Kentucky Bound! (Traveling With Epilepsy/VNS)

Hello! I have something interesting (I think) to talk about today!

Today I am flying to Kentucky with my sister, her husband and their toddler. They live there, but they were visiting my family for Christmas. Almost everyone in my family has gone there to see them, except my Dad and I. Soooo.....I started out the day at the Salt Lake City Airport.

I have been a bit freaked out lately. I have the VNS and I have read a few stories online about people having gone through airport security and their VNS being turned off. A couple months ago, I talked to my Neurologist about flying and what I should do about security. She told me to not go through the big scanner, and to only get wanded and searched by hand. Unfortunately, she did not tell me about the smaller scanner. Some of the stories and experiences I have read about online were something along the lines of, "I went through security and my VNS got turned off." Another one, "I showed them my VNS card, and they escorted me around the machines. I got wanded and patted down instead. I got tested for gun residue." So, I figured that was what I would do.

I arrived at the Salt Lake City Airport, and I got ready to go through security. I told the lady who checked my ticket and I.D., that I had a Vagal Nerve Stimulator and it was implanted inside me. I told her I couldn't go through the machines. She told me to tell the workers over by them. After putting my things on the conveyor belt, I went up to the nearest worker and told her that I couldn't go through. She asked if I could go through the scanner, which was the big one, and I said yes. I don't know why I did. I felt so pressured and anxious and I just....went through the scanner. After I got out, I talked to my sister about it. I was terrified that my VNS had turned off. I waited about five minutes, and luckily enough, it went off. I was so very happy.

The flight to Denver was good. I always get a window seat because I cannot handle being in the middle, and the aisle seat makes me nervous. Don't ask me why. Some of you may understand. The flight was about an hour and a half long and I listened to my music and played some games on my phone.

Right now I am at the Denver Airport, waiting to transfer to another flight. I am writing this because we have a while until we board. My sister is really weird. She got four hours of sleep last night and she is taking a nap on the floor. I don't blame her.

As my oldest sister would say, "She's an odd duck". Except my whole family are odd ducks. I don't really know what I am talking about now.

I didn't bring my magnet with me. Why? Because it would ruin the security equipment. I do have my Lorazepam, which I use when I have clusters of seizures. I did wish I had the magnet when I was worried about my VNS being turned off. It would have been helpful to use it to see.


I am now in Kentucky. The flight here went well. It was an extremely small plane, and though I am not claustrophobic, I sure felt that way.

The trip today was exciting and I am super happy that I did not have any seizures, much less having my VNS turned off.