Excalibur
This week, we can explore a few related topics. Think back to the collision and the weeks and months right after it. Think about the help you did – or DID NOT – get… and where you got it or wanted to get it from.
What was good – and what wasn’t? In a perfect world, what support should be there truckers who may go through this in the future?
The following days and weeks, I don’t remember. And happy I don’t remember it.
In the following months only few things help me get through: my cat, my parents’ dog and my husband’s daughter. I never was able to cry and “let it all out” only 6 months after the accident.
My husband was disfigured in the accident and nobody was able to help my step daughter. She is still traumatised today and keeps talking about the first time she saw her dad like that. It’s still hard. She was only 3 when that happened. She knew we needed help and she always offer herself to do laundry because her dad could nearly move because of the scars.
In April I heard there was a meeting for an organization in Quebec that helped me A LOT: SSPT Chez les camionneurs (truckers with PTSD). They helped me get through my accident. They helped me find the appropriate professional to help me live a “normal” life. They tried to explain to my step daughter why truck driving is important and the sacrifice her dad makes is worth alot and that she was not the only one to miss her Daddy.
Every year for the past 2 years they organize a reunion at a truck stop for fund raising to help truck drivers and God they are good because they know what we are going through. This association was created by a truck driver for the truck drivers. Every year they’ve asked families who lost someone (daughter/son/father/cousin/…) to tell us who that person was. This organization is precious and needs to be known in the trucking industry. The 2 years they’ve organized that day, the parking lot was full of truckers, families and friends. Over 300 people easily.
WSIB, CSST and any other work compensation say they help us, but they don’t. They pay you, they send you to 1000 of people before you can even get help but they are bureaucrats and don’t know what people go through.
For them post traumatic disorder is worth nothing and you can physically work so you don’t get that much help.
My psychoeducator helped me almost 6 months after my accident. He mostly works with truckers which was helpful for me. Thanks to SSPT chez les camionneurs for what they, but like I said: every truck driver should know an organization like that.
