious” side-effects for me.

Last Sunday, I received the new third COVID shot. I’ve had no problems at all after receiving that. Heck, I got my shot a day before President Biden got his. 😀

Visit to the Neuro again…

Darren LongLeave a comment

Recently, I had an appointment with my Neurologist. I told her about the “main” problem with the current Oxtellar XR medication. Side-effects with new meds have always changed my life, but this isn’t the problem with this one…

Money.

I made a decision last year, for this year, to change the Medicare insurance to a different company.

Well, now the downfall… This new insurance company that I’m using is really screwing me with medication prices. The Oxtellar XR is “several hundred” per month.

So, I told the Neurologist to just change this to the twice-a-day version…..

I already paid the “large amount” for this month, so we’ll just have to wait a few weeks before beginning the new med. Most likely with some new side-effects. Ugh….