Originally Posted by
littlesheep
Panic attacks are a silent problem. Unless you have to speak in public, you're probably the only one who knows you're having one.
Colostomy bags are a private problem.
Insulin pumps are a private problem.
If people actually made a fuss every time their privacy was invaded - if every single person whose private medical problem was invaded by the TSA or whose body was touched in an unseemly fashion were to weep out loud - many more people would notice.
I hope you don't mind that I snipped your post but I wanted to address this point in particular. Panic attacks are something I've never witnessed at work and swabbing hands that patted insulin pumps is, what's the word?, status quo? I've never seen a passenger object or be bothered by it that I can recall. I wanted to address the act of screening someone's medical device and how it can affect them emotionally. I wanted to present the question of where is the line between screening a device and not invading someone's privacy or causing them distress and how do we find this line? As a TSO I see the need to screen devices; I read intel briefings and I read the news and I understand the need to screen something such as a colostomy bag because it could be faked and such. As a human being, I also see the need for privacy and discretion as well as the need for compassion and humanity. How does a TSO such as myself reconcile the two? It's like saying one believes in both Darwinism and Christianity and that the two are reconcilable. That's the way I feel about this issue. I feel that the need to follow the SOP and do my job to the letter AND the need to use compassion and discretion are reconcilable. A few weeks ago I was called to go to private screening to screen a woman's colostomy bag that had of course been flagged by our gumby software on the AIT. It was a simple matter of her patting the bag over her clothing and me swabbing her hands, but it still bothered her. I stayed with her and talked for a bit, explained the need for the screening and empathized with her, and listened to what she had to say. She cried a little which really bothered me because I hate to see someone sad especially when I know that I'm essentially the cause of the sadness. I couldn't help but place an arm around her shoulder and give her a good side hug. Out of line, I know, but damn I'm human and comforting someone is my first instinct. She could had thrown off my arm and said to not touch her and it would have been my own fault but the hug and sympathy seemed to help. She explained that the bag was fairly new, she was having trouble adjusting, and to then get pulled aside because of it was a reminder of her struggles. I asked her, "So we basically added 'insult to injury,' yes?" and she agreed. We talked some some more and I hope she felt better when she left to go to her gate. Which brings me back to: How do we screen situations like this and avoid the "insult to injury" factor?