Border control

BORDER CONTROL.



An ostomate needs some forethought


before they turn up at a port.


We need to think ‘border-control’


amongst the other rigmarole.



With all those people in one queue


the customs have a job to do.


And as far as I can tell


their personnel will do it well.



But think about it from their side


and what some people try to hide.


They swallow stuff within their tums


and follow that with up their bums.



They’ll try to hide stuff anywhere


and customs find it everywhere.


So is it any wonder if


their sniffer dogs come up to sniff.



The customs take an interest in


what we’ve done and where we’ve been.


Perceptive of a nervous gait


they may pick on an ostomate.



So if you find that this is you


then have a mind what you should do.


Before you leave and arrive there


make sure you properly prepare.



There is no doubt it’s not so hard


if you get out that little card


which can explain a lot of things


of what you’ve got and what it brings.



If they are tasked to search you too


ask for medics to be with you.


Remember that you have the right


to keep your stoma sealed up tight.



B. Withers 2013

Hey Bill, I have only flown within the UK so far but I had two totally different experiences. This end (Newcastle) was fantastic. I had a card that I got from my health supplier and they were brilliant. They were easy on the search, very discreet with hand luggage, and the transit through customs was a pleasure. The other end, though, on my return (Southampton), they turned my health bag out and just left me with bags and stuff all over the place. My bag was left hanging after being searched with nowhere to readjust myself, and I was left a bit stressed. It just goes to show that with education and awareness, how much difference it can make to a person with a disability.

Hello Blue.Thanks for your post. These different types of experiences are not confined or directed at disabled people alone. When I used to travel (without the disability) I was often confronted with different experiences at different airports in different countries. I regularly flew to New Zealand via the USA but after four or five times of experiencing almost outright abuse I switched to the Hong Kong route and there could not have been a greater contrast in how they treated people. My theory about the abusive Americans was that it was to do with being 'in-transit' (- that is just passing through) and not wanting to stay in the USA. They called us 'aliens' and treated us as such! On the many other occasions I visited and stayed in the USA they were friendly and treated us with respect. If I had my ostomy at that time it might have been tempting for me to add this to my theorising - that the ostomy might have been an additional reason for their hostility. Personally I prefer a hassle-free life and long-distance travelling creates the sort of hassle I can now do without. Doing it with the additional hassle of a stoma now seems like a step too far in the unnecessary hassle direction. I am a great admirer of those who venture across the world with disabilities but all the time I'm reading about their accounts I'm thinking -- Not for me! (now)Best wishes Bill