Passing Out Behind the Wheel

Regarding Tom and Ray’s latest column, I would like to offer a second opinion.



“My significant other has collapsed several times in restaurants. My children are concerned about his driving me around. What does one do in an emergency like that? I was told not to turn off the engine. He drives an SUV Ford Explorer automatic. – Liz”



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Liz should have taken her husband straight to the emergency room after the first fainting spell. Her husband should have a battery of cardiological and neurological tests. If nothing is found, Liz and her husband should ask a Neurologist for a “tilt table” test.



If the cause for the fainting spells can’t be found, a pacemaker should be able to prevent further events by keeping his heart rate from dropping. Not only would this make the roads safer, it would help Liz’s husband live longer.

Well said, Whitey!

Right on “Whitey”. I would suggest also that when her husband and another adult driver is in the car, he not drive.

Great advice Whitey.

I strongly recommend that this man not get behind the wheel again until his condition has been diagnosed and the cause either corrected or gotten under control.

This is very serious. He could easily kill someone else, pehaps even himself, and life as you know it will be forever destroyed.

Liz, you know what you need to do.

I wish my mom would follow you guy’es advise.

She never got her liscence but my stepdad drives. He is diabetic and has blacked out a couple times behind the wheel. He is also permanantly blind in his right eye (from the diabetes)and can barely see at night. I keep telling my mom, “You know he can barely see, stop getting in the car with him.”

She justifies this by telling me she won’t get on the freeway with him driving and go no where with him at night. Like that helps! I wish she relized it dosn’t matter the conditions. Unsafe is unsafe. Sometimes, I have nightmares about her dying in an accident.

Liz, is it possible your husband is diabetic?

Oops! Wait- she didn’t post this, someone else did. My bad.