I HAVE A 1ST CLASS MEDICAL!!!!
Looking back on it, I probably should have gone through ALPA like so many told me to do. Turns out the FAA lost ALL of my medical records, hence the reason for the crazy denial letters. They had missing information. My records were sent to Atlanta, then sent to Oklahoma, then to some place in New England. Somewhere along the way, someone didn't do their job.
Anyway, who cares, I have a medical!
I basically got my start in flying at a glider airport in SC when I was 13. I ended up working there just about every weekend until I went off to college. It was like my 2nd home. A couple of weeks ago I got checked out again in gliders. Words cannot describe how much I have missed flying gliders. There's absolutely nothing like it. Another passion of mine is towing. It is some of the most fun I have EVER had in an airplane. I just got checked out in the Pawnee again and started towing. Once again, words cannot describe the feeling of being back in the air. I know that I've taken flying for granted in the past, that will never happen again.
Time for some pictures.
My wife and myself flying my dad's RV7 before the bleed.
The morning of the surgery....we didn't get much sleep that night.
Hours later. Those dots on my forehead were from the vice my head was in.
Fast forward to yesterday. One of the best days of my life. I took my wife, my mom, and a good friend of mine for a ride in the sailplane.
Myself and my wife, Ashlie.
My buddy and myself in the 2-33 (glider).
Here are two short videos. This one is me and my mom taking off. My buddy, Danny, is filming, my dad is the loud one, and Jayne is the one who lifted the wing. She's one of the owners of Bermuda High. She and Frank, the other owner, are like my 2nd parents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmobUuPlkiY
And here is me and Danny flying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk5BPVUkUV0
I'll be starting training at my airline again shortly and hopefully I'll get picked up by a major soon.
It's been a **** of a ride....one that I hope I never have to experience again. I want to thank every one for your support. It really meant a lot to me.
I've been looking forward to putting this thread to rest for some time now. There were times, especially in the beginning, where I didn't really know what the outcome would be. Everything happens for a reason and I'm so thankful to have had a condition that was correctable. I know there are so many people, like me, who have medical issues that keep them from living their dream. I'm one lucky dude.