I flew home from Cleveland somewhat emergently to seek the care of my GI post subtotal colectomy/ileostomy. My pain was out of control and I was flying in a state of absolute survival mode. I was escorted through the Salt Lake City Airport via wheelchair so was able to bypass the long check in lines, however that meant they would have to "pat me down" and look through all my belongings.
The TSA woman was very brisk with her "patting down", she patted every area of my body including around my breasts and had me stand to feel under my bottom. When it came time for her to touch my abd I allowed her to feel around and over my hand which was protecting my new stoma. She wanted to feel everything, she demanded that I remove my hand. I said "NO", we are done here, you are not touching me anymore. She got her supervisor who stuck her head right in my face and said, If you don't cooperate you will not be allowed to fly today. Let us feel your abd. I explained that I had just had surgery and they didn't need to feel anything.
She pushed me to the point of absolute hysteria. I was crying and saying No, you cannot touch me, your violating my body. Finally, in a fit of pain and rage I told them to F-off (which I rarely use) and in retrospect, probably should not have said because it was then that they called the police who said I could either cooperate or be escorted out of the airport.
I was escorted to the little private room and removed my pants so they could visualize my surgical site. I was crying and angry, I tore my pants down and stood there for them to see me in all of my stoma and surgical site glory. I asked, "Are you satisfied" The woman said, "I really don't know whey you are making such a big deal about this, we see these come through here a lot." I said, "Yah, I bet you do, but you had never seen mine."
How humiliating. I refuse to fly. I'm in the process of typing some letters to the Department of Defense and maybe even Mr. Prez himself.