Where do I begin?

I know where I’m not going to begin, at the moment I’m not really into sharing the path that led to my being diagnosed with and treated for depression.

Maybe another time.

At the moment just accept it for what it is. I have Depression and am receiving treatment for it. Part of that involves being on medication.

Now I’m lucky in many respects, firstly I don’t appear to be having much in the way of nasty side effects. Those that I did have went away fairly quickly. And also I live in a country that has a reasonably progressive attitude towards SSRIs.

Intellectually I had read all the transport Canada Blurb on their website and knew that it wasn’t impossible to maintain a Class 3 medical and take them. But now I’m faced with the reality of dealing with Transport Canada and, well, emotionally I’m having my ups and downs with it.

As soon as it became obvious that I was going to need help with my depression, I grounded myself as PIC.

I did a little right hand seat flying, but I was always brutally honest with the person in the left hand seat. I didn’t do any takeoffs or landings with them either.

I flew with Bob, to keep my hand in, again in an email I was very upfront about what was happening with me. No solo flying but an hour with an instructor was just the thing!

Bob, bless him, took it all in his stride, completely unfazed as usual.  He also helped me out of a situation that was killing me inside.

My parents were due to visit (it had been nearly three years) and I desperately wanted to take them flying. I was so eager to show off my newly acquired piloting skills and it was devastating to think I wouldn’t be able to. I mentioned this in passing over a coffee with Bob.

“No problem, stick em in the back and I’ll fly with you” he said. And he did. With the added bonus that my parents got to meet the famous Bob himself.

But now I find myself in the situation where I’ve done the right thing by grounding myself through the rough times, but I’m feeling better. Much better. Even if it is “better but on medication”

I want to fly again, solo even. And I know to do that I need to involve Transport Canada.

The question was…….where do I even begin?

Why I haven’t been posting much.

I don’t want this blog to die but I’m acutely aware that there hasn’t been much in the way of activity recently.

Two main reasons for this, both actually linked.

An inability to fly and an inability to write.

Before I explain, I need you to know that writing this post is difficult, mostly because I’m just not sure how to even start.

So let us start at the very beginning

My name is Localflighteast and I suffer from Clinical Depression.

I’m not alone out there, there are millions of us. Sit down on a bus or a train and the chances are that at least one of your fellow passengers will be in the same place as me.

And I’m one of the lucky ones, because when my depression became bad, I had support. Support from family, friends, coworkers, medical professionals and employers.

And now, months later I’m at a stage where I’m finally getting my head around my diagnosis and coming to terms with my treatment options. I’m also finally discovering the ability to write again.

I’m also in a good enough headspace that I can consider getting airborne again, having self grounded myself for nearly six months now.

I’m about to start the process of becoming certified medically fit to fly and thought I’d document the process because I know for certain I’m not the only one out there that is facing this, or will face it in the future.