No nuts please, they'll kill me
As part of Allergy Awareness Week 2009 I decided to write a piece about my frustration at dealing with some industries over my allergy to nuts. My wife Ann also wanted to write about living with someone with a food allergy. Both articles appeared in The Courier-Mail and were distributed to members of Anaphylaxis Australia.
Indifference to food threat enough to drive you nuts
By Michael Lund
May 2009
"I'm a vegetarian with no nuts," I cried at the airline steward and most of the passengers on a commercial flight above the Alps, in Europe.
Not the best explanation of my allergy to certain food but it certainly attracted attention.
Living with a food allergy has its moments. I've been seconds from death after eating a restaurant dessert that I didn't know contained nuts, so I tend to be extra careful when eating food made and served by others.
When dining out I always tell restaurant staff about my nut allergy; I tell friends when invited over for dinner; and I especially tell airlines when travelling and request a vegetarian meal without nuts.
On this particular flight over Europe, all the meals had been fine until they served the yoghurt. It was one of a four-pack and the packaging had no image on it to indicate its flavour. My wife Ann, however, had another quarter with an image of what looked like a hazelnut.
One of the airlines stewards obviously spied our concerns. "It's OK, it's vegetarian," he said.
I explained we were more concerned about nuts in the yoghurt and he kept stressing the vegetarian content, hence my embarrassing outburst.
There must be something about the airline industry, though, that doesn't get the nut allergy thing.
Take the phone call from an airline the day before a long-booked flight from Australia to New Zealand. "Mr Lund, you have stated you have an allergy to nuts on your booking," said the female voice. "Is your condition life-threatening?"
"What do you mean," I asked.
Many things can be life threatening, including the taxi ride to the airport, and I was suspicious the airline was looking to (a) discover some extra charge I had to pay, or (b) exclude me from the flight.
Some people have a severe allergic reaction if they are in the same room (or aircraft) as a nut. Others, like me, only have a reaction if any nuts are eaten. All I was requesting, I said, was a vegetarian meal that did not contain actual nuts.
"Could you get a letter from a doctor saying your allergy is not life-threatening?" she asked.
"Could you guarantee the aircraft won't crash?" I replied.
"Don't be silly," she said.
"You started it," I replied.
If you think the airlines are bad, some restaurants are even worse.
Only last weekend at one Brisbane restaurant I explained I had an allergy to nuts, so please tell me if I order anything with nuts. No problem, said the staff, who then duly served me a meal full of cashew nuts.
Some are good and do declare known allergens on menus. The rest need a kick up the backside, or maybe a near-death experience, so they get the message.
I refuse to give in and still dine out, now with adrenalin EpiPen close to hand. Ann and I have become experts at grilling any restaurant or catering staff when checking meals for any nut ingredients.
Now when we get the shrugged shoulders, the "I'm not sure", the "Why, what will happen?" the response is simple and direct.
"Because I will die," I say.
That usually gets results. But then, there was the weekend incident . . .
Living with a food allergy can drive you nuts
By Ann Lund
May 2009
Unless you live with someone who has a serious food allergy it is really hard to fully comprehend how difficult it can be for all involved.
I can't just shop for whatever food I want - everything has to be checked.
Almost every product you buy now has the get-out-clause "may contain traces of nuts". Even packets of peanuts - I kid you not.
Traces are not usually a problem in Michael's case but we do have to scan all the ingredients to make sure there are no actual nuts listed.
But even then that's no guarantee as he's reacted to a number of foods where no nuts are listed.
Every time you order food you have to ask the same question, "Does it contain nuts?", and quite often you're greeted with a blank face, a "I'm not sure" or a shrug of the shoulders.
Every time we eat out Michael has to start by saying: "I have an allergy to nuts so please advise me if I order anything that I shouldn't."
Probably the worst example was Michael's 40th birthday meal.
I had booked a table at a very nice restaurant in the city and, as a surprise, I wanted to order him a cake.
I spoke with the restaurant who were very helpful and advised me to just clearly indicate on an order form that no nuts must be included.
I did as advised: "Please NO NUTS at all."
I sent the form back to the restaurant and soon afterwards received a phone call.
"Because we buy in our cakes from a caterer we cannot guarantee that it won't be made on equipment where nuts may have been used," they said.
I advised that that was fine as traces of nuts were not usually a problem, just as long as no actual nuts were used on - or in - the cake. They assured me that would be fine.
We had a lovely meal - as always Michael began the evening by advising the waiter of his allergy and the waiter duly helped him steer clear of ordering anything that could possibly contain nuts.
We had several other conversations as the meal approached and again I was reassured no nuts would be used.
Killer Birthday Cake.
And then came the surprise cake - beautifully decorated - 'Happy 40th Birthday Michael' written on the top, and it even had sparklers!
Photos were taken and then a voice said: "Erm - aren't they nuts?"
All around the edge of the cake was decorated with a sprinkling of crushed nuts.
The waiter was called over, the manager fetched - the apologies long and gushing.
The outcome was that we got the whole meal for free - which Michael says as far as he's concerned as a Yorkshireman - was great.
But sadly, Michael didn't get to have his cake and eat it.
