A Comedy of Errors...

Flying as an amputee is always a challenge. Flying with a toddler can be nerve wracking. What happens when you are an amputee Mommy flying with an active and grumpy three year old? I'm not sure they make enough Lexapro to make that trip easy!

Going through security is always an adventure as an amputee. Because of the prosthetic, I set off the metal detector, necessitating the dreaded pat down. I have come to anticipate this, and, unfortunately, so has my husband. We flew to Ohio yesterday, and I wanted to share our experience.

Robby is at a very clingy stage, and to say that he is resistant to separating from me is an understatement. As I am led to the screening, he is in his Daddy's arms, screaming. Sitting in the plexiglass room, waiting for my screening, I was helpless as I was watching the comedy of errors unfold before my eyes.

Scott struggled to put the computer, laptop bag, the cord for my leg, the diaper bag, the stroller, the car seat, my purse, his shoes, Robby's shoes, and all of the contents of his pockets on the conveyor belt. He then held onto Robby and proceeded through the metal detector. The metal detector is apparently scary when you are three, because Robby started to scream and fight his Daddy.

When they were through the metal detector, Scott put down Robby so that he could open the stroller. He struggled with this, because this is usually done by me. Robby, pleased to be free, took off running through the security area, in his socks.

The stroller was finally opened, and Scott was able to catch Robby. Robby was put in the stroller. Unfortunately, Scott forgot to buckle him in. As Scott turned to gather our belongings and puts his own shoes on, Robby crawled out of the stroller and took off running again, screaming "weeeeee." The stroller, no longer balanced, tipped under the weight of the diaper bag that was put on the handle.

Leaving the stroller on its side, he chased after Robby. After an invigorating game of "catch me if you can" Robby was finally caught. He was carried back to the stroller. Scott struggled to upright the stroller while keeping a wiggling and screaming three year old tucked under his arm. Finally, Robby was put back into the stroller, and this time he was buckled.

Only after all of our belongings were safely claimed and Robby was sitting in his stroller was I finished with my screening. Scott muttered that he hates going through security, and offered little empathy for my pat down. On the bright side, we have two days until we get to repeat the whole process!