This makes me angry but I am coping with it.
If you do have to travel with a feeding tube on an airline, the Oley foundation just met with the head of TSA John Pistole and his staff on January 25th and he spelled it out for you on what to expect
[quote]

You might want to seriously consider a full body scan. Catheters, tubes, ostomy and drainage bags, etc. will be detected immediately and are likely to be foreign to screening officers. They will need to be investigated. However, once you have been through the body scanner you have opened the door for a self pat-down. You will be asked to touch your own catheter, ostomy bag, etc., then have your hand scanned with the wand used to detect explosives.
OTHERWISE

If the full body scan is declined, a full pat-down will happen. You have the right to be patted down by someone of the same gender (note that this could take extra time). You also have the right to ask for the pat-down to be conducted in a private place and to have someone else present.
[/quote]
He's right on the money in my experience - but I just booked my frequent flier miles that were about to expire for a trip to San Antonio in a month for the wife and I. Amazing that the head of TSA knows that his screeners do not have a clue about PEGs or tubes and they are "foreign" to them. Mine was made in the USA . Too bad the budget cutters did not zero out TSA
Charm

San Antonio in a month? Hmmmm!!!!! Will you be attending Elizabeth's OCF walk? I would love for you to go as I will be there. If you dont attend the OCF walk, you will miss out on a good time! Ive gone to Susan Lauria's walks in NJ and Susan2992's walks in Bethlehem. They are well organized and its so nice to meet others that share a common bond with.

When I traveled in mid January, I didnt have any trouble at all. The airport by my home didnt make me go thru the scanner. I told them right up front that I had a feeding tube and they said ok and wanded me down after I went thru the metal detector. In Detroit, no problem since it was changing planes. Now in LAX that was where I had to do the full scan. Unless I missed something it looked like everyone in my whole line was scanned. Luckily, no pat downs or having to show my tube. I wasnt paying attention to the other lines. I went into the special 'liquid medication' line. I didnt have one bit of trouble with all the liquid meds either. The TSA people waved a test strip over them to make sure it wasnt an explosive. Overall, I found TSA people to be courteous and on the ball. I did also have with me a copy of the TSA websites rules for liquids and medications just in case. Glad you posted this since it does make a big impact on tube users.

Thanks!

Ah, but whose TSA's hard hard heart would not be melted by you Christine? Alas, I don't evoke that type of response. I did not know about the San Antonio walk but now that I do, I will have to change our plans to include it. My wife is excited also as she likes your posts. I will register us both tomorrow.
It will be great to meet you in person Christine
Now I'm glad I rented a car as otherwise it would have been difficult to get to the park.
Good to hear you don't get hassled. It's my karma. What goes round, comes round and I have hassled more people than I can remember.
Charm
PS What is Elizabeth's OCF cyber sign in name?

I whispered it to each TSA person that I thought would try to frisk me. I got lucky, hope this kind of luck continues during my traveling. I wish you all the best not to have to go thru any of that hassle.

Im so happy you will go the the San Antonio walk! Im sure we will have a great time! Here is the link for Elizabeth's walk. Check out her website too, its great!!! Make sure you contact Elizabeth so you get a special survivor tshirt.

Have you had the opportunity to meet any other OCF members in person? Ive met lots of them. I even got to meet Megan which was so nice. She is very sweet and kind. Megan is actually from Virginia. I would have loved to meet Brian but he is a very busy guy! I cant wait to meet you and your wife. She sounds like a wonderful person.

http://www.oralcancer-screening.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=101


PS... Charm you may just have to join facebook so you know what we all look like.

Elizabeth's name on here is ESikon. Here is the link to her profile.

http://oralcancersupport.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showprofile&User=6321


Anybody else going to make the San Antonio walk on April 2nd?

I so want to go to the San Antonio walk, but the finances are not going to allow me to go. UGH!
Just wanted to add that I found a flight to SA that I may be able to splurge on. Would not give me much time to see you all, but I would at least get to meet some of you. Have talk hubby into allowing me to use some of out tax refund so I can go.

I find it incredible that the various tubes and bags that hang out of people with medical conditions are "foreign" to the officers. They come in contact with thousands of people so you would think they would come across the odd PEG or ostomy bag on an almost daily basis. Maybe it is the head of TSA who needs the reality check.

My own experience was very straightforward - Alex could barely talk, so I did the blonde thing (I have kept one blonde streak in my hair for just such an occasion)and stuttered and waved my hands about, telling the very confused official that my Alex was recovering from a very serious illness and had a special feeding tube because he couldn't actually eat. In addition, I had a weeks supply of "goop" to declare in my carry on in case our luggage went missing.

Official understood me perfectly, used the term PEG and corrected my use of the word "goop" asking me if I was referring to enteral feeds and were they sealed? Walk this way thank you ... And this in a country where the annual number of visitors is likely to be about the same as visitors to LAX in one day!

Admittedly, we were nowhere near the US which has to be one of the hardest airports to get through for security.