Medical after cancer

Just diagnosed with stage I breast cancer, mastectomy next week. Anticipate
some degree of chemical warfare post operation. Doc says it may cause hot
flashes, wife says welcome to her world.

Current medical runs for another 14 months. I will be talking to the AOPA
folks but was curious if anyone had comparable experience and could give me
view as to hoops, traps, etc that I might anticipate.

thx

chuck

On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:03:54 -0500, Chas wrote:

Just diagnosed with stage I breast cancer, mastectomy next week.

Sorry to hear that.

As a very simple answer, the whole FAA medical system is based on
incapacitation. If any part of your treatment or condition could lead to
any form of incapacitation you'll have an uphill battle with them until you
are finished with the treatment and can provide proof that you are in the
clear.

I assume you've read this?
http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medi...er/breast.html

BTW the AOPA Medical folks are a great resource.

--
Dallas

"Dallas" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:03:54 -0500, Chas wrote:

Just diagnosed with stage I breast cancer, mastectomy next week.

Sorry to hear that.

As a very simple answer, the whole FAA medical system is based on
incapacitation. If any part of your treatment or condition could lead to
any form of incapacitation you'll have an uphill battle with them until
you
are finished with the treatment and can provide proof that you are in the
clear.

I assume you've read this?
http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/medi...er/breast.html

BTW the AOPA Medical folks are a great resource.

--
Dallas

Thanks, I have indeed and have already gathered all records, except one
key test. Others will follow the surgery and what ever systemic treatment
is prescribed. Likely I'll have a better maintenance log on me than on the
rentals I fly.

Chas writes:

Just diagnosed with stage I breast cancer, mastectomy next week. Anticipate
some degree of chemical warfare post operation. Doc says it may cause hot
flashes, wife says welcome to her world.

Current medical runs for another 14 months. I will be talking to the AOPA
folks but was curious if anyone had comparable experience and could give me
view as to hoops, traps, etc that I might anticipate.

Since cancer is not normally a cause of sudden incapacitation in flight, I
don't see why the FAA would care, especially after it is cured. However,
during the course of chemotherapy you probably would not be in flying
condition, so that would have to finish first.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

On Feb 26, 4:40 pm, Mxsmanic wrote:
Since cancer is not normally a cause of sudden incapacitation in flight, I
don't see why the FAA would care, especially after it is cured. [...]

The FAA view is that if you have a known cancer, then you could also
have unseen brain / nervous system damage. If it was non-metastatic,
I believe they want a year to go by after cure. Otherwise could be
five years or more or never.

Doesn't seem quite fair to deny someone with a limited lifespan, the
joy of flight, does it? Of course, if you actually had just a few
months, who'd care about the FAA? :-)

I'm coming up on one year since my chemo, rad, and major cancer
operation, and am interested in slowly getting back in the saddle as
well.

Kev

Kev writes:

The FAA view is that if you have a known cancer, then you could also
have unseen brain / nervous system damage.

Wow! They are _really_ grasping at straws here. Who makes these decisions?

A substantial percentage of the population shows brain aneurysms at autopsy,
but only a fraction experience ruptured aneurysms during life. Why doesn't
the FAA require MRIs of pilots' brains and exclude anyone with even a hint of
a vascular abnormality from flight? It's just as likely to cause
incapacitation as occult metastases of a primary malignancy to the brain.

And even when metastases occur and are symptomatic, it's unlikely that they
will present _suddenly_ as abrupt incapacitation with no prior warning.

Many pilots are walking around with a cardiovascular system that may given
them a CVA or MI at any moment, but the FAA does not deny their medicals, as
long as their BP is normal and they have no history. Shouldn't it require
invasive testing to verify that all major arteries are patent and clean?

Doesn't seem quite fair to deny someone with a limited lifespan, the
joy of flight, does it?

The gap between the FAA's view and reality is quite astonishing.

I'm coming up on one year since my chemo, rad, and major cancer
operation, and am interested in slowly getting back in the saddle as
well.

Good luck. If you are anything less than Khan Noonien Singh it seems that
you'll need it with the FAA.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

MxWhatever wrote:

A substantial percentage of the population shows brain
aneurysms at autopsy, but only a fraction experience ruptured
aneurysms during life.

A mere MSFS sim pilot is now also a physician and forensic
pathologist. Totally awesome.

F--

Why did I bother going to medical school and then seven years of residency?

I could have sat on my ass all day surfing the internet and become as smart
(and respected) as MX.

TxSrv writes:

A mere MSFS sim pilot is now also a physician and forensic
pathologist. Totally awesome.

Thank you. But it's just a matter of reading.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

Kev writes:

The FAA view is that if you have a known cancer, then you could also
have unseen brain / nervous system damage.

Wow! They are _really_ grasping at straws here. Who makes these
decisions?

Doctors. Maybe you can practice a bit with your Nintendo and a copy of
"under the knife" and take it up with them.



Bertie