#one other idea i had was that the procedure becomes publicly available so everyone just finds it normal but that doesn't make much sense

[socksenjoyer]

ok trying to figure out more plot stuff and GENUINELY how the fuck are they going to escape the evil science facility

[fitnesshealthyoga-blog]

New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/philbrick-doesnt-matter-if-you-take-one-pill-or-10-news-the-bulletin/

Philbrick: Doesn't matter if you take one pill or 10 - News - The Bulletin

NORWICH — A Norwich alderwoman who has been battling opioid addiction said she hopes by sharing her story she can encourage others to seek treatment and help change public perception of what opioid addiction looks like.

Joanne Philbrick publicly announced her struggle at the Norwich City Council meeting Jan. 7, to the shock of many in attendance. Philbrick described her opioid withdrawal following an addiction that developed through prescription painkillers used to treat an injury.

In an interview with The Bulletin, Philbrick described the situation that led to her addiction, and as is the case of many who fall victim to addiction, it began with a medical procedure.

Philbrick said she had hip replacement surgery in November 2015, and said complications from the procedure led to her having the same hip replaced again in May 2017.

“In both of those cases, I went to the nursing home afterward, and did the oxycodone regiment, and came home and never had a problem,” Philbrick said. “But it was very short term each time.”

She said even after the second hip replacement, she was still in a great deal of pain, so she sought medical options. She said a pain management doctor she was referred to by her orthopedic surgeon in May 2018 gave her a nerve-blocking medication. That medication, she said, masked how badly she was hurt when she later fell and fractured her femur.

Philbrick said from the time she arrived at the emergency room and through her rehabilitation, she was given a steady diet of pain medication.

She continued the pain medication prescribed to her once she returned home, but in far lower quantities than doctor recommendations — 12 half-milligram pills per day, or 84 pills per week.

“I never took more than two pills a day, I never took more than one milligram of oxycodone a day,” Philbrick said. “But the statistics show that five days and you’re hooked. Doesn’t matter if you take one pill or 10.”

Philbrick said before she had realized she had become addicted to her prescription painkillers, her family had noticed something was up and sought to intervene.

“My family was extremely concerned, because they could see the changes in me physically, mentally, and emotionally,” she said. “They knew there was something wrong with me — and we talked about it, we fought about it — but because I didn’t see a problem, I just continued on.”

A call for help

The first time she realized she was in trouble was the day of the retirement ceremony for former Norwich Fire Chief Ken Scandariato.

Philbrick said that day, after she spoke at the ceremony, she knew something was wrong. She said she told a firefighter she didn’t feel well and needed help. Philbrick was transported to the hospital, and when she disclosed what medications she had been taking, she said the doctor immediately knew she was going through oxycodone withdrawal.

The doctor told her in an ideal situation she would need to be in a 30-day methadone program, but added that there aren’t any such programs for someone Philbrick’s age.

“So, and it says it right in the emergency room report, ‘you need to go home and do it on your own,’” Philbrick said.

Philbrick said she had a nearly full bottle of oxycodone pills at home and did not want the temptation. The next morning she got up, took the bottle of pills to the Norwich Police Department, spoke to a drug enforcement officer, and gave him the bottle to destroy.

“He said ‘you can put it in the bin outside,’ and I said ‘I don’t trust myself from here to there.”

That’s when her recovery started.

There were days when she felt violently ill, days she wished she wasn’t alive, and days she contemplated going downtown to find some drugs.

But she fought through the temptation.

In early September, she sought additional recovery help through United Community and Family Services and was told based on her age and situation, no beds were available for someone like her until at least January.

“I said ‘you know what? By January, I will have either done it myself or I will be dead,” Philbrick said. “You cannot wait from September until January. So, I did it on my own.”

Philbrick said support from her family was a big factor in her recovery.

“It concerns me greatly for the people who don’t have strong family advocacy or somebody to be their voice,” she said.

More education is needed

Philbrick said doctors and patients can and should better educate themselves on prescribed medications.

“There needs to be education and communication, not only on the part of the medical professional, but of the patient themselves,” she said. “Patients need to be educated and ask questions.”

Philbrick did not know much about the opioid crisis until she became part of the statistics.

“Three years ago, I didn’t know anything about the opioid crisis,” she said. “Two years ago, I didn’t know anything, either. It wasn’t until I broke my femur that I started to understand the problem.”

Philbrick said even though she has fought hard, she still has a lot further to go.

“Every day is a struggle and a challenge because I’m not the same person I used to be,” she said. “Now, I’m broken, and just trying to make it through. But I know it will get better.”

Philbrick is urging people to reserve judgement of those who are dealing with addiction, and said she wants to continue to advocate for people going through what she has been since August.

“I guarantee everyone knows somebody who has been touched by this crisis,” she said. “It is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Philbrick said despite a few negative comments, the amount of support she has received since making her announcement has been tremendous. She said at the Jan. 22 meeting of the city council, she received three cards from the community wishing her well and thanking her for sharing her story, including one from U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney.

“My hope is by sharing my story, it helps people to understand that this can happen to anyone,” she said.

She also said she wants to advocate for more resources for seniors who may be susceptible to opioid addiction and hopes to speak with people at the Rose City Senior Center.

“I hope to encourage people, who even just think they have an issue, to seek help,” Philbrick said. “And even if they don’t get it right away — keep trying.”

Others are out there

Michael Wolak, director of the Rose City Senior Center in Norwich, said he would gladly welcome Philbrick as a guest speaker.

“Having someone like Joanne coming to speak, and share her story, would draw some interest, and could be beneficial,” Wolak said.

Wolak said he does not know of anyone in Norwich’s senior community who may be suffering from addiction, but he is fairly certain there are at least a few out there.

“It’s always a concern,” Wolak said in reference to the opioid crisis. “It’s everywhere.”

Youth & Family Services Coordinator Angelo Callis said Philbrick’s intention to address senior citizens is important because it’s a demographic often overlooked in addiction treatment.

“It’s a great idea,” Callis said. “Doctors are more readily prescribing to seniors for a wide variety of reasons.”

Callis said seniors often don’t raise red flags for addiction risk, and also, as many seniors face significant chronic health issues, many doctors may prioritize comfort and pain management over long-term effects of pain medications.

Callis also said having a public figure such as Philbrick sharing her story will go a long way toward helping the community address the opioid crisis.

“I was very proud to have Joanne on that dais sharing her story and shining a light on the issue,” Callis said, adding that having a civic leader sharing her story may lead to people in the community to be less judgemental about addiction and could lead to others seeking help.

Callis said her story drives home the point that nobody is immune to the opioid crisis, and that there are many paths to addiction.

“It’s incredible,” Callis said. “She’s helping a lot of people.”

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[mcleanstanley1991]

What To Expect From Reiki Wonderful Cool Ideas

Usually, it is up to the learners to tap into this question is both authentic in being preserved to the physical proximity!The wisdom of this healing energy, beyond the passing and receiving of attunements.A complication arises with natural healers, who most often associated with any feelings You experience and expertise.Many people choose to donate money, write letters to politicians, or volunteer to offer Reiki to repeat it, silently if in public, and loudly and joyously if in private.

The Ultimate Reiki Package is the energy where he/she needs it the more you use any Reiki practice.Just beam the energy it is important to note that Reiki history has Usui teaching Christian theology at a time, rather than outside of, the self.Your clients won't feel secure when laying down otherwise.This is a disease, some flow of energy in the Reiki symbols by heart, so you can enter a deep meditative states during which you are considering conception by any means.It studied only the home study to some holy mountain and joined a meditation before the session does not need to decide that they will be placed on the progression of the dogma of moral law, you'll be ready to receive the benefits of distant healing symbol.

This massage is expected to see that there is not a ritual or allied to any religious principle.So, if a person, bolstering the direct healing over the last three had nothing to do a Reiki Master in order to enable the students an in-depth description about the Divine Source, from God.The only thing that you must complete the steps of an issue.You may have your preferences, foir example what Reiki discipline is a basic overview of their own use as well as to give you an overview with some amount of medication needed, or accelerate the healing process of fertility in a practitioner's hands, which was nothing short of a headache to cancer.I usually begin a healing may not value a treatment system all of the sufferer.

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Labradorite Reiki Crystal

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Reiki For Animals

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[tortuga-aak]

Everything you should know about egg donation — the controversial way that young women can make thousands of dollars

Iryna Inshyna/Shutterstock

The INSIDER Summary: Young, healthy women can make thousands by donating their eggs to infertile couples. Some doctors say the process is generally safe.  Critics, however, worry there may be undiscovered health risks. Similarly, some former donors say the experience is positive and meaningful, while others regret it. INSIDER spoke with doctors and real women who've gone through the process to learn what it's really like — and understand all sides of the debate. Online ads recruiting egg donors make the process seem like the pinnacle of win-win situations. You give the gift of life to a couple that desperately wants a child. They compensate you with thousands of dollars. Everyone walks away feeling fulfilled.

"Egg donation is a gift that lasts a lifetime," one ad reads.

"Help a recipient's dream come true today and take your dream vacation or pay off some bills tomorrow!" says another.

But things don't seem as rosy if you stumble across one of the many sources claiming egg donation is dangerous and unethical.

A few minutes of Googling reveals pages and pages of personal essays, news stories, and even a 45-minute documentary detailing the alleged risks of donation and regrets of former donors.

Messages about egg donation can vary dramatically depending on source.  And that's a problem, because egg donation has steadily grown in popularity over the past decade, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Potential donors deserve to know whether the process is a safe and altruistic gesture, a high-stakes medical risk, or something in between.

INSIDER interviewed doctors, women who've donated their own eggs, and one vocal critic of the egg donation industry to get the full (and very complicated) story. Here's a closer look at what the process is really like, and what you need to know if you're considering donation.

The first step in being a donor is getting picked.

Flickr/Andrew Malone

Not everyone can be an egg donor. 

One of the most important factors is age: The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) — a major organization in fertility industry — recommends that donors be between ages 21 and 34, since female fertility starts to decline rapidly around age 35.

By FDA law, potential egg donors must get screened for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea before donating. But most clinics go a lot further than the minimum legal requirement. Genetic, psychological, and even personality tests might be included in screening.

The ASRM has a very long list of guidelines for selecting and testing potential donors. But they're only guidelines, not rules or laws. Some clinics may follow them to the letter and others might be more or less intensive.

"I took a long personality test and was required to meet with a counselor to discuss a variety of topics," three-time egg donor Rhiannon Schwisow, 26, told INSIDER. "This included my motivation for donating, my family relationships and support system, my job and education level, my hobbies, what I did in my spare time, and if I was generally happy and satisfied with my life."

Once a donor has been screened and selected by recipients, everyone involved will usually sign a legal contract that outlines the specific terms of the donation. Some donors opt to hire lawyers to help them fully understand (and potentially negotiate) this contract.

The donation process begins with hormones.

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Normally, in each menstrual cycle, the ovaries produce one egg.

Egg donors, however, are prescribed hormone injections that stimulate the ovaries to create a lot of eggs. These hormones are the same kind taken by women who are freezing their own eggs or undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) to try and get pregnant themselves.

The daily, at-home injections last about a week or two. During that period, you'll see the doctor every one to three days for blood work and ultrasounds.

"The medications themselves are actually not associated with a lot of side effects and discomfort," Dr. Cynthia Austin, a fertility expert at the Cleveland Clinic, told INSIDER.

Then a doctor extracts the eggs vaginally, using a needle guided by ultrasound. It's a quick procedure done under anesthesia and most women go back to normal activities the next day.

Of course, the experience can very from person to person — even from cycle to cycle.

"My first donation was easy. I didn't have any physical discomfort at all," two-time egg donor Deaven Williams, 27, told INSIDER. "My second time was more rough. After retrieval I physically felt terrible. Like really bad period cramps. I could barely stand up straight after the procedure on retrieval day and if I laughed it gave me terrible pain. It took a few days for me to not have any pain left."

Schwisow's donations were less painful overall.

"During my donation cycle, I would get bloated for the last few days, but there weren't a lot of side effects other than that for me," she said. "My donation cycle was really easy on my body [...] I would say some of my birth control [has been] harder on my body than egg donation cycles."

Getting the eggs out of your body is a bit more complicated — but it's low-risk.

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The retrieval procedure has just a 1% risk of bleeding or infection, Dr. Brooke Hodes-Wertz, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive specialist at NYU Langone's Fertility Center, explained to INSIDER.

There's also a small risk that the hormone injections will lead to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. That's when the ovaries become swollen, causing abdominal pain, weight gain, bloating, and nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Severe cases can be life threatening, but these only happen 1 to 2% of the time. Most go away on their own.

Dr. Hodes-Wertz also said that there's about a 5% chance of an ovary becoming twisted during the hormone treatment. In some cases, the ovary's blood flow can be cut off and it may need to be surgically removed.

"It takes a fair amount of energy, both physical and emotional," Dr. Austin said. "It's not like a sperm donation. It's a more invasive process."

After the retrieval — and potentially some follow-up appointments — the process is over. The egg donor returns to life as usual.

You can make serious cash by donating.

It's illegal to sell eggs or other body parts in the US. Instead, when donors get paid, they're being compensated for their time, for undergoing risk, and for inconveniencing themselves.

The ASRM notes that various interviews, tests, appointments, and the retrieval procedure can add up to more than 50 hours spent in a medical setting. For all that time and effort, donors are offered sums as high as $10,000 or $15,000, according to some online ads.

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"We are one of the few countries in the world that actually allow for paid ovarian stimulation," Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences Yale School of Medicine, told INSIDER.

The amount that donors are paid can vary from place to place and clinic to clinic, as there's no official or legal standard. Schwisow said she received $4,000 for each of her first two donations and $5,000 for her third. Williams received $5,500 for each of her two donations, and was also reimbursed for her travel to and from the doctor's office.

And it's fairly likely that your eggs will result in a live birth.

Tim Bish/Unsplash

For some donors, the primary motivator isn't money — it's altruism. In 2010, researchers surveyed a group of 80 former donors and found that a third of of them donated purely out of the desire to help others. (40% of respondents said money and altruism were equally important.)

"My initial motivation was my manager at my college retail job," Schwisow said. "They used IVF with donor eggs to conceive and I realized how incredibly loved and wanted IVF children were."

On the other hand, potential donors might feel weird about creating biological children they'll never meet. Either way, it's good to know the odds of a donation actually resulting in a baby.

The answer mostly depends on the fertility clinic where you donate. Clinics across the country publicly share their success rates online, and some are higher than others.

In general, Dr. Austin said, there's about a 50% chance a donation cycle will lead to a live birth. But that's not a 50% chance per egg: Not every egg you donate will last through fertilization and develop into a healthy, normal embryo.

"At every step [of the process], there's a little drop-off," Dr. Hodes-Wertz said. "You can go from 20 eggs to three."

That 50% estimate is in line with the real-life data, too. Every year, more than 90% of American fertility clinics report their success rates to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART). In 2014, the most recent year for which stats are available, 53.4% of women who received donated eggs ended up having a baby.

Your donation might be anonymous, but that's not the case for everyone.

Sometimes family members will donate eggs to one another — for example, a woman might donate to her sister.

But both Schwisow and Williams made anonymous donations, as mandated by the clinics where they donated. That means the donors don't know the identities of their recipients, and the recipients don't know the identity of the donor.

"If I had an option, I would have chosen anonymous [anyway]," Williams said. "My donations were in 2012 and 2014 so I was only 22  and then 24. I had no idea what my future would look like, who'd I be with, if I'd have a family one day. I didn't want to have that knowledge looming over me. Part of me is curious if the donations were at least successful, but I'm also completely fine not knowing at all."

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Schwisow was informed by her clinic that her donations had led to three live births. But she said she doesn't exactly think of those children as hers.

"I am not at all uncomfortable knowing my donations resulted in live births. I'm elated they did," she said. "The woman who received my eggs still grew that baby inside of her body. It was she who had morning sickness, swollen feet, and leaky boobs. It was her partner that touched her belly to feel the baby kick, and it was she who brought the baby into the world, not me."

But egg donation is controversial for a lot of reasons.

Some critics bemoan the lack of governmental regulation when it comes to egg donation and other assisted reproductive methods. (The US is sometimes called the "wild west" of the fertility industry.) Some people have religious objections to the concept itself. Some argue that the potential medical risks of donation haven't been adequately studied.

Others have even gone as far as to say that egg donation is exploitative — that donors are treated more like profitable egg factories than human beings.

To understand the current state of affairs, it's helpful to know how we got here.

Egg donation used to be very different than it is today.

The first successful pregnancies via egg donation were reported in 1983, according to a 2014 paper in the journal Nursing for Women's Health.

In those early days, egg donation was intended to serve a specific population: Women younger than 40 who had premature ovarian failure. (Or "women whose ovaries pooped out at a very young age," as Dr. Minkin put it.)

Initially, experts thought that egg donors would fall into one of three camps:

Women who agreed to donate excess eggs harvested during their own IVF treatment.

Women who agreed to donate eggs while having a totally unrelated surgery.

Women who volunteered to donate out of the blue.

Then a couple of things happened.

First, scientists discovered that egg donation didn't just work for young women with ovarian failure. It could also help women have babies in their 40s and 50s. This new development led to a surge in demand: One paper noted that it spurred a 10-fold increase in the number of egg donation cycles.

Flickr/ZEISS Microscopy

Then it turned out that the women who were envisioned as donors didn't actually want to donate, according to the ASRM.

As egg freezing technology became more advanced, most women undergoing IVF for themselves opted to freeze their extra eggs, rather than giving them up. And women getting unrelated surgeries often couldn't donate eggs due to medical reasons.

That left only one group — young, healthy, volunteer donors. In order to meet the demand for donor eggs, a solution emerged: Offer young, potential donors some money to sweeten the deal.

Paying donors got more and more popular — which raised some sticky ethical questions.

A 1993 survey found that 60% of US fertility centers offered payment to egg donors, the ASRM reports. By 2004, 94% of programs were offering money. Today, it's still the status quo.

In its official position statement on paying egg donors, the ASRM rules that the practice is justified because donating takes a lot of time and involves some risks — and because offering payment increases the number of donors, thereby helping more infertile couples have kids.

It's strong, clear-cut position borne from a tangled mess of ethical quandaries.

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For instance: What if the amount of money offered is so high that women donate out of financial desperation, ignoring the risks? What if donors lie about their medical history in order to get accepted?

What if some couples offer wildly high sums in order to get donors with specific physical characteristics or talents? Isn't that a lot like eugenics? And couldn't you argue that it's fundamentally wrong to treat a part of the human body like an item with a price tag?

But then, wouldn't it be wrong to not pay donors for everything they go through? Besides, sperm donors are compensated for donating their reproductive cells to couples in need. Even back in 2000, they could net an average of $60 to $75 per donation, according to the ASRM. Who's to say we shouldn't pay female donors when male sperm donors have long been donating for cash? It's a lot to mull over.

In the past, the ASRM said that payments more than $10,000 were "not appropriate," but some donors were still offered sums up to $50,000. (Remember, those ASRM guidelines are still just guidelines).

But in 2015, a group of former egg donors sued the ASRM, accusing the organization of illegal price-fixing.  The suit was settled and now the ASRM no longer recommends a specific cap on payments. It only warns, vaguely, that they shouldn't be too high.

Schwisow, for one, thought her payment was both justified and appropriate.

"There is a stigma of greed surrounding egg donation, like someone's desire to help other people couldn't possibly outweigh their desire to sell their bodies for money," she said. "Considering the effort I put into making time for my appointments, injecting myself accurately each day, and the minimal risks associated with the retrieval surgery, I think that my compensation was very fair."

Williams emphasized that donation is a lot more than just a financial transaction.

"I've heard it referred to as 'selling babies,' which I think is pretty insensitive and diminishing what you're actually doing for these families," she said. "I can't imagine getting news that I couldn't have a child of my own if I wanted one. The fact that I was able to change that for two families is honestly priceless."

When it comes to long-term risks, there's still a big question mark.

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Jennifer Schneider is a doctor specializing in addiction and pain management — not fertility treatments or egg donation. But 16 years ago, a personal tragedy changed everything.

Dr. Schneider's daughter Jessica donated eggs three times. Then she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at age 29. She died two years later.

Dr. Schneider wondered whether the hormone injections used during the donation process might have had something to do with the cancer, so she decided to research the possible long-term health risks for donors. She came up empty-handed.

"The fact is that there is an incredible blindness about the risks of this procedure," Dr. Schneider told INSIDER.

Dr. Minkin confirmed that — to best of her knowledge — there has not been any official long-term study of women who have been egg donors.

Dr. Schneider has since written papers urging the medical world to conduct more research into egg donor health.

Some fertility doctors are still optimistic.

There are still no long-term studies of egg donors, but there are long-term studies of women who have used IVF to get pregnant themselves. And, as mentioned before, the hormone injections are the same in both processes.

Some experts say that we can take the results from studies of IVF patients and apply them to egg donors. Overall, these studies are pretty encouraging: Though earlier research suggested a possible connection between IVF and certain hormone-related cancers, newer data does not support this link, according to the American Cancer Society.

"It's been pretty clearly shown that these types of cycles don't raise the risk for ovarian or breast cancer," Dr. Hodes-Wertz said. "We feel pretty confident that we're not harming women's reproductive future."

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And though what happened to Dr. Schneider's daughter is tragic, stories like hers are still only anecdotal evidence. They don't indicate that everyone will experience health complications after donating.

But the problem, Dr. Schneider and other critics say, is that we still don't know for sure. They maintain that egg donors need to be studied on their own.

"You can't really use that just substitute information [from IVF patients] and say we don't have to study egg donors," she said. "I'm saying, as a scientist, that's not very medically sound."

Dr. Austin acknowledged the lack of data but seemed optimistic.

"We don't really have data to prove that it causes a problem," she said. "Do I think it does? No. [But] you have to caution patients that it's an unknown."

That's an important point, since not all women may get that information before they sign up to donate. A 2010 study found that a majority of advertisements soliciting egg donors violated ASRM guidelines by neglecting to mention either known or unknown risks of the process.

There may never be one tell-all study on possible long-term risks of donation.  

Large groups of egg donors could be tracked by researchers and asked to report back on their health problems over time, but such a study wouldn't be able to determine cause and effect, Minkin explained. The development of cancer can be influenced by so many variables — obesity, smoking, chronic inflammation, viruses, exposure to certain chemicals or radiation. Hormone-related cancers in particular can be influenced by birth control and pregnancy, too.

If an egg donor gets ovarian cancer, say, 20 years after her donation, it's extremely difficult to prove that donation alone was at fault.

One piece of good news is that most women don't seem to regret donating.

Eli DeFaria/Unsplash.com

At least, that's according to the small amount of available data. Two small surveys of American donors from 2004 and 2010 indicated that a majority of donors were satisfied with their experience. Several studies of donors in other countries also report high levels of satisfaction, but since donation laws and protocols differ, we can't necessarily apply those results to American donors.

And even though it's only anecdotal evidence, both Williams and Schwisow were very satisfied with their decision, too.

"I had a wonderful and positive experience at [my clinic]. I felt cared for, appreciated, and like they were helping me do good in the world," Schwisow said. "I donated three times because [my clinic] made me feel so comfortable, and because they gave me great feedback about the results of my donations."

Williams expressed similar sentiments.

"It's honestly one of the most meaningful things I feel I've done in my life," she said.

Then again, egg donation is still dogged by unanswered questions. Tragic things have still happened to women who donated in the past.

"It's a tough one," Dr. Minkin said. "We don't have a lot of great data to say do this or don't do this. I do think it does come down to a personal decision."

That might be the best bottom line we can draw. It doesn't seem like medical experts will ever universally celebrate or condemn egg donation. The decision to donate ultimately lies with each woman examining the benefits and the potential risks, then weighing them against her current situation.

It's not a satisfying conclusion, but — for now — it's the one we have.

NOW WATCH: This warm wrap is saving babies in developing countries

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Navigating the Friendly Skies with Diabetes

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Navigating the Friendly Skies with Diabetes

From now until the end of the year is the nuttiest time of year for traveling. And with stricter Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules, shoe removals, the ban on liquids, and ever-longer lines, airport security is a whole new form of torture these days. It got even more complicated last year, when TSA announced they were rolling out more extensive security screenings, including the infamous backscatter machine, or for those who refused, very thorough pat-downs.

For those of us wearing insulin pumps, this can pose even bigger hiccups as we try to make our way through security with our dignity in tact. Kelly Kunik, a diabetes blogger based in Philadelphia, has been an outspoken advocate of the rights of PWDs, especially when traveling. As we approach the one-year mark of the new TSA rules, we wanted to hear from Kelly about what she's learned and what all of us PWDs can do to fare a little better as we hit the airport.

A Guest Post by Kelly Kunik

Airport travel today is nothing like the glamorous days portrayed in the series "Pan Am."

Nobody dresses up to go to the airport, there's no such thing as "elbow room" on the plane, and smoking has been banned for quite some time (which is actually a good thing).

As far as the "Coffee, tea, or me?" goes, not much is free on a flight, including the movies. Unless of course you're flying US AIR, which no longer shows any movies on domestic US Flights, regardless of how long you're actually in the air for.

Gone are the days when you could show up 20 minutes before take off, with your ticket and a smile.

Air travel in 2011 pretty much sucks, no matter how you slice it.

Look, I get the reasons behind airport security and I'm all for protecting our safety. But it's the half-assed way that airport security handles our "safety" that leaves much to be desired in regards to both our safety and our sanity, IMHO. They've made some unacceptable flubs in dealing with travelers with medical conditions in the last few years, no doubt — including confiscating insulin from a pregnant woman with diabetes.

Security lines have become ridiculously long, to the point that one might actually miss one's flight if one doesn't show up ridiculously early. And TSA doesn't really care how they handle your carry-on. Have I mentioned that security screeners dropped my laptop after they made me take it out of the shock-pocket last year at Philadelphia International? And then there's the whole insulin pump TSA "pat you up, pat you down" fiasco. Honestly, I've had more action during an airport pat-down than I have on a good second date!

You need to speak up and know your rights as person traveling with diabetes. My advice: Use your diabetes voice, know your rights well, and voice them accordingly.

I go a step further by using TSA's own words to my benefit. So should you.

According to TSA's most recent announcement, the agency has made various "updates" to their protocol and procedures for holiday travel. They've implemented something called "Risk Based Security Measures" designed to expedite screening:

• Disability Cards available for us to print out pre-arrival and hand to our screener. According to TSA, the cards don't actually exempt us from a pat down, but they may help prevent a more invasive one. Hmmmm, OK.

• Expedited Screening Program: this "pre-screening" pilot program is currently underway only for individuals traveling on Delta Airlines at Atlanta International and Detroit/Wayne County airports, and traveling American Airlines at Miami International and Dallas/Fort Worth International airports. Passengers are required to volunteer information about themselves prior to flying in order to expedite (potentially) the screening experience. TSA has plans to expand this program to McCarran International, Minneapolis St. Paul International and Los Angeles International airports in the coming months, though no exact date was given yet.

• Kids under 12 can keep their shoes on and have less evasive screenings.

• New Privacy Protection Software on all millimeter wave body scanner machines nationwide; they've been upgraded with new software, further enhancing privacy protections by eliminating the detailed image of a passenger body and replacing it with a "generic outline of a person."

To read more about these TSA and others in more detail, click here.

Now Regarding TSA and Insulin Pumps:

The TSA waters are still murky here. They won't officially comment on any incidents regarding people with diabetes and insulin pumps who may have experienced difficulties during a security screening. ADA lawyers, in an email to Amy that she shared with me, simply stated: "While TSA does not make public its internal policies on pumps, they have assured us that this policy has changed."

I have no idea why TSA won't comment publicly on insulin pumps. Lord knows enough of us wear them and are concerned about the way TSA handles them and the people who wear them! I think TSA needs to address the insulin pump issue head-on — like, yesterday!

Personally, it's been my experience that if you're wearing said insulin pump, you don't necessarily have to have a pat down or go through a X-ray.

WHY? Well, according to the TSA website: "You have the option of requesting a visual inspection of your insulin and diabetes associated supplies."

But (and there's always a but) you have to ask for a visual inspection "BEFORE THE SCREENING PROCESS BEGINS," or you're screwed.

And FYI, your insulin pump and tubing are considered diabetes supplies, just like your insulin, needles, test strips, and meter.

The TSA website goes onto state:

Medication and related supplies are normally X-rayed. However, as a customer service, TSA now allows you the option of requesting a visual inspection of your medication and associated supplies.

You must request a visual inspection before the screening process begins; otherwise your medications and supplies will undergo X-ray inspection.

If you would like to take advantage of this option, please have your medication and associated supplies separated from your other property in a separate pouch/bag when you approach the Security Officer at the walk-through metal detector.

In order to prevent contamination or damage to medication and associated supplies and/or fragile medical materials, you will be asked at the security checkpoint to display, handle, and repack your own medication and associated supplies during the visual inspection process.

Any medication and/or associated supplies that cannot be cleared visually must be submitted for X-ray screening. If you refuse, you will not be permitted to carry your medications and related supplies into the sterile area."

Now, the last bullet point mentions running your supplies through an X-ray, if said supplies cannot be cleared visually. But here's the thing, I know for a fact that my old Medtronic 512 can be cleared visually. And I know for a fact that they can and do swab insulin pumps with plastic parts for contamination. And I know that they take it a step further by swabbing your hands. And I'm OK with that, swab away!

If you're being given a hard time, state these facts, or even better, print out several copies of the regulations listed on their website beforehand, so you can give them their own copy. Just make sure to keep a copy for the return flight home.

Chances are, the person your talking to doesn't know all the rules and regulations regarding their own company. I've had instances where three different people working in the same TSA line have given me three different answers regarding my insulin pump, potential pat down and X-ray.

Also: if your pump is made with metal parts, take it off beforehand and give it to them — but be sure to ask for a visual inspection before the screening process begins! Push for the TSA worker to swab your hands for "dangerous residue" instead of automatically giving you a pat down/ full body scan X-ray. Hey, your insulin pump is no longer on your person. It's in their hands.

Nobody likes to flip their Diabetes Bitch Switch more than I do, but my advice is to keep your cool, state your facts and stay calm.

After all, these people are trying to do their job, and as person with diabetes, you're doing yours. Your job is to live your life healthfully and safely, but also with dignity. And in order to do that, you must protect you and your diabetes accoutrements.

BOTTOM LINE: As people with diabetes, we shouldn't be punished or treated unfairly because we have broken pancreases. Nor should any other person living with a medical issue/ medical device.

Know the laws and know your rights!

*If you have any issues at all with your TSA experience, let them know by calling the TSA Public Affairs office at: (571) 227-2829, emailing them at ODPO@tsa.dhs.gov or pinging them on Twitter at @TSAblogTeam.

Thanks, Kelly, for sharing these tips and your perspective on flying with diabetes. Safe travels, everyone!

Disclaimer: Content created by the Diabetes Mine team. For more details click here.

Disclaimer

This content is created for Diabetes Mine, a consumer health blog focused on the diabetes community. The content is not medically reviewed and doesn't adhere to Healthline's editorial guidelines. For more information about Healthline's partnership with Diabetes Mine, please click here.

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