My husband and myself had to fly with our 3 children to NYC to take our daughter to see a specialist. Prior to our flight, I contacted Delta as well as DFW airport in regards to my 6 year old daughter having disabilities. My , daughter has epilepsy, Lyme disease, and encephalitis of the brain. This was a worrisome flight for us because it was her first flight and we weren’t sure how it would impact her. The altitude could possibly induce a seizure. When you have an epileptic child you pretty much have an emergency plan for every situation. You have laid in bed many sleepless nights and played out the very worst scenario in your head…Over and over again. You have tried to mentally prepare yourself so you can physically be prepared. Yet you are never fully prepared.
We were flying out of DFW to LGA at 12:01pm. We checked our bags which took longer than expected and began standing in line at our terminal for TSA security check around 11am. The time estimated showed 15 minutes. However, it was taking much longer and my daughter was becoming weary, so I notified a TSA employee. She was very kind and ushered us to the front of the line. We did as the TSA officers instructed us to. Took off our shoes, placed all of our carry on bags, electronics, and emptied pockets in to the bins on the conveyor belt. We had thoroughly researched the rules and regulations on what items were acceptable on a flight for carry ons. There was only one man checking the bags. There were several people ahead of us who had their bags pulled because of things that weren’t allowed on the plane. All of our bags came out fine around 11:40-11:45am with the exception of mine. We were in a HUGE rush to get our shoes on and to board the plane. The plane tickets for our entire family were pricey and we absolutely could not afford to purchase more tickets. We were going to NYC for a doctors appointment for my daughter and the appointment alone was $1800. My husband and 3 children were behind me waiting and I asked a TSA employee where E17 gate was. She kindly directed my husband and children and said you better hurry and board the plane. I told them to go ahead and board the flight as there were only 2 bags in front of mine.
There was a lady sitting, running the conveyor belt and looking at the X-ray machine. At this point, all bags were held up due to a woman having a carry on bag full of groceries that weren’t allowed on the plane. A male TSA employee who was pulling prohibited bags explained to the woman that she would need to check the bag or forfeit the cans of fish and other grocery items that weren’t allowed in her carry on. An argument ensued and the lady became enraged. She fussed at the man and he stood and explained once again the procedures. She was very rude to him and continued to give her account and he continued to argue with her. He did not sit her aside and let her decide what she would do with her items. Instead, there were people backing up in line waiting on this woman while she argued with the TSA employee. People in line behind me became enraged and were vocal that they were about to miss their flight. I was nervous that I would miss my flight as well. The TSA employee was very aggravated at this point. He continued to spend time with this woman despite knowing there were people being held up. At this point, I realized that my daughter’s epilepsy medication was in my carry on bag that was waiting to be checked. I looked at the time and it was 11:47am, so I walked over to a desk where two female TSA employees were. I explained that my 6 year old epileptic daughter was on the plane but I had her epilepsy medications in my carry on that was waiting to be checked. I told her that she was due for a dose of medication at 12:30. I asked her if someone else could quickly check my bag so that I could board the plane with my daughter. Making me feel like a horrible mother, she rudely asked me “Why would you let your 6 year old daughter with epilepsy board the plane without you and her medication?” I told her that she was with her father and that I didn’t realize that I had all of her medicine. She said that she could not check my bag but she would notify the employee at the gate of the situation. I bowed my head and said a quick prayer “Lord, please don’t let that plane leave without me.” Now mind you, my phone was on the belt with my bag so I couldn’t send my husband a message to tell him to get off the plane. I went back to the line where the TSA employee was still arguing with the woman with groceries. I asked the lady running the conveyor if she could check my bag and explained about my daughter being epileptic and that I had her medicine in the bag. She said she could not check it that it had to go in order and that the guy was the only one who could check it. I walked over to another TSA employee who was standing near the man who was checking the bags. I explained about my daughter, me having her meds and her being on the plane. I asked her if she could check my bag and she said “Yes, but I’m not on the clock.” This really showed me the lack of empathy in much of society. The TSA lady who went to inform the gate of the situation came slowly walking back and said “I’m sorry but they have closed the gate and they are about to take off. I can’t help you.” This is when I began to panic. I explained to her that my daughter had never flown before and we weren’t sure how she’d react to a different altitude. That it could actually induce a seizure. As well, she had to have her seizure medication at certain times or else it would induce a seizure. She was due her next dose ar 12:30 and I had her medicine! I went on further to explain that I had her rescue medications which is what stops a seizure lasting over 3 minutes. I explained that she could die from not having the medication. She simply shrugged her shoulders and said “I’m sorry ma’am but they are about to take off and you need to calm down.” I began yelling “CALM DOWN?!?! I can’t calm down! This is an emergency! Please inform the pilot that there is a 6 year old epileptic child on their plane without her medication! She could DIE from not having her medicine!” She said “I can’t do that.” I said “Well get someone who can or get someone to tell my husband to get off the plane!” She said “there is nothing I can do.” There was another lady that looked at her and said “but this really seems like an urgent situation.” The lady who told me that the flight was about to take off responded to her by shaking her head no and saying “it’s really not.” There was 12 TSA employees…yes 12 who would not help me! I began YELLING so that everyone in that area could hear me and that I had an emergency. I pleaded with the man checking bags to please just check my bag. He said he couldn’t that he had to go in order. I was begging employees to help me and no one offered. My bag was next and I hollered at the TSA man “Just hand me her medications and throw my bag away because she NEEDS them!” I wasn’t concerned with any of my personal items at this point. He opened my bag and pulled the small bottle of apple juice that my daughter must have dropped in my bag by accident. I told him to throw it away and grabbed my bag and ran to the gate. I was yelling on my way to the gate making a HUGE scene! An airport employee told me to knock on the glass door at the gate because the flight attendant just walked off. I beat on the door, yelling for them that it was an emergency but got no response. I was frantic! I was pounding on the door with both fists and was screaming and crying…“Please don’t leave! My little girl needs her medicine!” No one came. Desperate doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. It was almost 12:00pm and an airport employee then directed me to go to the gate support desk just down from the gate. The gate supervisor had overheard me in TSA security hollering that I had an emergency that I had my epileptic daughters medication and that she was on the plane. They had already notified the flight attendants. They radioed the plane and the flight attendant calmly walked over and opened the door. She said “Were you the mother with the child’s epilepsy medication? I said “Yes ma’am” and she said “Welcome aboard!” I said “Thank you. I was afraid you guys were going to leave me.” She responded “No ma’am, I told the TSA lady that our plane was having an electronic malfunction and that you had time.” I walked on the plane and saw my daughter sitting with her Daddy. I was so distraught. They had no idea that I had her medicine. She didn’t know I had what she needed and what my heart just went through. Her big brown eyes just looked up at me and she smiled. “Why are you crying, Mommy?” I wiped my eyes and told her that I was just happy to see her. My husband asked what was wrong and I told him I was afraid they were going to leave me. I told him that I had all of our daughters medication in my bag they were checking. He said “Oh my gosh, I didn’t realize that or else we would’ve gotten off the plane!” I told him what the TSA lady had told me. He said “Well the flight attendant came over to me and told me that you had plenty of time because of the plane malfunction.”
I was shaking and nervous. I took my seat and situated my bags. Big, flowing tears were only a blink away. I bowed my head and began praying. I was thanking God for hearing my desperate plea to keep the plane on the ground and as clear as day He said “They think they are in charge but I’m really the one flying this plane. I always have been. The plane wasn’t leaving you. I’m still very much in charge of this world.” He continued “The desperation from the separation that you felt from being far from your child, I feel that every single day. I see my children go in the opposite direction that they need to and drift far away from me. And my heart breaks every day.” Those big, flowing tears streamed down my face. No doubt He heard my desperate cry. I felt a great sense of sadness like I had never felt before. How often does God feel like I did, trying to get 12 inattentive people to listen, to take heed but they all have an excuse not to help. Meanwhile, we are separated from Him and He is desperately trying to tell us that He has something that we need. Your lifeline, your spiritual medicine…His comfort, His strength, His healing. Yet we aren’t in tune with Him and hop a plane and travel 1,500 miles away. But He is always waiting on us. Patiently. I am here to attest on just how patient God really is. This happened in April 2019. I knew He wanted me to write for Him right then. And I knew this story needed to be told. But like the TSA employees I have excuses. We were remodeling, I was dealing with neurological issues, my brother died, my neuro issues got worse, I had a spinal fluid leak. I’m not enough. Someone will make fun of me. 10,000 excuses. I am so guilty. So, so guilty and truly don’t have one acceptable excuse. Not one! God equipped me to pick up my phone on the plane that day and type out my heart on my notepad and save it. But I didn’t. I waited. I’ll never know if this post would have helped someone else a year ago because I didn’t make it then. I waited. Just like the TSA employees, I ignored what I was supposed to be doing. I, too, was off the clock. I have been for a long time. But it’s time for me to get to work. I’m going to do what He asks, when He asks. I have entirely too much jet lag from hopping so many flights trying to escape Him and His plans for me. So here I am, pouring it all out for Him. For His glory.
