Collapsed lung

[Battista85]

Hi, newbie here. I've been looking for this everywhere and everyone I call seems to have no idea... anyway, I recently had a spontaneous pneumothorax, otherwise know as a collapsed lung. By chance, I happened to find out that this disqualifies you from the military for 3 years. I've been gearing up to go through the process to become a police officer now for awhile and was wondering if a similar practice was done. It'd be really heartbreaking if I had this kind of a setback, especially since the severity of the collapsed lung was so miniscule and is already healed (though that doesn't seem to matter to the military). Any response would be appreciated from anyone that might know, thanks.

[Switchback]

I've never heard of that being a disqualifier (though, not insinuating that it is NOT a disqualifier). To be honest, with all the obesity in LE, the collapse lung potential is the least of one's concerns. LOL

I don't know, but I imagine it is more about the affect of being a casualty on the battlefield than anything else, making it less important in an LE setting.

[JakeLock]

To be honest, with all the obesity in LE, the collapse lung potential is the least of one's concerns. LOL

You callin me fat Army boy?


But to caveat what Switch said, I don't see it being a major hindrance.

[Switchback]

Silly, silly man. I'm not an army boy. You are just mad because the army uses me for body doubling their "army of one" commercials. :D

[Battista85]

Thanks guys, still looking for an official answer but at least I'm a little less worried about it, heh. Only thing is I have to re-train myself to do the endurance portion of the exam, but before this happened I was in tiptop shape and if my docs weren't bsing me I should be fine to return to that kind of activity within the next month. Here's hoping.

[mcsap]

A. Why did your lung collapse ?

B. Will your doctor state in writing that you are fully capable of performing the duties of a police officer ?

[JakeLock]

A. Why did your lung collapse ?

B. Will your doctor state in writing that you are fully capable of performing the duties of a police officer ?

Damn you and your voice of reason!

Switch quit lying... (I've never seen them so I have no idea (no tv) but the only time u were on tv was AMW!)

[Switchback]

Jake,
You didn't hear about the new recruiting initiative? They are looking for middle-aged, balding mean with a series of warn-out body parts. I am certainly the poster boy for that one! LOL

[Battista85]

A. Why did your lung collapse ?

B. Will your doctor state in writing that you are fully capable of performing the duties of a police officer ?

A. It's what they call spontaneous pneumothorax, supposedly it just happens. Apparently common among tall, young, slender people. Wasn't because of an accident or anything. Just minding my own business and got the pain. Wikipedia or webMD can describe it better than I can though.

B. Yeah, I can. I'm just not sure how strict they'd be about it (the recruiters). And no one seems to be able to give me an answer, so that's why I came here, heh. The chances of it happening again are very unlikely, but slightly more likely than someone who never had it so I'm not sure if that can be held against me or not like they would in the military.

[mcsap]

We ( like the militray) don't really want to hire people who have spontaneous health problems that could affect them on the job.

I cannot state that they will DQ you for this but as you can imagine , your condition is unusual and WILL cause some concern.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

You have to understand that we are not medical professionals, so we have to rely on whose who are. If your doc (or our doc) said that you could perform all the duties incumbent for the position, it'd be good enough for us.

The question of whether a "spontaneous pneumothorax" specifically would be a DQ, would be up to the individual department.

[JakeLock]

Jake,
You didn't hear about the new recruiting initiative? They are looking for middle-aged, balding mean with a series of warn-out body parts. I am certainly the poster boy for that one! LOL

Sweet, 3 more years and I'll be golden... :D

[Battista85]

You have to understand that we are not medical professionals, so we have to rely on whose who are. If your doc (or our doc) said that you could perform all the duties incumbent for the position, it'd be good enough for us.

The question of whether a "spontaneous pneumothorax" specifically would be a DQ, would be up to the individual department.

So far the docs are telling me there isnt anything I cant do now that I couldnt do before, so I guess if I can get that in writing I'd be ok. The severity of the collapsed lung itself was supposedly on the lower spectrum of the scale (since it healed itself within a weeks time). So I guess if I hadnt even gone to the doctor I wouldnt have known I had it. Anyway, thanks for the replies guys, very helpful as I expected.

[mcsap]

Are you physically fit ? And I mean in shape TODAY to pass any police hiring/academy physical fitness test ?

This is where you will either shine or fail.

MOST departments have a 1.5 mile run and although the times aren't heartbreaking...you can't have spent the last 6 months on the couch and expect to pass. You gotta run to get into shape.

[Battista85]

Are you physically fit ? And I mean in shape TODAY to pass any police hiring/academy physical fitness test ?

This is where you will either shine or fail.

MOST departments have a 1.5 mile run and although the times aren't heartbreaking...you can't have spent the last 6 months on the couch and expect to pass. You gotta run to get into shape.

I haven't been able to do any running for the past month now, but before that I was able to run 2 miles in just under 13 minutes, and I think the times needed for the 1.5 was like 12, so honestly I'm not too worried about that. Only this whole collapsed lung thing that had me worried. Hopefully the doctor isnt bsing me.