Diabetic Recipes
"I want you to walk ahead of me in case I get stopped," I said to The Mr. We were standing in one of the "expert traveler" lines at the security checkpoint at LAX. Although I had been searched twice in my last three air travels, I thought I was free since I had gotten through security the last time without being searched.
It was particularly dark in this part of the airport. I was particularly emotional having dealt with a screaming No. 3 for about 45 minutes. We had been on vacation and she was completely off schedule and crabby. I had a feeling that I was going to get stopped coming through the security tent.
"I have an insulin pump," I said, holding my pump up for the screener to see. A mantra I had tried and not tried each time I went through security.
"OK, come on through," she said.
I beeped. I knew it.
"FEMALE ASSIST!" she yelled.
The anger and frustration immediately boiled over.
"Oh, come on it's just an insulin pump!" I begged. "See."
"Stand over here," she told me, pointing to a rubbery mat with yellow feetprints indicating where I was to stand. I had visions of my last flight less than two weeks prior where I carried No. 3 through the security checkpoint, and the nice-looking TSA rep said, "It's OK, come on," when I told him I had an insulin pump. He didn't stop me for a secondary search.
Another rep asked me where my things were and I angrily replied that my husband was picking them up. I sat in the chair indicated and held my feet out without being asked. The TSA rep began explaining what she had to do and I practically screamed at her that she didn't have to explain because I had been through this before.
I stood when asked and held my arms out at my sides. The Mr. casually watched me from behind the TSA rep. He smiled and advised me to relax; he knew I was pretty close to exploding.
"She's just doing her job," he said.
"I know," I said to him. "And I'm not angry at you," I said turning my head toward the rep, "I'm just angry at the process."
Anyone that "beeps" is stopped and wanded down. It's just their protocol. It probably had nothing to do with your pump and they probably couldn't care less about your pump.
2 weeks ago, the last time I went through security, I didn't even mention I had a pump. I never do. I've never beeped either.
If you want to avoid the possibility of your pump beeping at all, just through it in your purse and put it through the scanner. It won't hurt it.
Some people just beep, pump or not.
I get stopped EVERY time. Just plan for it and it isn't all that bad. If you're nice to the TSA folks it makes everything so much easier.
I know the process is a hassle but consider the alternative. I work in airport and hear these complaints every day. I bet the families of those lost on 9/11 wish that process would have been in place then, just smile and let them do thier jobs, they are keeping us safe.
The last time we were in the airport they swabbed my daughter's pump and both of her hands for explosives.... I would rather they were overcautious and she didn't seem to mind at all.
I rarely have issues going through security, my pump doesn't even set anything off. Maybe it depends on the pump, I have a Medtronics Minimed Paradigm 515.
Hi Michelle -
I know how you feel. It's a pain to be singled out, yet again, because of this gosh darn disease. It's not about protocols or people 'just doing their jobs', it's about having another hassle to deal with, another hoop to jump through, and another box that we're stuck in. I understand all the other commentors' sentiments, and I typically am nice and kind and just go along with the process, as I'm sure you do too. But sometimes it just gets to me and I feel like TSA could spend their time more wisely than hassling diabetics.
Of course they have to check everyone who beeps. Of course the wanding is just part of traveling now. Of course I don't want terrorists to start using falsified insulin pumps because they know it's an "easy way through" security. And still, sometimes it's overwhelming.
I feel ya.
Jenni
I had asthma way before I was diagnosed type 2
diabetes in 1998. Sadly, in the middle of working as cashier at one of the Super Wal*Mart
Store#1039 nearby where I live. I was given oral medications called glucophage and still do
until now. Just switched into the generic brand
called Metformin that I always get in Wal*Mart Pharmacy, because it happened to be included in
their $4 program prescription. Had to quit said
job at Wal*Mart just immediately after I was diagnosed while I was trying to cope the effect
of my medications. Aside from having some other
high anxiety medications that my doctor gave me
called alfrazolam, diazepam and zoloft at that
point. I indeed up taking them all at once and overdosed my high anxiety medications and I was
hospitalized. After that incident, my internest
doctor referred me to a Psychiatrist in the same Health Care and prescribed me another medications that was on recall in the process.
Thereafter, the Head Psychiatrist after I was hospitalized and turned in to the hospital rehab who was looking after my case, just prescribed me Prozac that really worked a whole
lot better than those numbers of high anxiety
and anti depressant medications put together.
I had been feeling much better since along with
my oral diabetec medications since. Until it was not enough to lower my A1C to at least in normal level. So my internest doctor added another oral medication called glyburine or something like that, and keep crashing to even much lower. I tried some other else, and even the lantus insulin. Until finally now and ever
on oral of Metformin3x/day and Novolog Mix70/30
flexpen insulin @36au-am/40au-pm. That none of my immediately families and relatives are kind
of wondering why that much. The fact that I am also taking Vytorin 20/40 daily for cholesterol
and CartiaXT 180mg for HBP along with my daily
diabetec testing and medications. That made me
quit Prozac a long time ago after feeling much
better with my emotions. I was also recently diagnosed of arthritis and I'm just taking Aleve or Tylenol for arthritis on it. My current diabetes doses of medications and the rest finally meet the approval of internest doctor. Except I'm having trouble exercising because I had pneumonia twice in the past that
gave me the asthma to begin with. But then again I started smoking since I was 8 years old
that I find relieved from this bad emotions in me eversince. That is actually turning it for the worse with bad side effects to some of the medications given to me in the past? My only defense most of all what I'm going through why
God still keeping me alive is prayers along with my loved ones praying for me.