Driving Yourself to Hurried Sickness

I read a great blog the other day by Mark Powers about “Hurried Sickness”. It really got me thinking, “In our North American Society, do we have a pandemic of Hurried Sickness?” Do you personally suffer from this ailment?

In our quest to get the to-do list done, and in a culture of “do more with less”, do we pack too many activities in a day? Hurried sickness is leaving the report to the last minute, leaving the home or office at the last minute and perpetually running a little behind the eight ball. When we operate like this, we are in flight mode, the adrenalin is up and this can lead to risky driving behavior.

When you get in your car do you race to the red light? Do you change lanes frequently trying to pass other cars? Do you take short cuts through alleys? Do you avoid routes with traffic calming devices and speed restrictions? If you do, you have the symptoms of Driving Hurried Sickness!

This year, make a New Years Resolution that can lead to less stress and safer driving. This is one resolution that won’t fail. It won’t cost you anything, it isn’t hard to maintain, and you receive immediate rewards! Take the time to learn to slow down, not just in your car, but also throughout your daily life.

1. Take a few moments to plan out your day – what is feasible and what can realistically be accomplished.
2. Leave 5-10 minutes early for your next destination.
3. Allocate squish time.
4. In the car, take a few deep breaths before turning on the ignition
5. Learn to go with the flow – traffic that is. Stay in one lane consistently and keep an even speed.
6. Pay it forward – learn to be generous on the road to other drivers.

By being proactive with your driving health, you too can get rid of hurried sickness and contribute to safer driving habits.

A Mother’s Grief: A Child Lost to a Drunk Driver Never Comes Home

November marked a month of remembrance and recognition to victims of drunk and distracted driving. The real life stories are heart breaking and if we all remember these stories whenever we take the wheel, there will be no more distracted or drunk driving.

Drop It And Drive hosted a memorial event at Sullivan Heights High School in Surrey on November 29 to bring awareness to the senseless loss of life due to distracted driving.  A solemn parade of 96 high school students, holding 96 coats,, represented 96 lives – lost to distracted driving. But it is not just 96 lives. It is the many lives affected by the loss of a loved one, it is the domino effect of hundreds of people dealing with pain, sorrow, grief and remorse. 96 drivers who caused 96 deaths – all of which were completely preventable. The pain never fully goes away for both victim and negligent driver.

MADD Metro Vancouver held their Red Ribbon Campaign in Surrey, BC on November 30.  The event is held every year just before the holiday season to remind people to take personal responsibility and to not drink and drive. As stated by Bob Rorison, President of MADD Metro Vancouver, “Just because you had the least to drink in your group, does not make you the designated driver.  One drink is too many.”   There were many statistics communicated, heart felt speeches by first responders, politicians and lawyers, but there is only one speech that a person needs to hear. That is the sorrow of a mother who has lost a child due to drunk driving.

Please take a few moments to listen to the story (very amateur video by the blogger) of Markita Kaulius, who lost her 22-year-old daughter Kassandra Kaulius to a drunk driver on May 3rd, 2011 in Surrey, BC. Remember her sorrow and support MADD to remove drunk drivers from the road. The Kaulius family have also started  Families for Justice, a support and resource group to help other families who have lost loved ones in tragic preventable car crashes.

Happy holidays and safe driving everyone.

If you are celebrating over the holidays please  take a cab, take a bus, walk, sleep over, call your mom, dad or best friend, or call a designated driver server.

The Life You Save Could Be Your Own

With the holidays approaching, I’ve had a chance to reflect on a more personal level on the tragic consequences of impaired driving. Recently, I had the privilege of addressing MADD presentations at two Vancouver high schools. MADD does incredibly important work in educating students, and Klein Lyons is pleased to sponsor them.

The students were very respectful and attentive. I tried to drive home to them how their age group is particularly at risk. They then watched a film about families touched by the death of a teenager in an alcohol related car accident. The film also dealt with the legal nightmare facing the impaired driver whose carelessness resulted in the death of his girlfriend, and paralysis of his best friend. They were visibly moved by the true story of accident victims close to them in age and life experience. Hopefully MADD can continue to mount these presentations across the country so the newest generation of drivers practices zero tolerance when it comes to driving and drinking and drugs.

In Surrey I spoke at the kick off for MADD’s seasonal “Red Ribbon” program to raise public awareness at a time of year when people are celebrating the holidays and, unfortunately, often mixing drinking and driving. The police, fire and ambulance services were well represented. Several families of peopled killed in senseless impaired accidents were also in attendance. Many carried photos of their loved ones, heartbreaking reminders of lives tragically snuffed out by the actions of impaired drivers. It was a powerful reminder that impaired driving is about real life people with shattered families and stolen futures, not statistics or abstract warnings.

Happy Holidays everyone. Please do not drink and drive. The life you save could be your own.

Local Advocacy Group Plans Fundraiser for National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims

The National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims in Canada is on November 23, 2011. This day commemorates those killed or seriously injured on Canadian roads; not in accidents but in preventable collisions.

The number of people killed to date in 2011 on BC roads is 279. Approximately 35% of those deaths can be attributed to distracted driving. That is 98 preventable deaths.

One local advocate, Karen Bowman, founder of Drop It And Drive is taking this seriously. Distracted driving is more than electronic devices,” says Bowman, it includes drinks, food, makeup, reading, and the kids fighting in the back. There are so many potential distractions. A driver needs to be fully aware and present when driving.” Challenged by the increasing multitasking drivers around her and an accident that involved her own child, Bowman developed an educational program to take the message on the road.

Drop It And Drive has been gaining momentum over the last year and provides educational seminars to schools, communities, government bodies and associations. Drop It And Drive has the support of many organizations such as the Surrey Firefighters, the Surrey RCMP, Young Drivers of Canada and Klein Lyons. To bring awareness to this increasingly dangerous behavior;  this National Day of Remembrance, Drop It And Drive is hosting the first annual “Show You Care With Coats” charity event on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at Sullivan Heights Secondary School in Surrey. The event activities are geared to educate, bring awareness to distracted driving and to give recognition to those who have lost their lives. Drop It And Drive is seeking donations of new or gently used winter coats to represent and honour the 98 lives lost in British Columbia. Donations will go to Surrey Urban Mission and The Front Room (South Fraser Community Services Society) with non-perishable food donations for the Surrey Food Bank.

Location

Sullivan Heights Secondary School Lower Parking Lot
6248 144 Street, Surrey, BC V3X 1A1Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Time

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

About

98 Coat Salute, Young Drivers of Canada Car and Track, Veteran Fire Fighter Greg
Drew, founder of Jammin’4 Jay Charitable Society.
We have confirmation that the Surrey Fire Fighters will do the crash extraction demonstration between 10 am and 11 am.

Coats can be dropped off before November 29th at Klein Lyons and labeled ‘Show You Care With Coats.’ Coats and food donations will be accepted at the event.

Drinking and Driving is Devastating. Even on a John Deere Lawn Tractor Mower

Photo courtesy of: John Deere, http://www.deere.com

A couple of years ago, there was a Mad Men episode that was darkly humorous.  At an office party, Lois takes the in-house John Deere tractor mower for a spin, loses control, and runs over MacKendrick’s foot, causing a bloodbath and worse.

Prior to the incident, everyone in the office was celebrating and drinking alcohol (what episode of Mad Men is there no alcohol?). For Mad Men fans this was a classic scene never to be forgotten. Unexpected, edgy, and fiercely entertaining. But there’s also a point that stands out in the driving world. Drinking and driving affects every one of us and can happen in an instance. Lois will always have to live with that moment of disfiguring another human and losing her job.  MacKendrick will never walk the same again and gets sent back to London, losing his opportunity to climb the corporate ladder.

During the week of October 24^th, Mark Lyons and I participated in the MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Canada Multimedia Damages presentation to more than 600 high school students at John Oliver and Templeton Secondary Schools’ in Vancouver.  “Our message is simple: drinking affects everyone, even if you are not the one drinking. We can only continue to communicate to young drivers not to drink and drive. The results are devastating, not only to the victims but to the person who causes the mayhem and survives. Everyone is impacted:  friendships are destroyed, and families ripped apart. The real life stories are heart-breaking and can never be undone,” reports Mark.

Take the pledge to stay sober, make alternative transportation arrangements, have a designated driver, take a cab, or sleep over. Call 911 if an intoxicated friend gets behind the wheel. Take the pledge to call your parents if you have had too much to drink and promise them you will make it home after the party.

Accessing Resources to Manage Chronic Pain After a Car Accident

By Cathryn Morgan

Are you dealing with chronic pain after a car accident? Are you struggling, and feeling overwhelmed?

Statistics paint the picture with broad brush strokes, but chronic pain patients live the reality, applying a myriad of coping strategies to deal with the physical, emotional and psychological implications of living every day with a chronic pain disability.

Formed in 2002 the Canadian Pain Coalition (CPC) is a partnership of pain consumer organizations, health professionals treating pain, scientists studying pain and individuals from across Canada who live with different types of pain. The CPC is “The National Voice of People with Pain”. The CPC collaborates on many projects including creating Canada’s National Pain Strategy with the Canadian Pain Society (CPS) which is a professional organization of clinicians and researchers specializing in pain research and pain management.

On the CPC website (www.canadianpaincoalition.ca) the Pain Resource Centre (PRC) contains helpful information about the treatment and management of chronic pain, including accessing chronic pain care, and information on various chronic pain conditions. The Help Centre features a seasonal newsletter, podcasts, videos, media clips, materials to download and the booklet Conquering Pain for Canadians.

The goals of the CPC are to promote sustained improvement in the prevention, understanding, treatment and management of all types of pain. As a pain patient, YOU can add your voice and join the CPC for free. Spread the word…

When starting out on my chronic pain journey I found the podcasts and video clips helpful. When researching my children’s book I referred to the Pain Resource Centre. The more you understand your pain, the better you will become at coping with that pain. That doesn’t mean change will be easy, or the pain will go away, but it is part of the learning curve in managing your new reality. Another correlation is the more you understand your pain the better you will be able to make decisions, and to communicate with your doctors, lawyer, independent assessors and the insurance company.

Facts

From the “Pain in Canada Fact Sheet” by the Canadian Pain Society and Canadian Pain Coalition.

• One in five Canadians suffer from chronic pain, including children (Stanford, Chambers et al. 2008) (Stinson and McGrath, 2010) and the prevalence increases with age. (Moulin, Clark et al. 2002; Schopflocher, Joey et al. 2010)
• Chronic pain is associated with the worst quality of life as compared with other chronic diseases such as chronic lung or heart disease. (Schopflocher, Jovey et al. 2010)
• There is double the risk of suicide when comparing people with chronic pain, to people without chronic pain. (Tang and Crane 2006)
• Many common surgical procedures cause persistent post-operative pain that becomes chronic. (Kehlet, Jensen et al. 2006)
• Veterinarians get 5 times more training in pain than doctors for people, and 3 times more training than nurses do. (Watt-Watson, McGillion et al. 2008)

National Pain Awareness Week in Canada is November 6 to 12, 2011

Cathryn Morgan has chronic myofascial pain and neuropathic pain in cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas as a result of a car accident seven years ago. She is the author of GrrrOUCH! Pain is like a grouchy bear, a children’s non-fiction book about coping with physical and emotional pain. For more information: www.cathrynmorgan.com.

Chronic Pain Management – Why you need a multidisciplinary team of health professionals

Written by Cathryn Morgan

The Report on Pain 2011, commissioned by Canadian Pain Coalition, explores the patient journey of Canadians living with chronic pain. “Twenty-one percent of those living with chronic pain waited two years or more for a diagnosis and only fifty-four percent of those with a diagnosis have a treatment plan.” The good news is that ninety-one percent of those with a treatment plan play an active role in their pain treatment plan.

I am fortunate that within ten months of my car accident I had a diagnosis from a physical medicine rehabilitation specialist (physiatrist). I have chronic myofascial pain and neuropathic pain in cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas as a result of a car accident. I am at my best when I have time to rest, vary, pace and modify my daily activities as needed, go for regular treatments (2-4 a week), and do my daily core exercise program, stretching, cardio, breathing techniques, bodyscan and meditation. This in essence has become my full-time job.

My multidisciplinary team of health professionals has taught me that the more you understand your pain the better you are able to manage it. On the surface, my team has provided physical treatment and taught me pain management strategies and coping skills, but just as importantly, they have encouraged and facilitated my moving forward physically and emotionally along my chronic pain journey.

My health care team includes a neurologist, physiatrist, musculoskeletal pain specialist for Prolotherapy and nerve blocks, medical consultant for supplements, psychologist, an IMS physiotherapist specializing in treating chronic pain using Intra-Muscular Stimulation, a physiotherapist specializing in treating connective tissue using osteopathic cranial techniques and myofascial release techniques, and a registered massage therapist specializing in working with chronic pain patients who also incorporates Quantum Touch energy work into her practice. If you don’t have chronic pain you may have never heard of these treatments. If you do have chronic pain you should research them!

If you are unfamiliar with IMS physiotherapy check out www.istop.org. IMS physiotherapy is specifically for the treatment of chronic pain of neuropathic origin. The objective of IMS treatment is to decrease pain by desensitizing supersensitive areas, and to release trigger points and the persistent pull of shortened muscles.

I am often asked just how do you cope with your chronic pain? Lessons learned along my chronic pain journey:

1. Get a referral to a physical medicine rehabilitation specialist (physiatrist), pain specialist, neurologist, and/or pain clinic. It is very important for you, and for your car accident insurance claim, to have an actual diagnosis of chronic pain that goes beyond the initial injury that was treated.
2. Learn all you can about your pain condition, and how the pain affects you. Keeping a pain journal for reflection helps to spot patterns of what works well and what needs to be modified.  It can also be a record of fluctuating pain levels, and of how much your life has changed.
3. Explore various treatment options. There are physiotherapy and massage therapy treatments and techniques that specifically help with chronic pain conditions, and psychologists that specialize in working with chronic pain patients.
4. Be your own advocate. You need to be able to describe your pain to health professionals and independent assessors, and explain how your treatments help you cope on a daily basis and what happens when you do not have them.
5. Your family and friends may provide a strong network of physical and emotional support.  Just ensure that it is not a one way street, and that you are there for them too.

Treatment for chronic pain hurts – you go into the pain and through the pain and out the other side. During treatment you as a patient are focusing, breathing, visualizing, and learning to use and adapt different movement patterns, and create better body maps for the brain. With treatment you need to work collaboratively with your health professionals, and then you learn what to do to keep improving and moving forward.

What you do to manage your pain doesn’t replace treatment, and the opposite is also true in that what is done to you cannot replace what you must learn to do for yourself.

National Pain Awareness Week in Canada is November 6 to 12, 2011

Cathryn Morgan is the author of GrrrOUCH! Pain is like a grouchy bear. For more information: www.cathrynmorgan.com

The Ghouls of the Night: Pedestrians – Take Responsibility to Avoid Traffic Injuries

Over the last week there have been several worldwide news stories of people seriously injured or dying due to a hit and run driver. These are senseless tragedies. To flee the scene without stopping to help another human being is morally bankrupt and criminal.

The latest is the sad story of Barry Cutforth who was walking along a section of road with no streetlights wearing dark clothing. Unfortunately this was probably a factor in the accident as he was not visible.

Now that it is fall and there are less daylight hours, it is even more important for drivers to be aware of pedestrians. Pedestrians need to be aware of their own actions. So many people venture out at night in dark clothing and do not realize how hard it is for a driver to see a person crossing the street, walking down the side of the road or worse, jay-walking.

Today is Halloween and the best practice for trick-or-treaters is:

• Wear reflective clothing
• Carry a flashlight – even if you turn it on and dump it in your treat bag
• Stay on the sidewalk and cross at corners. Do not zigzag across the road
• Stay in groups and make sure your partner is with you at all times
• Watch out for cars – don’t assume they can see you
• Walk against the flow of traffic if you have to

All pedestrians who venture out at night should employ these safety tips. Add some reflective tape to your umbrella, briefcase or handbag. Hang a small flashlight, or blinking bike light off your backpack. Assume a driver may not see you. It takes the responsibility of both a driver and a pedestrian to ensure that senseless accidents are avoided.

Happy Halloween. Have fun and be safe!

Staying Alive At the Scene of a Car Accident

At Klein Lyons we run many TV advertisements related to motor vehicle accidents. Some of the ads are a bit funny, like the singing insurance agent, some are emotional and sad, depicting the grief a family can experience after losing a loved one, and some are graphic like “Car Crashes Change Lives”.

We have received a few complaint calls about the “Car Crashes Change Lives’ ad. I understand that the ad can be unsettling and we do not want to offend anyone. Just the opposite. We think these ads provide a public service and help to inform, educate and encourage people to make good, not bad, decisions when driving.

The ad shows a car desperately trying to stop. While out of control it crashes into a stalled car, where the driver is standing outside the car on the side of a roadway. It happens fast and it is not clear if the pulled over car was stalled, changing a tire or in a previous accident. Injuries and death happen frequently in secondary accidents at car crash scenes.

Whether your car has broken down or you have been in a car crash, what you do after the incident can make the difference between life and death. A car accident is stressful and even the most levelheaded people make bad judgments.

If the accident is minor, move the vehicles to a safe area away from traffic, exchange information and report it if required by law. If the collision is serious, stay in your vehicle, call 911 and wait for first responders. This can save your life. You do not want to be exposed to surrounding traffic. First responders can secure the scene, making it safe for police and paramedics to do their jobs. Accident victims have exacerbated their injuries by either being moved or moving themselves. Internal and spinal injuries can become fatal or catastrophic very quickly. Traffic can become chaotic around an accident scene causing a domino effect of more accidents.

The important thing is to keep calm and use your common sense. We sincerely hope a car crash does not change your life.

The Ubiquitous Lane Change

Next to the lowly signal light, which I wrote about last week, another road safety rule that so many people abuse is the correct way to change or enter a lane.

The lines or road markings are there for a reason!  They may be solid, broken, white or yellow.  Each of those specific characteristics communicates a rule and helps a driver with guidance, car positioning, traffic control and warnings.

All of the rules are outlined in the The Manual of Standard Traffic Signs & Pavement Markings published by the BC Ministry of Transportation.  There are a lot of rules related to road markings, but here are a few key road markings that can help ensure safe and courteous driving behavior.

White lane lines

• Delineate the separation of traffic flow in the same direction.
• Mark the outside edge of the right lane.

Yellow directional dividing lines

• Delineate the separation of traffic travelling in opposite directions.
• Mark the left edge line of divided highways and one-way roads.
• Mark both sides of two-way left turn lanes.

White Dotted

• Usually on the left side, these indicate you can cross this line if safe to do so, such as merging onto a freeway.

White solid

• Can be on right or left side of the lane and indicates lane lines or edge lines and restricted lanes such as bus or HOV.

Yellow broken

• Used as guiding lines (ie.  Left hand turn lanes)

Yellow solid or yellow solid double

• delineates the separation of traffic in opposite directions and prohibits passing.

Yellow simultaneous solid and broken

• permits passing on the broken side when safe to do so.

Here are the three main rules that are broken by countless people everyday.  Not only is it frustrating to other drivers, it is a safety issue.  If you can contribute just one better driving habit (next to using your signal lights), follow the road markings rules.

1.  Turning across a solid yellow line

Used to prevent unsafe left hand turns and for traffic control.  Please don’t try to cross a solid yellow line, especially on a left turn.  Solution – circle the block and come to your destination from the other direction.

2.  Turning from an inside lane to an outside lane or vice versa

When turning either right or left through an intersection, take the closest lane or the one that corresponds with your lane. This will be indicated by white dotted lines around the corner.  When you turn, stay in the middle of the lane and turn your wheels sharply before advancing, placing your car in the centre of the nearest lane.

Proceed to change additional lanes only after the turn has been executed.

3.  Merging

The courteous and proper way to ensure smooth traffic flow is to give and take one car at a time from right to left.  Not allowing a car to merge creates a traffic jam, slowing down traffic behind you.  It is also unsafe, as the expected driving behavior is to let the other driver in.

Take the time to pay attention to road markings and be a courteous driver to others on the road.

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