It’s been quite a week, and not just the culmination of over a year’s worth of time, effort, and money in the checkride. Although, that was a big part of it.
I started to develop a scratchy throat last week. Sinus pressure followed, then light to moderate drainage. I thought I was mostly over it by checkride day, but it’s hanging on. I coughed significantly through the night last night, which was a new symptom. This morning, I had almost no voice. I’m still coughing but less aggressively than last night. I’m waiting to see what it does in the context of church this weekend.
Of course, I filed IFR for my flight from LBT to TTA, if for no other reason than because I could. My next milestone will be my first actual IMC flight and approach by myself. I’m both looking forward to and dreading that. I am happy to be able to do a mental flush of information crammed for the checkride that will never apply to my flying. For example, supplemental oxygen requirements – as I can’t climb high enough for them to kick in. And lots more such.
To further complicate this week, on Wednesday morning moments before my checkride was to begin, my boss reached out and asked me to shift my schedule to 2000-0800 that night. Yes, after spending the night in a strange bed, getting up early, and enduring the checkride, she wanted me to work an overnight twelve-hour shift. Of course, I said yes. Because I’m an idiot who hates to say no when someone asks for my help. It did allow me time to recover my car from 2GC, where I left it parked when I flew to LBT Tuesday afternoon to stage for the checkride. It also allowed for a celebratory meal with Wife that afternoon. It didn’t, however, allow for a nap.
By the time I left work yesterday morning at 0800, I was barely functional. And I had to be back that afternoon at 1600 for my normal shift. Twenty-nine hours with no sleep, then a quick turnaround with maybe five hours to sleep. Once upon a time, that wouldn’t have been a big deal. But I’m old now. It wasn’t pleasant. And is probably why I’m worse today, sickness-wise. At least I slept reasonably well last night, and today is Friday.
I have to decide what my new routine and project schedule are going to look like. I’ve abbreviated or completely neglected everything not essential to life for the past year in the relentless pursuit of my instrument rating. That achieved, I need to list and prioritize tasks and projects put on hold, as well as to figure out a daily/weekly routine. So far, my brain has been too muddled to make a list, much less to organize or prioritize. I hope to be well and mentally able to get that done by the end of the weekend.
And now I need to go get ready for tonight’s shift.
Grumpy 