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, a pilot, experienced a sudden and catastrophic medical emergency diagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia, drawing parallels between this personal crisis and an in-flight aircraft decompression.
The experience underscores life's unpredictable nature and the critical dependence on expert professionals, whether they are pilots in an emergency or doctors managing a severe illness.
It highlights the profound loss of personal control when navigating a major health crisis within the healthcare system, likening it to being a "leaf on a river."
The article ultimately emphasizes the invaluable support from friends and family during such a challenging time, signaling a significant life change for the author as his personal plane is now for sale.
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.
