Based on what I see online for eczema/dermatitis, it's not nearly as bad as those. No redness / flaky skin. I do have dark spots on my thighs though, so I'm just not sure, and I'm assuming it's a mild case of one of those two
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The Doctor is in! Ask a Flight Surgeon!
- Thread starter FlightMD
- Start date
Comment made to a FS from a friend of mine after filling out a long-form truthfully:
"You know, doc, I can't think of a day when I don't have a drink."
<look of horror from doc>
I think his point was if you haven't been diagnosed by an actual doctor, then you don't have it. You can't get a waiver for something you haven't been diagnosed with. Looking it up on the internet doesn't count.
Personally, I'd have someone look at it. Having skin rashes in a lot of the climates you'll be operating in sucks, especially with all the gear you'll wear.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
Think about what you're saying. You're essentially DIAGNOSING yourself instead of a medical professional doing so. You could potentially DQ yourself for a condition you actually don't have.
Wonder which is worse for getting DQ'd, undiagnosed eczema or big tribal tattoos on your thighs.
We had a guy spill his beans in a questionnaire after getting dinged for goosing the Wing Commander's wife at the O'Club, he got sent to in-patient treatment for a month. Never was the brightest tool in the shed...
I mean, if you can avoid NJP by claiming a “disease” is that really dumb?
It would have been if he was facing an NJP, the USAF wasn't taking it any further than getting him kicked out the the country, he was just a bit thicker than the rest of us. One adverse FITREP wasn't enough though, got dinged on the next one for another case of self-induced stupidity. Still got flying orders as a follow-on though!
Geez,
That’s not smart.
That’s not smart.
Just got my up-chit from Doc and a recommendation to fly from NAMI! Submitted Friday, recommendation given Monday...the upside of COVID?
Congrats @picklesuit
For the next guy, things that helped:
- Review the Aeromedical Reference and Waiver Guide (ARWG) for your specific condition, as well as the waiver process. https://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmotc/nami/arwg/Documents/WaiverGuide/Complete_Waiver_Guide.pdf
- Document everything as you go, and have the final outcome in mind (up chit) as you create the narrative with your doctor(s). I asked my Flight Surgeon what phrasing specifically needed to be in the recommendation from the surgeon and OT, as they are experts in their respective field, but not necessarily up on Aviation Medicine. There are specific buzzwords/phrases that need to be in the final recommendation.
- When preparing your waiver request, you are telling a story to NAMI to show you will be able to fly, so be very deliberate in your answers to medical questions. While allowing for proper healing, it served me no purpose to complain about any residual pain due to the normal healing process.
- Help out your doc. They will be busy with the rest of the squadron, you aren’t their only customer. I made all my appointments, updated her regularly, had copies of everything, and did a lot of legwork to get the packet together for the waiver submission. This included a couple of hours getting my own X-Rays on disc, learning the program the hospital uses to read them, capturing the progression of my injury/surgery/healing in a PowerPoint, and properly annotating it so it was easy to digest for doc/NAMI.
- Be patient, but insistent. Nobody cares about you like you do. If nothing has happened in a week, make phone calls and send emails/messages. The same goes for care at medical, if it doesn’t seem right, ask for another opinion. When I came out of surgery, the nerve damage from the surgical tourniquet was being brushed off as normal numbness by the Corpsmen. I wasn’t leaving the hospital until I either felt my arm or saw the surgeon. Thankfully I insisted, he (the surgeon) ended up returning after dinner with friends/family and I had to have the entire hand/arm exposed, examined, and recasted, followed by a night in the hospital. If I’d blindly followed instructions, I’d have been trying to convince myself to go back to the ER from my room, with no one to consult.
- Be polite. Squadron patches, a sense of humor, and a bit of professional courtesy go a long way. It’s hard not being the expert in the room for an Aviator, so it pays to just shut up and color a bit when the medical process happens.
- Be grateful for every flight you have. I’ve told several of the JO’s to fly like it’s your last time, because you never know when it will be. There was a month where I was unable to effectively tie my own shoes or cut my own meat. I was pretty sure I’d never fly again. It was disheartening, but I knew my last flight would’ve been a mission I was proud of, on station poking the Bear.
- Finally, don’t be afraid to lean on your friends. If I didn’t have DH’s that literally helped me dress myself, cut my food, and shuttle me around, this would’ve been a lot harder to get through. Nothing humbles a grown man like needing help, but getting that help shows how much humanity people have.
ndraper728
Well-Known Member
if you have your wisdom teeth pulled at OCS will you get your PQ letter only after this surgery is complete? What all exactly goes to NAMI from OCS?