An Airman's Convictions

part of the prologue from my book An Airman's Convictions

........It all started on June 12, 2009 when the Air Force found out that I had only one Kidney and I was then referred to a specialist who then put me on Lisinopril which ended up going all the way to the max dose. At this time I was seeing my first PCM(Primary Care Physician) who discussed with me that since I was so healthy and my blood pressure was low anyways, that the medicine being given to me was a blood pressure medication, even though it was to protect my kidney, it would make my blood pressure drop below the threshold that my body could tolerate and my Nephrologists specialist agreed with her and they decided that I could no longer do any kind of working out or vigorous activity because when my pressure dipped below threshold I would pass out or get very light headed. It was at this time that I was told that I was going to have to be MEB'ed (Medical Evaluation Board) because of the effects of the medicine and the fact that I only had one kidney. The paperwork was drawn up to start the process and then sent off. While waiting for some kind of results of the MEB my PCM PCS'ed (Permanent Change of Station) away and I was given a new PCM Dr. Bill and Dr. Foster who worked together with me. Dr. Foster worked right along side me in my efforts to find out where the MEB was and what the decision was because I really wanted to get back to flying. Over a year and a half passed and we had still received no information about it and we continued to monitor my kidney function with my specialist bi-weekly. We continued checking and still nothing. Approximately about the year and a half mark it was brought to our attention (Dr. Foster and I) that my paperwork had been lost somewhere and nobody knew where it was. As the year continued on, now Dec. 2010, it was time for me to do a PT (Physical Training) test. Since I had been on the profile I had been exempt from all PT testing yet this time my Chief was saying that I wasn't. We checked over at the Med Group and they wrote that I was exempt as well however when I took it over to the HAWC they said that I could not be fully exempt unless I was pregnant or had back surgery. I reported this incident back to my supervisors of the shop MSgt Falsom, MSgt Kelter, and MSgt Swiss. I then had to go back to the med group and they fixed my profile and sent me to the HAWC. When I got to the HAWC I was told to give her the profile and they would create my 422, I asked for a copy but their printer was broken and I was told to come back tomorrow to get the copy. When I picked up the copy I asked if there was anything else I needed and was told no just to turn the profile in to my PT manager Cpt. Harn so I did and it was placed in the PT book. When it came time for this PT test the Chief informed me he couldn't find any 422 and I told him who I had given the profile to and the supervision that I had talked to about the issue with my profile. He said that at this point it didn't matter and I would have to take the PT test or be given a Referral EPR. I told him I was not allowed to because not only of my profile but because of the medication I was on and the fact I hadn't done any sort of exercising in over a year at that point. I contacted our medical liaison MSgt Rossaline and she then explained to him that I was not allowed to do it and we even contacted my kidney specialists and he said I couldn't do it as well. The Chief replied that my only two choices were to take the test or get the referral EPR so I took the test knowing I could still pass it and later that night ended up in the emergency room. ..........