Before I started radiation treatment I used to fly around the country on business 3-4 times a month which meant I become a Gold Frequent Flyer with Air New Zealand, which gave me free membership in the frequent flyer lounge. Where my app ensured that as I walked in a nice frothy flat white coffee was sitting on the barista counter as I walked in.
I had radiation treatment for 8 weeks, but they told me that there could be residual radiation around my body for a while longer and that I shouldn't sit near pregnant women or adolescent children because it could affect an unborn child or hormonally developing children.
So I stopped flying for about 6 months and that subsequently meant that meant I no longer got the privileges of a Gold frequent flyer. I emailed them subsequently to explain my position and that I did the right thing for them as well, but got no response from my email, where I asked if they might reinstate my membership and let me continue from that date.
I couldn't have lived with my conscience if someone happened to sit next to me, perhaps even a woman who didn't even know she was pregnant yet, who may have a child that was in some way damaged by the residual radiation, never knowing that it was caused by a sick person who would also never know they had harmed an innocent person because they didn't head the advice of their radiologist.
I couldn't very well go to the airline and ask them to ensure I didn't sit next to children or women who could potentially be pregnant, they probably wouldn't let me fly. I suspect that most people like me, or those who chose radioactive seed implants to fight their cancer would have just flown and denied the risks to themselves in favour of being able to continue their daily lives.
I do wonder though, how many people may have been affected by cancer patients, especially those with embedded seeds and never know why their child has health problems caused by someone who put their needs first, or possibly didn't know they were risking someone else's health in order to continue living their own the way they want.
Anyway, I'm in remission now and traveling a lot again so chances are within 6-12 months I'll be back up to gold and seeing my name on a coffee cup in the frequent flyer lounge.
