Fuck Cancer (293/365)

Nikon Z8 & LR

Taken a few weeks back; you’re getting an old one today because, like Jasper, I didn’t touch a camera today.

The surgeon today rocked my world a little bit.

There is good news: the surgeon says that if you have to have a cancer tumor, this is the kind to have. Less than 4 cm, clean margins, nothing in the bloodstream or lymph nodes. They removed half of my thyroid, and it turns out it had a small cancer tumor on it. They got it all, but now, every 6 months I have to have it checked out because I now have a higher chance of something returning.

The surgeon gave me a clean bill of health and a nice little letter saying I can return to work. It was very nice. But he doesn’t know how the FAA works…

I’m now considered by the FAA to have thyroid cancer and always will, and I now, until I retire, will need a special issuance medical, meaning before every 6-month FAA medical I have to comply with all their requirements of testing and proving I don’t currently have cancer. Ya, it’s as awful as you think it would be. A royal pain in the keister.

How many years until I retire? It can’t come soon enough.

So, it was a barrage of phone calls today, and tomorrow will be the same. Calling chief pilots, insurance companies, training scheduling, and finding and getting established with an Endocrinologist to track this new thing in my life. Can I call it a friend? It was in my body. My body grew it. Let’s just hope my new friend thats now been removed won’t be coming back.

I sat in the parking lot before my appointment today, and I literally said, “This is me before my appointment,” and thought about things, my current situation. Then when I got back in the car after the appointment, I said to myself, “This is me after the appointment.” Two completely different life situations. Things change fast, my friends. What did Ferris Bueller say:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

I’ve been off work since late August, and now I’m off work until who knows when. The FAA is running way behind in issuing special issuance medicals, so it could be months. Some pilots I know, theirs took 6 months. It’s really hard to say how long it will take and what other info they are going to want. Honestly, I was ready to go back to work. I had a trip starting on the 22nd. Now I don’t.

One more time, all together now. Fuck Cancer.

Thanks for stopping by today and reading about my day. How was yours? I hope the world was kind today.

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