{"id":350,"date":"2010-11-08T21:14:26","date_gmt":"2010-11-08T21:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buckroth.wordpress.com\/?p=350"},"modified":"2010-11-08T21:14:26","modified_gmt":"2010-11-08T21:14:26","slug":"insulin-pump-travelstravails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/?p=350","title":{"rendered":"Insulin Pump Travels\/Travails"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just returning from a cross-country flight, the following report shares personal experiences of traveling with my insulin pump <\/strong>as it is attached to my body.<\/p>\n

Travel preparedness for and with \u00a0this equipment alone takes anywhere from many weeks to a few days.\u00a0 As a lifetime diabetic, traveling has been possible, however an encumbrance.\u00a0 For instance, if and when\u00a0I need to order supplies\u00a0for this particular machine, I make sure I have the funds to pay for the supplies.\u00a0 When an order is placed,\u00a0it arrives within four days (e.g., infusion sets, cartridges, IV 3000s, alcohol preps, batteries, etc.).\u00a0 Other necessary diabetes-care supplies\u00a0takes two weeks to arrive after an order is placed\u00a0(e..g, glucose meter strips and lancets, insulin(s), ketone strips, glucagon, Ace-Inhibitor pills, syringes, etc.).\u00a0 This chore does not\u00a0include clothes packing, weather charting, dog sitter arrangements, having someone\u00a0post my soon-to-be-due bills, etc.\u00a0 It is what waits for me at any airport that I find uncomfortable and uneasy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Approaching the security checkpoint is extremely unnerving.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

After removing my laced sneakers as required (I insist on wearing closed-toe shoes to avoid feet harm), I place them in\u00a0the available\u00a0large rectangular bucket as is compulsory.\u00a0 Another bucket will hold by medical-carry-on bag, my stand-alone wallet and a book.\u00a0 Sure, everything scans out wonderfully well – so far.\u00a0 \u00a0I always wondered why the security agents have never ever <\/em>questioned me about carrying syringes on board!<\/p>\n

Okay, so my stuff is going through.\u00a0 Now it’s my turn, my physical turn to pass through.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Embarrassment #1:<\/strong>\u00a0I no longer attach my insulin pump to the front of my bra because I quickly learned from another flying experience\u00a0not do so in order to\u00a0avoid tremendous self-embarrassment and humiliation!\u00a0 So, I always clip it to the waist band of my pants or skirt.<\/p>\n

As I walk through the\u00a0security\u00a0doorway screening thingy, it beeps.\u00a0\u00a0The screening thingy has always beeped since wearing an insulin pump.\u00a0 It’s been fifteen years now, and\u00a0it still causes the security doorway screening thingy to beep.\u00a0 I understand why.\u00a0 Its metal computer components set it off.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 Embarrassment #2:<\/strong>\u00a0 “Step over here, ma’am,” a guard says politely.\u00a0 I do what he or she says.\u00a0 “Female attendant required,” is always the next statement from\u00a0the available guard.<\/p>\n

As a uniformed\u00a0female security guard approaches my holding area (off to the side in open and plain view of all the security guards and all other travelers = embarrassment #3<\/strong>), she explains what she will be doing.\u00a0 “It’s my insulin pump that set it off,” I explain.\u00a0 “I’m sure it is,” she replies.\u00a0 “Now empty your pockets.”\u00a0 Having empty\u00a0pockets to begin with, I turn them out.\u00a0 With bright blue\u00a0rubber examination gloves covering both of her hands, she begins the slow process of touching my body – all over: head, neck, shoulders, breasts, rib cage, hips, inside\u00a0waist band, buttocks, crotch, thighs, calves, ankles, feet.\u00a0 Then it is\u00a0done\u00a0again.\u00a0\u00a0She also swabs the palms of my hands with a round cloth, approximately four inches in diameter.\u00a0 This is to check for incendiary powder.\u00a0 My feet bottoms have also been wiped on other flight occasions, but not always.<\/p>\n

After at least fifteen minutes, I am cleared to go.\u00a0 This happens all the time!<\/strong>\u00a0 Due to this process, my flight dreams have become eluded.\u00a0 I do not want to travel by airplane.\u00a0 The only choice I have is not to go – anywhere – by airplane.\u00a0\u00a0 However, that is often times impossible, especially on a moment’s notice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In retrospect, I respect what has to be done but I don’t like it.<\/p>\n

Does anyone\u00a0else out there feel the same way?\u00a0 It would be nice to know that I am not the only one.\u00a0\u00a0I can’t be.\u00a0 Not with 90 million diabetics in this country, one-third of whom use an insulin pump.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

I still dream about being cured.\u00a0 In the meantime, I endure as I am sure you do.\u00a0 I look forward to hearing from you!<\/p>\n

A. K. Buckroth\u00a0 www.mydiabeticsoul.com<\/a>; www.GlobalDiabetesAwareness.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just returning from a cross-country flight, the following report shares personal experiences of traveling with my insulin pump as it is attached to my body. Travel preparedness for and with \u00a0this equipment alone takes anywhere from many weeks to a … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mydiabeticsoul.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}