A very active PnP pilot had to hang up the wings for a bit to allow an injury to heal.  He shares the full story.

I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to parse or comprehend the cosmic meaning behind this, but . . . .

I had a follow up appointment with my surgeon on April 8. But, there was an urgent request: a blind Shih Tzu / Lhasa Apso in Houston had an adopter in Staten Island NY. Teddy, the little boy, needed to catch ground transport that morning out of Dallas, TX.

Teddy had been tossed into a dumpster. When found, he had only one eye, and it was badly infected. It was subsequently removed. Teddy was rescued by Lone Start Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue.

I de-splinted my left hand early and started to exercise the atrophied wrist and fingers. Scott Bennett, another Pearland Regional pilot, agreed again to fly 20223, since I was uncertain of my abilities. I postponed my follow up. My hope was to fly one leg.

Teddy was delivered to Pearland by a Lone Start Rescue volunteer, at 8 a.m. It turned out to be a turbulent and gusty day. I wasn’t comfortable that my left hand was good enough to struggle with the controls, so Scott flew both ways, making a couple of amazing crosswind landings. We flew Teddy to Mesquite Metro Airport in Dallas, where he was picked up by Kelly Robertson to make the ground transport connection. Teddy arrived at his new home with Stephanie in New York City on April 12.

I saw the surgeon Thursday (I put the splint back on for the visit). She pronounced herself satisfied. I’m supposed to have physical therapy twice a week for four weeks. Meanwhile, I’ll exercise the hand by flying rescue dogs every day I can.

It seemed to be an appropriate and poetic bookend. Injured when rear-ended while driving Precious, a blind Shi Tzu, from a rescue flight and subsequently grounded by hand surgery. Emerge from my grounding by transporting Teddy, blind Shih Tzu / Lhasa Apso, with Scott. Kind of full circle . . .

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