A nut allergy is not a hassle. It’s a killer
The case of a woman who had to leave a Qantas flight because a satay dish was on the menu has outraged many – but Andrea Macleod says the general public has much to learn about how deadly allergies can be.
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Should airlines be more considerate of those with life threatening allergies?
I have a different question. When did we become a world that places the value of an individual life below eating a type of food?
Will anyone die if they are not served their satay or bag of nuts? Please come forward if this is the case.
Having suffered this allergy for much of my life, I understand the pain and tears of Courtney Ward, the Melbourne woman who was escorted off a Qantas plane after discovering a satay dish was on the in-flight menu, despite previously being assured by the airline that no nuts would be served.
I suffer from nut allergy and airborne anaphylaxis too.
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I am the first to say there is little research into the condition and given people only started to “believe” in nut allergies in the past decade, I gather it will be a while until we understand much more.
What I do know is that it can kill me.
I also know one thing that never seems to change is the desire of people to attack those who suffer this disability and tell them they are selfish to ask for adjustments to the norm.
Adjustments so they can enjoy the same things as everyone else. Because it’s not like we don’t already make enormous adjustments. Wipe the surface when you do go out, don’t shake hands until you check the person hasn’t just eaten nuts, call ahead to make sure the meeting room is safe from nuts and that the people attending haven’t just eaten nuts. Ask people not to eat nuts or serve nuts at a party. And still things go wrong even when you do that or you just don’t get to go anywhere.
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Then there is the continued disbelief from others that you could die because of something in the air and the ongoing despair when people tell you “you are a minority” or “the majority shouldn’t have to compromise for you”. But life is full of compromises and this is one that could save a life.
So why the vile attacks?
“Sorry nut allergy, the world doesn’t revolve around you’ said Kat Zacklova on Facebook. “Don’t fly” said another.
But why should that be my outcome?
“Don’t eat the food!” said someone else. It’s not about eating the food, it’s about the air. I don’t eat on flights ever. But what I fear, taking my life in my own hands by boarding a flight, is that someone will open a Picnic or a nut box or anything else that will trigger my anaphylaxis.
No one, I believe, is asking the world to revolve around us but I think those who find themselves in this place (or any other medical condition that people don’t fully understand), are asking for compassion and understanding.
It’s about changing, for one flight, for one event, for a period of time, what you eat (because you are lucky enough to be able to do so) and don’t eat nuts.
It’s about the world saying, for a moment, for an hour, even for seven hours or 24 hours, I can do something that means another person can have an experience that they otherwise could not.
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So thank you to the organiser of my daughter’s high school graduation who has gone out of her way to organise with the catering staff a meal that I can eat and a safe environment where I know I can be there for my daughter’s special event.
And to Kali Burrows (The Courier Mail Facebook) for your understanding. Kali said: “If it is life threatening take the food off the list. Why risk somebody’s life for food. It just isn’t worth it. I would happily eat whatever other food if it meant that someone survived an otherwise life threatening situation that day. It really isn’t that hard.”
Originally published as A nut allergy is not a hassle. It’s a killer