Traveling with Prosthesis
Traveling with prosthesis of any kind through TSA involves preparation and concerns. I promised a follow-up blog after my post entitled, My Boobs in a Box. There is both a light-hearted side to this story and one that still raises the hairs on my neck when I recall the details of a particular day at the airport. Let’s start with the funny stuff.
Altitude and Silicone Inserts for Breast Prosthesis
I was told when I picked up my breast prosthesis, the silicone implants I chose could potentially exhibit some odd behaviors when I was at altitude on a flight. I experienced those odd altitude behaviors in my prosthesis twice; once on a flight and the other time when I was visiting the Grand Canyon. The first time I flew with my prosthetic bra I felt the effects of the altitude after we began climbing. I could feel them expanding, an odd feeling indeed when they are against your chest wall. If you really want to get into the science of lower pressure environment equals volume expansion check out this website. But, suffice to say, it happened to me and was quite a peculiar feeling.
The second such experience was on an extended weekend trip to visit the Grand Canyon. I was also told at the prosthesis office my silicone inserts may develop black speckles at altitude. We were in Flagstaff for the weekend and the altitude there is near 7,000 ft. I felt the expansion the higher we climbed in altitude on our drive to Flagstaff for the weekend. But, the big reveal was when I took my prosthetic bra off at night and carefully stored them in the familiar “boob box” and noticed there were several black speckles scattered throughout the silicone enclosed in the insert. Very strange and funny looking! Those speckles dissipated and disappeared after I returned to a lower altitude. There you are: your daily fun facts about prosthetic inserts for a bra.
Trepidation, Travel and TSA
I worried unnecessarily about flying with liquid silicone in my bra but I wanted to be prepared. There had been a couple of stories floating around the internet, about women being patted down and uncomfortably so, while flying with prosthesis. My mantra, be prepared and be vigilant. I researched this and found TSA does provide a card that can be printed from their website and carried with you on your flight. I not only downloaded it I had it laminated. I think it was my way of making it look even more official and also not wanting to lose it or reprint it for future flights. I carried it in my hand with my ID as I approached the scanning area. I showed the agent to let them know before any issues might arise. It worked because I didn’t have any issues with any of my flights in the seven months I wore the prosthetic bra.
An Emotional Visit Ended Poorly with the Airport Authorities
I sadly must reveal another not so pleasant incident when I used the card. I was flying home from seeing family. The trip had been an emotional one for me to begin with. It was the first time I had seen my parents and other close relatives since my mastectomy. I admittedly felt awkward the first few moments greeting everyone knowing they knew what I had been through having my breasts removed just three short months prior to my visit. I wore my prosthesis every day I was there but always and uncomfortably felt like the first glance from family and friends was a quick and subtle scan of my breasts area. Normal human curiosity would take a quick glance at a loved one, a family member who had recently been through a mastectomy. It was the lack of confidence, the uncomfortable new me dealing with the loss of my breasts. The first question was always, “How are you doing?” I’d smile to let them know I was well and so happy to see them, even though I was self-conscious about what they might be thinking. So yes, it was an emotional visit.
My flight home after the week of seeing my relatives was a late flight and delayed due to weather related issues. The connecting airport I flew into was jam packed with passengers trying to get on the next flight home, present company included. Even though I was able to catch an earlier flight I got home before my luggage. I was told it would be waiting for me at the airport to pick up when it arrived on the next flight. I was exhausted because my flight was so late. The baggage pickup area for lost and delayed luggage was already closed for the evening. I would have to schedule a delivery to my home for the next morning, or at least I thought I would. My husband was concerned about me driving out to the airport and lifting the luggage into the car by myself. He offered to take the morning off to go get it at the airport. I told him he didn’t need to take precious time off for that reason. I would just call the airport to have them deliver it the next day.
Downhill from there…
It went downhill from there. I called the airlines the next morning to request my luggage be delivered to my home. I have had this service provided more than once from delayed flights. This time no such service was going to be provided. I was dismayed and quite frankly angry at this point. They explained to me if luggage delay was weather related it was out of the airlines control and the service wasn’t provided as a courtesy to passengers. For the first time I pulled the “cancer card”. I told them I was still recovering from a recent mastectomy and I had assured my husband he didn’t need to take time off to get the luggage. I was sure the airlines would accommodate. They wouldn’t budge. I told them lifting the heavy luggage was not in my best interest. My words fell on deaf ears. I got in the car and drove to the airport.
When I got to the office where my luggage was being stored I spoke to a woman I had already called earlier to let her know I was coming to pick my luggage up. I already concluded from our phone conversation before leaving the house the staff at the office really didn’t have the authority to make the decision to deliver my luggage. So rather than start a rant at someone who had no control over the situation, I very politely asked to speak to the airport authority who was the head of the airlines baggage claim department. He had to be paged so I waited and I stood outside the office where my luggage waited for me. I had my TSA mastectomy card in my hand. A gentleman was approaching the office at a rather hurried clip and I sensed he knew I was the person who had requested his presence.
I introduced myself to him and this was the conversation I had with him.
“Of course I would”, he stated with an honest and compassionate reply.
I looked at him, and my TSA card with indication of my mastectomy at his eye level and said, “I’m wearing prosthesis but you can’t see it. I’m concerned about getting my luggage out to my car and lifting it into the back to take home. Are you willing to help me?”
Did I set him up? Probably. But I felt strongly the correct person in their organization needed to be aware of what happened. I told him the airlines should have taken responsibility under the circumstances and assisted me by delivering my luggage to my home. I also told him I appreciated his help and acknowledged his compassion as an individual. I told him he may have made a different decision about delivering my luggage and I understood the office staff I spoke to didn’t have the authority to make the decision. I shook his hand, thanked him for his help and he apologized for the incident. I looked at him with affirmation and requested he report this incident to his superintendent so they might review their practices for future passengers. I told him that was my purpose in requesting to see him in the first place. I was grateful for his help but I wanted him to commit to reporting this so others could be helped as well.
I taped the TSA card to the top of my “Boobs in a Box” and have since donated them so the recipient can use the card.
I know challenges exist in life under many circumstances. Try to handle them with as much information and consideration as the situation allows.
Have you had issues flying with prosthesis after a mastectomy? I hope not but would be interested in your story, too.