So once again, a light and airy Friday post is out of the question, and you have TSA @ Denver International Airport to thank for that.
As if people with diabetes and other chronic conditions & illnesses don't have enough to worry about while travelling and dealing with TSA Security, you can now add having your life saving bottle of insulin being confiscated!
Seems like the TSA Screeners at Denver International Airport thought it was OK to confiscate (and not inform,) a pregnant PWD/M2BWD (Person With Diabetes/ Mom To Be With Diabetes) insulin.
The woman (who's afraid to give her name for obvious reasons,) was travelling alone to Phoenix from Denver to attend a Baby Shower being held for her and her unborn child.
While the TSA Screener informed her that she was indeed a risk for explosives due to the insulin & ice packs she was carrying in her lunch bag, he neglected to inform her that he actually took her insulin. Don't even get me started on how grossly negligent, not to mention deadly that is. Or how expensive insulin is and how her insurance company ( if she's lucky enough to have it,) won't reimburse her because she's not due to get a refill for 30, 60, and or 90 days!
As if people with diabetes and other chronic conditions & illnesses don't have enough to worry about while travelling and dealing with TSA Security, you can now add having your life saving bottle of insulin being confiscated!
Seems like the TSA Screeners at Denver International Airport thought it was OK to confiscate (and not inform,) a pregnant PWD/M2BWD (Person With Diabetes/ Mom To Be With Diabetes) insulin.
The woman (who's afraid to give her name for obvious reasons,) was travelling alone to Phoenix from Denver to attend a Baby Shower being held for her and her unborn child.
While the TSA Screener informed her that she was indeed a risk for explosives due to the insulin & ice packs she was carrying in her lunch bag, he neglected to inform her that he actually took her insulin. Don't even get me started on how grossly negligent, not to mention deadly that is. Or how expensive insulin is and how her insurance company ( if she's lucky enough to have it,) won't reimburse her because she's not due to get a refill for 30, 60, and or 90 days!
You can read more about this story, TSA's lame statement and watch the Denver 7News video of this outrageous story by clicking HERE.
This story MAKES ME SICK. not only is this shameful behavior on TSA's part, it's downright dangerous!
This woman had a Dr's note & insulin that was clearly labeled - ALL insulin bottles are.
Not to mention the fact that said insulin bottles are clearly under the 3.4 ounce TSA restriction - Like ALL insulin bottles are. Seriously, when's the last time you saw a 3.5 ounce bottle of insulin, EVER??
I'm disgusted and sick to my stomach evertime I hear about TSA's gross errors in judgement when it comes to dealing with citizens with medical issues!
Traveling is a major headache these days, everyone person on the planet knows that!
But add travelling with a chronic illness like Diabetes to the mix, TSA Screeners who don't know their own rules or who just don't care about them, illegal seizure of lifesaving drugs, and pat downs that are more like "Closing the deal date rules" without the the dinner, drinks, and pre-existing relationship let's make our relationship all exclusive, etc., and it's a recipe for disaster.
What will it takefor TSA to get a clue? They've already left patients like T. Sawyer, a bladder cancer survivor who wears a colostomy bag, covered in his own urine after a TSA pat down gone wrong.
Or this 95 year old woman with Leukemia who was asked to remove her adult diaper while being frisked at security.
We have rights afforded to us by the Constitution in this country. And as citizens who are patients we need to fight for our rights, and the rights of those who can't fight for themselves.
TSA continues to bend the rules regarding our rights and our dignity under the guise of protecting our safety.
This story MAKES ME SICK. not only is this shameful behavior on TSA's part, it's downright dangerous!
This woman had a Dr's note & insulin that was clearly labeled - ALL insulin bottles are.
Not to mention the fact that said insulin bottles are clearly under the 3.4 ounce TSA restriction - Like ALL insulin bottles are. Seriously, when's the last time you saw a 3.5 ounce bottle of insulin, EVER??
I'm disgusted and sick to my stomach evertime I hear about TSA's gross errors in judgement when it comes to dealing with citizens with medical issues!
Traveling is a major headache these days, everyone person on the planet knows that!
But add travelling with a chronic illness like Diabetes to the mix, TSA Screeners who don't know their own rules or who just don't care about them, illegal seizure of lifesaving drugs, and pat downs that are more like "Closing the deal date rules" without the the dinner, drinks, and pre-existing relationship let's make our relationship all exclusive, etc., and it's a recipe for disaster.
What will it takefor TSA to get a clue? They've already left patients like T. Sawyer, a bladder cancer survivor who wears a colostomy bag, covered in his own urine after a TSA pat down gone wrong.
Or this 95 year old woman with Leukemia who was asked to remove her adult diaper while being frisked at security.
We have rights afforded to us by the Constitution in this country. And as citizens who are patients we need to fight for our rights, and the rights of those who can't fight for themselves.
TSA continues to bend the rules regarding our rights and our dignity under the guise of protecting our safety.
I think I speak for many when I say that as an American who lives with Type 1 Diabetes, I don't feel that TSA is protecting me & keeping out of harms way.
Quite the contrary, I strongly believe that TSA is harmful to my life and my diabetes well being.
And I feel that as a person who lives with diabetes, I need to be protected FROM TSA.
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12 comments:
OMG. What the F is wrong with Denver International Airport? I blogged about it, but we, too, were flying from Denver to Phoenix with my 5 year old diabetic. Out of 4 flights we took in a 2 week period. Denver was BY FAR the worst and most invasive. Thank goodness they did not take his insulin, but it was ridiculous.
mr. sawyer had a similar run-in with TSA a SECOND TIME, if you can believe it. so much wtf, i can't even.
http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/25/7162278-bladder-cancer-survivor-has-new-run-in-with-tsa
Makes me stick to my stomach, effing mad!
Bad enough that they give people a hard time and can't get their own rules straight....but to TAKE INSULIN. OMG!!
Just can't formulate into words how ridiculously awful!
It's time to ask for a Congressional hearing!
Ellen
Freakin' amazing. This is so illegal, and I truly hope the ADA lawyers hit the TSA on this. What an incredible, incredible example of how bone-headed the TSA conduct is and how lives are truly being put in danger because of their stupidity.
As if the world isn't scary enough another thing to add to our world of obstacles. I'd like to know what planet some people live on.
bjkiah
This makes me so incredibly livid. I cannot believe that some ahole TSA agent would do this. I sincerely hope that either the woman, the ADA, or both sue the HELL out of the TSA.
I've shared this on Facebook, K2. Hopefully it'll help this story get more attention.
GGRRRRR
If you look carefully at the TSA and its policies, they have been designed to make all people more vulnerable to attack when flying (remember, the box-cutters used to bring down the five flights of September 11, 2001 were brought aboard by the in-flight catering company, not the passengers) and/or, if possible, to prevent us from flying (so that we are less mobile and more-easily rounded up to become victims of government-initiated terrorism).
This sort of behavior is called security theater -- staged operations presented as "security measures" which are, in reality, the opposite -- and which are designed to make us feel as if the world is a lot less secure than it really is.
Things like that just really get under my skin. I read the article in your post as well... what a sad excuse for an "apology" from TSA.
Lacy
How terrible. I have yet to travel since my diagnosis with diabetes, but this makes me feel uneasy about the day when I shall.
I saw that on TV and was like wtf!?
As long as TSA rules, I will not be travelling by air, which is a shame. As far as I'm concerned, the problems go to the top - for not enforcing professional code of conduct and providing training that is obviously lacking. TSA's in-excuse is not acceptable. People should not be preyed upon by ignorant dolts who don't have a clue about how their actions are impacting the very lives of the people they are supposed to protect. In my view, the chances of having my health compromised by TSA are much greater than the so-called dangers of flying and terrorism. TSA must be held accountable for their actions and inactions. Disgusting!
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