Class 1 medical bye-bye...
I've been thinking about posting this here for some time as there's a lot of you folks who I communicate regularly with.
It's been the best and the worst of years for me. Firstly my intention to go to the US to do an ab-initio CPL(H) course in September were scuppered by my house not selling, so I had to give that up and instead embarked on doing my PPL(H) for starters in the UK. I got halfway through that, and then recently after a couple of visits to the GP complaining of lumps and swellings "down below" followed by a battery of tests was told that I have contracted testicular cancer. What luck...
Anyway, that was a month ago. Since then I've had an operation to remove the offending article, (thank god we have two eh?) But I found out yesterday via CT scan that it's already spread to my lymph nodes and from there to my lungs. So, I'm about to embark on approximately 3 months of intensive BEP chemotherapy next Monday. Obviously I'm not going to be flying for a long time to come, and whether I'm ever able to again will depend on the CAA and their views on chemo, particularly Bleomycin (the B in BEP), which has a tendency, (but not certainty) to scar the lungs. (they give scuba divers courses of EP, without the B for this reason, but I have no choice as I need it.)
Despite the spread of the disease, my prognosis is good. I've got statistically about 92% chance of complete and full recovery and cure, but only time will tell. (Unfortunately they can't tell me what differentiates the 92 from the 8% that don't make it..) But I'm more positive now than I have been for weeks. There's no more anxiety about how bad it is, no stress about waiting for appointments. I know now it can only get better from this point, and am eager to get the show on the road and start the treatment!!
This has all happened really suddenly, and it's not like I hesitated about seeing the doc when I first detected a problem. It's just that it was likely spreading before the primary tumour presented physical symptoms. I know medical fitness is paramount to any pilot, so I would urge all the guys out there to be vigilent, and never hesitate to put embarrassment out of your mind and seek a medical opinion. A delay of a few weeks could be critical to your health and your career.
That's all I wanted to say really. I hope no-one minds me dumping this in the group. It was intended as a heads-up to all the folks I often chat to, rather than an appeal for medical advice. (I'm overloaded with that, but if anyone's got any first hand experience of BEP and the CAA they're welcome to PM me.)
I guess in hindsight not selling my house was the best thing that could have happened. At least I still have my full-time job, with 24 weeks full sick pay to tide me over. Imagine the situation I'd be in if I were in the States on a J1 right now!?
Best regards,
Si