Stuff we could do legally in the military doesn't fly with the FAA.

I was landing an E-2 on the carrier a week after being pumped full of chemo drugs. I flew SH-60Bs weeks post major surgery that the FAA took two years of testing and waiting to give me a SI 2nd class. And 2 more years to get a 1st back. (All the while flying in the US and foreign airspace systems)

Not risking my ticket/job over flying hurt. If getting yanked around by UMR lands me on STD/LTD because it takes them months to approve surgery (when it was noted as needed day 3 of injury) that's a financial decision UMR/Delta made with their approval/denial/appeal process.