FLYING contributor Dick Karl says that dealing with an unforeseen health crisis is a reminder that your week, his week, anybody’s week can go from anticipating flight to hanging on for dear life. [iStock]
Key Takeaways:
The author recounts a sudden, severe health crisis, diagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia, drawing a vivid analogy to an unexpected catastrophic in-flight emergency.
He reflects on life's unpredictability, highlighting the sudden shift from normalcy to a fight for survival and the profound dependence on medical professionals, akin to passengers trusting pilots.
The experience underscores the insignificance of personal accomplishments in such a crisis and reveals the overwhelming support received from friends and family.
In life and in the air, things can change in a hurry.
Cruising westbound at FL 430 with just more than an hour to the destination, we’re chatting about our groundspeed, which is just tickling 400 knots, the headwinds, and, despite constant rearrangement of the sun visors, the annoying persistence of sun in both our faces.
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Dick Karl is a cancer surgeon who appreciates the beauty and science involved in both surgery and flying. Dick’s monthly Gear Up celebrates the human side of flying. He writes about his enthusiasm for both the machines and the people who fly and maintain them.
