It’s been a pretty shitty 2022, 2023 and 2024. I’ve lost a brother, a father and my wife has lost a mother too. It’s been a horrible time, particularly this year with Kate getting the diagnosis in April and her passing at the end of August.
Late last year and at the start of this year, me and Mrs F started to plan a road trip from Memphis, going through Nashville and Atlanta ending up in Orlando with our family. Kate’s diagnosis was somewhat vague in terms of the time she had left. Understandably, we put the departure on hold indefinitely.
Unfortunately, dearest Kate passed away late August. A horrible few months but thankfully her passing was peaceful and dignified. Through the subsequent weeks and months, we rearranged the road trip as something of a counterpoint, a chance to have a breather from the previous couple of three years of hardship and sorrow.
Me and Maggie flew out on the 15th November, from Heathrow to Dallas, then onto Memphis via a connection. As a type 1 flying over the decades, it’s always been a bit of hit and miss. Sometimes you get arses at airport security, sometimes you don’t.
Heathrow was great. Dallas immigration was a really long queue but we were dragged out the line by an amazing security person who saw my sunflower lanyard. Right to the front of security and the subsequent pat down and swab was less intimidating and intrusive.
What I discovered post T-Slim was to be firm and positive. Insist on a pat down and swab. Insist on not going through scanners. I know there’s different types but NEVER take chances. It’s your right to insist on a pat down and swab.
Having been through Memphis, Nashville and Atlanta, we ended up at our family in Orlando. Welcome to holidayville! The parks are incredibly security conscious post 9/11, everywhere has scanning. Again, be positive and courteous, explain your pump and politely explain that you can’t go through scanners. In EVERY case, the staff were understanding and polite, pat downs and wands were done instead. Took a little longer but everyone was amazingly accommodating.
Going through Orlando International on the way back was incredibly easy, Accessibility Services have their sunflower lanyards scheme really well established now. Going through security was really quick and efficient, I had THE closest pat down I’ve ever experienced though, particularly weird considering I was having a really friendly conversation about recommended holiday destinations in the UK for his upcoming trip, in hindsight it was quite funny!
Dunno. Pre Covid, and when I was on Omnipods, the world felt a lot less accommodating. Security at airports was always a coin toss. Sometimes you sailed though, sometimes it was hell. Nowadays, stuff feels so much easier somehow. There’s so much more awareness IMHO. Yeah, now and again it gets stressed when you have to be a little firm and insist on not going though the scanners.
A couple of additional things. Boarding the Aer Lingus flight from Orlando to Manchester, there was no usb power. Or 240v. I was on 10% battery on the T-Slim and had an absolute meltdown. I’m never one to panic but a 9 hr flight having my pump die an hour in sent me into a tailspin. Give them credit, the Aer Lingus crew eventually sorted the power situation but it was a sobering reminder of how vulnerable I am in terms of control and tech. I like to pretend I’m all independent and in control but this evening gave me a rude awakening reminder that it’s not quite as easy to navigate the globe as a type 1 without at least some grief.
So, a note to self: always carry a battery pack and always charge preflight, don’t rely on there being a power point or USB port being available!
Safe and happy travels folks.
Type1Tony 