on air diary...
Don't Stop Believing!
posted by Lee McKenzie on 18/11/2011
When I first suffered an anaphylactic shock, my main concern was that it would prevent me from travelling abroad – not because I am a travel junkie but because that is how I earn my living.
I work in Formula One as a presenter and pit lane reporter for the BBC and travel over 300 thousand miles a year - the equivalent of 5 times round the world. At the time of my first shock I was working in another motorsport series that took me to wilder places such as Indonesia, Borneo and South America. The thought of getting ill in many of these countries, well it wasn't worth thinking about.
I have grown quite fond of my first anaphylactic shock story and it has become folklore in F1 and involves F1 drivers, the most exclusive nightclub in the world and plenty of drama! I was in Monaco for the race in 2007 (told you it was a good one!) and on the Saturday evening before the Grand Prix I popped to my favourite restaurant. Since I was a child
I never ate Shellfish and just had it in my head that I really disliked it. Earlier that day in BMW hospitality a king prawn arrived perched on top of my salad and instead of being a “baby” I decided to eat him and be grown up. I actually enjoyed it so when I saw King Prawns on the menu in the restaurant at night, my friend and I both ordered them.
After that we were heading to Amber Lounge – an exclusive nightclub which is open for just 3 nights of the year in Monaco. By the time I got there I felt quite “itchy” on my wrists and arms but I am quite an allergic person so I just ignored it all. About 10 minutes later I was dizzy, unable to speak or feel my lips. I was going to try and walk back to my hotel near Casino Square and get some antihistamine but it soon became very obvious I would not make it.
My friend ran out on to the road – stopped a slightly bewildered old man and put me in his car. He dropped us not at the hospital but the police station – probably out of fear! The police organised an ambulance and then we were on our way. By this point though the details are sketchy as I was not really with-it; I do know that I couldn’t talk and my friend can’t speak any other languages so I could not say in either French or Italian that I had eaten shellfish. We called on our friend ex F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr who has lived in Monaco all his life. He reassured me that he had told the ambulance men everything - it transpired that he could not remember the word for prawn so described it as an “orange half-moon shape with a head and legs”. Great work Nelson!
A night in hospital, some prescriptions which I had no idea what it was and a week later I started to feel more normal. That though was a major turning point in my life.
After several tests back in the UK I got organised for everything that might need to make my constant travel smoother. I have a certificate to show at airports that I need to carry epi-pens – the only trouble I ever have with them is in Hong Kong. Before I embarked on my Asian travels later that year I did plenty of research , especially as they even cook most vegetables in shrimp oil. I have a number of epi-pens and carry translation cards from the yellow cross.
I am actually writing this in Malaysia and beside me amongst sun tan lotion, lip gloss and phones are my cards and epi-pen. I haven’t been too adventurous with the food which is a shame but it is better to be safe! So when the BBC head to the local “car park” tonight to have their noodles and rice, I probably will have had room service and just go there for the local atmosphere.
The only place I really struggled last year out of 17 F1 races was Japan – it just stumped me and I did get quite down about it all – just not being able to eat with the others and I lived on a diet of instant noodles but it was the first time that has happened. China, Singapore, Brazil, Europe – everything else is fine. Although I do head to Korea later in the year – that too might involve a case full of muesli bars and pot noodles!
Anaphylactic shocks have left me with a few stomach complications but again I can manage it all quite well – it is just about knowing my limits and triggers and about being sensible! I avoid eating in sushi restaurants and some fish places abroad – just in case of cross-contamination.
My friends and colleagues are great at looking out for me although my boss gets very excited about the prospect of “stabbing me with my pen and saving my life”! My ambition is not to let that happen and to deprive him of his fun!
What I am trying to say is that despite my early fears, anaphylaxis needn’t be debilitating or curtail your life. I am extremely lucky, have a wonderful job, see the world, work in a glamorous world and I challenge any prawn to try and stop me!