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Is this really worth it for me?

Old 09-16-2016, 11:28 AM
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Default Is this really worth it for me?

Hello everyone, been a little while since I have posted on here but I have had quite an interesting year. The question that I posted in my subject line is one of the most pressing questions I am dealing with at the moment due to life circumstances that constantly come up. Please, anyone that is willing to chime in give me your advice and wisdom, anything will help.

So I just turned 29, and I still have not been able to complete even my private. This isn't due to laziness, rather it is because of uncontrollable medical issues that seem to always get in my way. I will briefly list each medical issue that has come up below for consideration. My problem is that now I just wonder if I am wasting my time daydreaming about making a career as a pilot. This desire has almost become an obsession at this point, probably due to the "you always want what you cannot have" principle. I am really trying to get some perspective here to help me make the next decision concerning the direction that I take my life.

So here is a brief summary of my medical issues that have come up:

-In 2013 I failed the color vision portion of my medical, therefore placing a restriction 'not valid for night flying' on my medical card, I was able to complete the OCVT and MFT in 2014, permanently removing this restriction.

-Earlier this year, while driving a truck OTR in an effort to save the money required for flight training, I collapsed onto the floor and was rushed to the ER. I had perforated my small intestines and gone into septic shock, caused by what I would later learn was an undiagnosed condition called Crohn's disease. I spent from February until about the end of June in different hospitals with about a week gap between each admission, one admission was due to another intestinal perforation/septic shock, and the others were related to surgical complication, and I have almost passed away 6 times this year. Been a rough one....

So, am I obsessing about something that is an impossibility for myself? Is it even worth everything I am going through just to make a career as a pilot? Do you think that perhaps I just want this so bad because I have been unable to obtain it?

Sorry for the long post, I am just at the next decision point in my life and I am seeking guidance about what to do next.

Any help is welcome!

Thanks.
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Old 09-16-2016, 11:21 PM
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Unless you can get past the medical issues, your effort will be in a spiraling descent. Focus on the medical issues first.
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Old 09-17-2016, 04:17 AM
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Originally Posted by wannabe1305 View Post
So, am I obsessing about something that is an impossibility for myself? Is it even worth everything I am going through just to make a career as a pilot? Do you think that perhaps I just want this so bad because I have been unable to obtain it?
1. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough. With that said, you should consult an aviation medical professional to see if a First Class Medical is even possible and will you be able to hold it your entire life.
2. Only you can decide if it's worth it. How bad do you really want it?
3. It's hard for any of us to speculate on the reason you want things. I keep hearing that you are someone that just wants things he can't have. Do you get bored easily with things? How much do you enjoy that drive to the airpark to go flying each time? At your point in training, medical issues aside, you should be excited for most, if not all, of your training flights.

Seriously though man, only you can decide how much flying means to you. Certainly do your due diligence to determine if it's even possible medically, but again the "want it bad enough" is entirely up to you.

I can tell you from personal experience I loved flying more than anything. I couldn't imagine doing anything else, but being a pilot. Now that I've made it to the top, as some people say, it's still a great job, but I don't love flying anymore. I still wouldn't do anything else, but there isn't a time where I'm on the road flying that I wouldn't rather be at home with my family. And there isn't a time that I'm home with my family that I wish I was on the road flying.

Best of luck man. Hope the medical issues improve. I lost my mom last year to septic shock at the age of 60. Take care.
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Old 09-19-2016, 04:00 PM
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Originally Posted by FLY6584 View Post
1. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough. With that said, you should consult an aviation medical professional to see if a First Class Medical is even possible and will you be able to hold it your entire life.
2. Only you can decide if it's worth it. How bad do you really want it?
3. It's hard for any of us to speculate on the reason you want things. I keep hearing that you are someone that just wants things he can't have. Do you get bored easily with things? How much do you enjoy that drive to the airpark to go flying each time? At your point in training, medical issues aside, you should be excited for most, if not all, of your training flights.

Seriously though man, only you can decide how much flying means to you. Certainly do your due diligence to determine if it's even possible medically, but again the "want it bad enough" is entirely up to you.

I can tell you from personal experience I loved flying more than anything. I couldn't imagine doing anything else, but being a pilot. Now that I've made it to the top, as some people say, it's still a great job, but I don't love flying anymore. I still wouldn't do anything else, but there isn't a time where I'm on the road flying that I wouldn't rather be at home with my family. And there isn't a time that I'm home with my family that I wish I was on the road flying.

Best of luck man. Hope the medical issues improve. I lost my mom last year to septic shock at the age of 60. Take care.
Like you, I had suffered from septic shock from perforated intestines from a simple medical procedure that got botched. Septic twice in a week and I was written off for dead. It took time but I was able to recover and with chrones, you can too. PM if you need a pep talk
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Old 09-19-2016, 09:53 PM
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Originally Posted by FLY6584 View Post
1. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.
Bad advice. Better to think realistically. Not to say that he shouldn't pursue this and that he can't get over this, but life isn't as simple as "anything is possible if you try". There are limits and we don't like to tell our kids because we want them to go as far as they can, but realistically our time and energy may be better spent in other directions because some dreams and pursuits are actually hopeless. If one doesn't learn this, it can have devastating results later on.
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