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New Zealand Herald - Airline's medicine ban leaves passenger in coma - Wednesday 01, November 2006 01:44.00 AM
Airline's medicine ban leaves passenger in coma
Wednesday November 1, 2006
By James Ihaka
A diabetic man fell into a coma because airport staff refused to let him take his insulin on board a flight from Auckland to Christchurch.
Qantas yesterday apologised to Tui Peter Russell, who had a severe attack on the plane and was in hospital for two weeks.
Mr Russell said check-in staff at Auckland Airport told him he could not take his medication on board because it was dangerous.
The 43-year-old Glen Innes chef said he had flown many times with Qantas and had never had problems taking his medicine on board.
The medication was clearly labelled, he said.
"They thought I would hurt somebody, but I was only flying to Christchurch, not LA," said Mr Russell.
He started feeling ill during the flight last month and called a flight attendant.
"They asked where the insulin was, and they weren't very happy when they found out I wasn't allowed to bring it on board."
Mr Russell praised cabin crew who tried to keep him conscious and gave him oxygen until they arrived in Christchurch.
But he fell into a coma shortly before the aircraft landed and spent two weeks in Christchurch Hospital.
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The only way to manage diabetes is to CURE it... Diabetes since December, 1983 Meds: Humalog/Pump since 1998, Synthroid 88mcg, Zetia 10mg, Altace 10mg, Prevacid 30mg, Benfotiamine 600mg, 1-a-day multivitamin, Aspirin 325 mg, Garlic-geltab 4,000mg, methylcel. fiber therapy 2,000mg(for cholesterol) So, what's in your lunchbox?
Funding JDRF to get rid of diabetes is like funding the Mafia to get rid of organized crime
