4510 grafts with Dr Hasson... Watch out for the airport trip!

[Bill - Seemiller]

Please Grow Please,

 

It's funny that you say that...because it actually made for a great discussion piece at the airport. The security guards I showed (male and female) were quite fascinated by the whole experience and some even asked for a closer look at my scalp. And you could tell they were genuinely interested and wanted to know how it worked. I'm sure even though they didn't have the problem, they knew plenty of bald guys the could pass the information onto :-)

 

Bill

[mc378]

In June of '08, I had a (very successful) transplant with Dr. Hasson (who is truly a gentleman, not to mention immensely talented). In the Vancouver airport, I was simply asked to remove my hat as I went through the metal detector. I was lucky...the agent screening me was nearly bald!!

 

I actually had more trouble going through Toronto on a fishing trip a few years back. The agent (who was female, although that's beside the point) kept asking where my fishing rods were. I kept telling her they were in my bag (they were in multiple parts, like most fishing rods that are flown on planes). Apparently, she expected to see me holding a fishing rod in my hand while I was going through customs...the thought of which reminded me of something that might have happened on the Andy Griffith Show.

[Leeson]

I was going to speak only in german. Act like I didn't understand "remove your bandana" (Ich verstehe kein englisch. Hier ist mein Pass(epsilon). Los, los, schnell!). Then I realized I was holding a U.S. passport and figured that might lead to further questioning and maybe, just maybe a complimentary strip search.

[Mane Attraction]

That's a pretty crazy experience, Eyerule!

 

In May I had my surgery done in Canada with Dr. Rahal. I traveled from Australia, so I had to pass through no less than 5 airports. At each and every one, the customs agents asked me to remove my baseball cap, and I simply said "I can't. I've had surgery and the head wear is protecting it." I also had Dr. Rahal write me a letter which I showed customs whenever they requested it as proof. When I told them about the hat protecting the surgery, they simply said "Oh, okay." And didn't inquire any further.

 

Furthermore, customs officers cannot make you remove a hat; they can only request that you do so. Nor can the forcibly remove it from you. I would have told them you'd just had surgery. If they still insisted to remove the hat, I'd have just said "Sorry, I'm not removing the hat." They have too many other people to process to dwell on just one person's head!

[Acrobaz]

Originally posted by Jotronic:

Dr. Hasson has asked that if you would not mind writing up a few paragraphs of your experience, along with the name of the officer (if you happen to remember it) we will forward your comments on to the proper authorities. Dr. Hasson will personally pursue and follow up with on this.

 

Jotronic - great patient care for taking this up. If Dr Hasson writes and gets a response, perhaps you could let us know?

[Drew35]

Originally posted by Mane Attraction:

That's a pretty crazy experience, Eyerule!

 

In May I had my surgery done in Canada with Dr. Rahal. I traveled from Australia, so I had to pass through no less than 5 airports. At each and every one, the customs agents asked me to remove my baseball cap, and I simply said "I can't. I've had surgery and the head wear is protecting it." I also had Dr. Rahal write me a letter which I showed customs whenever they requested it as proof. When I told them about the hat protecting the surgery, they simply said "Oh, okay." And didn't inquire any further.

 

Furthermore, customs officers cannot make you remove a hat; they can only request that you do so. Nor can the forcibly remove it from you. I would have told them you'd just had surgery. If they still insisted to remove the hat, I'd have just said "Sorry, I'm not removing the hat." They have too many other people to process to dwell on just one person's head!

 

 

I wasn't aware that they couldn't make you remove your hat.

 

Are you a lawyer? How do you know this?

 

 

I thought for sure when I left the bottled water, in my carry-on bag, they were going to tell me to take off my hat, but luckily they never did.

[Mane Attraction]

One of the customs officers at LAX told me this when I inquired (in advance) about how they'd handle someone wearing a hat or head covering from surgery.

 

The officer didn't really elaborate much, but gave the impression that unless they had a very good reason to search you, they wouldn't be able to make you remove the cap. I imagine something similar to a warrant might be required if they wanted to remove it by force? I'm not sure about that.

 

Like I mentioned, I got asked to remove my hat about 5 times by various customs officers. Every time, I politely declined the request and nothing more was said. They simply continued with the process.

[Drew35]

Originally posted by Mane Attraction:

One of the customs officers at LAX told me this when I inquired (in advance) about how they'd handle someone wearing a hat or head covering from surgery.

 

The officer didn't really elaborate much, but gave the impression that unless they had a very good reason to search you, they wouldn't be able to make you remove the cap. I imagine something similar to a warrant might be required if they wanted to remove it by force? I'm not sure about that.

 

Like I mentioned, I got asked to remove my hat about 5 times by various customs officers. Every time, I politely declined the request and nothing more was said. They simply continued with the process.

 

Thank You for sharing this information!

 

 

Great to know!

[Sere]

I just completed my operation with Dr Wong a day ago, and had a difficult time going through Vancouver(YVR) Security as well.

 

I understand that a patient who has just had 5000+ grafts done less than 24 hours ago is going to look slightly suspicious, but its a slight pain.

 

To be clear, I arrived 3.5 hours before my flight had to leave, since sitting in my hotel room was getting very boring. Customs was a breeze, explianed the sitation and they waived me along to the security check point. I get to security and they ask me to remove my hat, which I did very carefully. After seeing my head they ask me to step aside, I was searched a couple times, and asked to empty my bags and then re-searched. This was fine, I had time and they were being polite, but he asked me to remove my hat again, this was a third time. I told him that they had already had me remove it twice, and it was a little tender as I had just comleted surgury. Anyway I did one last time and that was it.

 

It was long and uncomfortable, but I guess understandable experience.

 

Not to totally side track the thread but I am experiencing a LOT of swelling. Its actually getting difficult to keep my left eye fully open. I know thats not normal, but is it cause for alarm? and is icing my head ok?

[Leeson]

Sere,

Go to Pablo's weblog under day 3.

[Mr. GQ]

seems to me that Vancouver folks are more feisty and edgy than anywhere else in NA.

and they say that us Torontonians are bad and rude people ttssssh.

but i guess it must be weather related somehow

[thanatopsis_awry]

Sorry to hear about the bad experience w/ customs, but it's over with, so.....the work looks truly excellent; I think you're in for a *tremendous* transformation that'l be well worth the wait and prior annoyance!

[FacelessMan]

That's an unfortunate story. I generally think that those working for TSA are professionals who care about doing their jobs...but once in a while there's the occasional power-tripping asshat with more authority than brains.

 

My marginally related story involves, not me, but a colleague of my wife's who was flying back to the States after a somewhat serious injury sustained in a bombing in Iraq. The asshat in question demanded that said colleague remove the bandage she had been wearing on her head, which as you can imagine was extremely painful. Insult to injury of the lowest order, considering that she was on the plane in the first place because she had been injured while working for her country.

 

All turned out well, and as far as I know the matter was taken care of...which I personally hope included the TSA officer spending the rest of his career cleaning up after the bomb sniffing dogs.

 

Benjamin

[alwayswaiting1]

I'm not looking forward to Friday morning.........

[Eyerule]

I think I am partially at fault since I should not have keep silent. I was determined not to draw attention to myself. Once he grabbed my head, I should have reacted immediately, but did not, which was a mistake. I stayed there and grimaced as he dug his hands across my head with those latex gloves. Initially, I was concerned about losing grafts but but once his thumbs hit my scar, I became more concerned about bleeding. Luckily, I did not get an infection. I did notice that it appeared that I was missing some grafts at the crown of my head on day 5 or 6 but don't know if was related to the incident or just part of the normal process.

 

I suppose the moral of this experience is to take control of what will happen to you as you move through security. Make it clear to the agent that you have had surgery and don't remain silent if they do choose to inspect you. What happened to me could have happened to anyone at any airport in the world but I consider easily worth the risk. Especially if you take the proper precautions.

 

Either way, I will be following up with Jotronic and HW on this one.

[Reverse the Curse]

i had my ht in 05 & customs was a breeze. i was asked to take off my hat & i explained i just had surgery. i raised the front of my cap about 6" leaving the back still on. she looked & waved me through without taking it off completely. no one behind me was the wiser. piece of cake.

 

good luck the rest of the way.

rtc

[Guest comb]

I remember that when I went through security at Vancouver airport , they checked me as a part of a random selection. The officer asked me if I have any injuries or sensitive parts on my body before searching me and I replied my head without explaining further. He did not touch my head.

 

I guess it all matters on who you get, but I would say that obviously you should let them know beforehand if they ask you to remove your hat.

[PLEASE GROW PLEASE]

I would let they know everything because they can be HUGE pricks and really embarrass you .

Just avoid wearing a hat there because taking a hat off quickly sucks after a transplant

[alwayswaiting1]

Just got home and Vancouver security was a breeze. I took off everything that could possible beep, shoes, belt, watch, everything. Walked right through, the lady looked at my ridiculously huge hat but I didn't beep so she didn't say anything. They looked nice people so what comb said is probably the best thing to do. If they do randomly search you just tell em the truth.