Anybody out there suffered a Lacunar Infarct? Could use some special issuance advice.

 

Not personally, but know of a friend of a friend. Long road ahead, but possible to get SI. Need full Neuro workup and clearance. Definitely work with your union medical consultants (if you have one), or consider paying for the service. Will be money and time well spent. If you go it alone with the AME and FAA, it will be a LONG and Frustrating experience. Good luck and glad you are alive.

 

Got approved for a CVA after about a year or so off from flying. First Class with NO restrictions. Had a top medical team on my side though. Happy to talk about it. You will probably need full cardio vascular work up including nuclear stress test. Also neuro psych testing in the form of a Cogscreen. PM me

 

Had an aneurysm/subarachnoid hemorrhage myself 14 1/2 months ago. Your road back may be similar to mine. I've been using AMAS in Colorado, though some here may well suggest you get in touch with Dr. Bruce Chien in Peoria, IL. He eats complicated certification cases for breakfast, or so I'm told LOL.

I've needed to obtain every document with my name on it from the hospital, as well as any/all images of my head sent off to the FAA. That took a lot of time to arrange, since sending records out isn't a top priority for most hospitals. Furthermore, there were errors made by the hospital regarding dates on some of my imaging, and that took 2 months to get corrected.

Then came cognitive testing. Seeing a neuropsychologist can cost well over $1k, and some of the testing can be really, really tough. I didn't satisfy the Doc the first time around because of my drawing skills. Spent the rest of last summer working on my drawing, and played lumosity.com for 8 hours a day, went back and satisfied the Doc on the 2nd go. Get as sharp as you can before seeing one. Their testing can be tough.

My surgeon has sent not one, but two letters testifying that I am 100% cured and pose no risk for incapacitation.

Saw an aerospace neurological consultant in October. He did a neurological evaluation on me, involving jumping up and down on one foot with my head back and my eyes closed and other similar type stuff. He recommended certification.

Saw my regular AME in December for the 1st Class Examination after my stuff was sent to Oke City. He, of course, had to defer (to be expected).

I had to get a CTA of my head done at the one year mark.

All records submitted to the FAA 3 1/2 months ago. Still waiting. FAA sent all my stuff to an independent consultant. I expect to be waiting for another month. Suspense is killing me. I've spent a lot of money and done a lot of waiting, all the while my life savings are evaporating and I'm collecting $350 each week from unemployment. No fun.

Just take it one step at a time, and prepare to be very, very patient!

 

Starscream...hope you hear back soon.

I am just beginning to work with the Mayo clinic and my local doc to begin the work ups. The Mayo Clinic just happens to be one of primary outsourcing advisors to CAMI. Mandatory 1 year wait before I can apply for SI. So far...so good.

 

Thanks Indy. Best of luck to you, as well. Today marks 4 months of waiting on a decision and just about 15 months (tomorrow) since the whole thing started.

I hope your gathering of medical records and reports involves only 1/2 the BS I've had to go through. The ironic thing is, most of the holdups have not been from the FAA themselves, but rather my hospital and the neuropsych I had to see (though I'm told they ALL take forever).

Hope you're back as quickly as the bureaucracy will allow!

 

You got an update Starscream?

 

Yea man. Denial.


They say I can apply again after a 24 month observation period has passed. The Consultant's report was very, very damaging to say the least. The worst part is I have to re-do already successfully completed cognitive testing, plus get 2 EEGs and an MRI, AND another Neurological evaluation -- and I can't even be proactive and get the testing done now. They will not accept any testing completed before January 2015.

We're going to try to see what we can do to fix some of the damage, but it looks bleak. With all the FAA waiting for comsideration, I may not get a Medical till next summer (2015).

All I can say is take any optimistic outlook with a grain of salt. I was assured a 1yr wait by the Dr I saw, and it turned out to be 2. I'm told by a few sources that the FAA's Neurology guys have gotten overly conservative in recent times. I'd have to agree with that.

 

That sucks! Got a bunch of questions for you. Maybe a way to help as well...maybe. I'll send my info via P.M.

 

Sure thing. We're not just sitting idly and taking it. We're fighting for whatever improvement we can get. I also did PM the 2nd guy to respond to your thread.

Above all, don't let my 'outcome' discourage you. Stay the course.