This afternoon I went to the airport to pick up my dear mummy for a mother’s day weekend with the Sydney family members, and I saw the gigantic queue of people at security with their trays of laptops, bags and grumpy impatient faces. This is when I can use my epilepsy to my advantage.
I have a device implanted into my upper left chest called a vagus nerve simulator. This is designed to prevent seizures by sending regular, mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain via the vagus nerve. These pulses are supplied by a device something like a pacemaker.
So at airport security I have to inform them I have one of these – and the moment I do that I rarely get past pointing to my chest and saying “I have a….” and they assume I’m going to say pacemaker, so they take my bag and shoes, take me to the front of the queue, take me through a gate and pat me down rather than go through the security ‘archway’. And today, with so many people, it was hilarious, because so many of them were obviously pissed off when I marched right past them.
So if you ever think you’re going to miss your flight and there’s a huge queue, just put on an innocent face and pat your chest! 🙂
my-epilepsy 
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