I need to do some travel by plane before I'm done Chemo
I do not know how the TSA will treat me - bald, large chemo port bulge
I hate the big body scanners they are using.
Has anyone gone through airport security without being frisked or hassled about the port? I have a card that a nurse gave me but it is not really proof. Will they humiliate me for being bald? Can I wear my wig? Will the plastic fasteners on the wig get me pulled aside?
Will I be told to show my bald head and my chest?
… read more
I traveled while going through chemo, bald, wearing a mask, and I have a port. I had no problems what so ever. I think I was even treated better. I wore my breast cancer shirt so no one even looked twice at me.
I have a port and have traveled. I have had no issues.
I sometimes get frisked for my implants. It's commonplace nowadays but it doesn't happen every time and many airports don't have full body scanners anymore.
So many women wear wigs I don't think that matters. If they question your port just show the card. They've probably seen them before. I flew to Cslifornia from Virginia bald with wig and port. No questions at all. I stressed about it for nothing!
Before you get to the scanner explain to the TSA worker that you can't go through the body scanner due to medical reasons. When we flew this year I had no problems they let me go throughout the regular X-ray machine no Robles at all. However last year at Ohare I was treated like a criminal! I just wanted to lift my shirt in front of everyone and God so they could see. My husband said every woman walking by had a look of horror on their face. The TSA lady asked me if I thought I was someone special just because I had Cancer, I told her as a matter of fact "yes,I was" . Only regret that we didn't video tape the jerk!
I traveled during and after chemo, all my medications were in their original prescription bottles. Even after my mastectomy, I told the woman that I had issues raising my left arm way up above my head to cross my hand on top of my head because I had just had a mastectomy and lymph nodes removed and lymphedema. I showed her the difference in the size of both arms, and the fatness in the upper portion of my left arm. She pulled me to the side and wanded my body and apologized. I thanked her for her discretion. I always travel HANDICAPPED, no hassles, front of the line access and first to board the plane. I have a handicap placard and a card too for parking (even tho I don't drive, I use it when people take me places). They never questioned my medications, even tho they showed up on the scanning machine.