Twice Cursed
Whenever flight crew see me walk into the cabin of a plane up here they roll their eyes. You see, I have a reputation of being a jinx. Whenever my name appears on the passenger manifest, odds are about even that the plane will have to return to base for some reason: sometimes mechanical, but usually an overshoot at my destination due to high winds, poor visibility, equipment on the runway, you name it.
This week was no exception, after landing in cross winds in the four airstrips before my town - Kangirsuk, Quaqtaq, Kangiqsujuaq and Donaldson - the snow squalls in Salluit were so persistant that the plane headed directly back to Kuujjuaq for the night. So after three hours of waiting at the airport for my flight, and five fruitless hours of being buffeted around by high winds, I ended up back where I started.
Saturday morning Salluit conditions had greatly improved, and the runway was being plowed in time for our arrival. I had had a slight twinge of gout before getting on the plane, but during the 1hr 50min flight the pain became excruciating.
I haven't had a gout attack for over 18 months, but when I get the first inklings of an episode I can usually forestall it with some pills. This time it took less than an hour from first noticing it to wishing for amputation of my big toe.
I wonder if this has anything to do with change of atmospheric pressure or some other aviation related phenomenon. I was flying a semi-pressurized turboprop Dash 8 at about 22,000 feet yesterday and I wonder if this, coupled with the five take-offs and landings the previous night had something to do with the rapid onset.
Sometimes while flying I get arthritic pain in areas where I have broken bones previously. Does anyone else have anything weird going on physically when flying?
This week was no exception, after landing in cross winds in the four airstrips before my town - Kangirsuk, Quaqtaq, Kangiqsujuaq and Donaldson - the snow squalls in Salluit were so persistant that the plane headed directly back to Kuujjuaq for the night. So after three hours of waiting at the airport for my flight, and five fruitless hours of being buffeted around by high winds, I ended up back where I started.
Saturday morning Salluit conditions had greatly improved, and the runway was being plowed in time for our arrival. I had had a slight twinge of gout before getting on the plane, but during the 1hr 50min flight the pain became excruciating.
I haven't had a gout attack for over 18 months, but when I get the first inklings of an episode I can usually forestall it with some pills. This time it took less than an hour from first noticing it to wishing for amputation of my big toe.
I wonder if this has anything to do with change of atmospheric pressure or some other aviation related phenomenon. I was flying a semi-pressurized turboprop Dash 8 at about 22,000 feet yesterday and I wonder if this, coupled with the five take-offs and landings the previous night had something to do with the rapid onset.
Sometimes while flying I get arthritic pain in areas where I have broken bones previously. Does anyone else have anything weird going on physically when flying?
posted by nanuk at 4:30 PM Permafrost
9 Comments:
Other than abject "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" type terror?
Nope. I'm too busy holding the plane up to notice pain.
Hope you're feeling better.
Well.... Sometimes, there is green stuff coming out of my mouth. Then my hair begins to fall. Then some strange signs appear on my body and... Does that count? :)
i would rather fly with a gout staving offing jinx anyday over some of the slovenly pigs that i have had to ride with. it seems people are showing up to fly in the rattiest attire they can find...whats next? a filthy bathrobe and dirty fur slippers? i thought flip flops were bad enough. thank the great floating polar head in the sky that you live in a cold climate where people HAVE to cover up. travel sloppiness is a new pet peeve of mine......in fact this is of greater condern to me than a crash. hope the pills worked. t
I have your luck on the same flight path; except I usually over shot QQQ and ended up overnighting in Salluit. As for strange ailments, I blame the frquent flights on youngest sons ear troubles over the years and I get what I refer to as "pressure headaches" on those four or more stop runs. I always get them on the flying soda can, er, um, the King Air. Remember when Tuesday and Thursdays were every friggin' village on the Twin?! Yikes!
WoD - I "self-medicate" to avoid similar thoughts, eh.
merlinprincesse: I hope it's not catching. What with winter coming on and all.
she: do you want to make a pilot episode for TLC or Women's Network? Mid-air fashion makeover or such.
sorry bear....what was this post about? gout?
-she
Note to self: From now on always have passenger list checked for Nanuk...
Look at the bright side, the gout took your mind off the crappy plane ride.
I flew with a sinus infection once and as we descended it felt as though an alien was trying to claw it's way out of my forehead. I almost highjacked the plane and told them to go back up and circle for a few days unitl my sinuses cleared.
It would have been funny if you looked in the seat next to you and there was the walrus head. Even worse if the walrus head was flying first class and you were coach.
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