Seize Your Adventure

Adventurer. Soldier. Author. Jordan Wylie is known for his challenges at the extreme end of the adventure spectrum. Described by Sir Ranulph Fiennes as “A determined, fearless adventurer and an inspiring man”, Jordan has run races in Iraq, Afghansistan and Somalia, he has written a book about his time tackling pirates off the coast of Africa, and he has hiked Kilimajaro... barefoot. But Jordan is also known for his passion for helping others in his role as an ambassador, trustee and campaigner for various international charities, including Frontline Children and Epilepsy Action. He was diagnosed with epilepsy himself after he contracted dengue fever whilst in Djibouti. But rather than letting it slow him down, Jordan took on the role of an epilepsy ambassador, and continues to push the boundaries of extreme adventure. We talked about:

• His most difficult challenge so far
• How he was diagnosed with epilepsy
• What an Extreme Adventurer does when they’re not adventuring -
• Who makes him starstruck
• His must-visit travel destinations
• How to limit epilepsy risk
• Swimming with crocodiles!
• And more...

Donate to Rowing Dangerously: https://www.givepenny.com/rowingdangerously

Follow the Rowing Dangerously Challenge on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RowDangerously

Find out more about Jordan: https://www.jordanwylie.org/

Jordan’s Recommendations:

Declassified Podcast

Citadel by Jordan Wylie

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Find out more and sign up at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This podcast is an independent production - costs of the show are covered by me (Fran) with the support of patrons. If you want to help support the show financially, head to patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. This will help me to continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure.
Or, support the show for free by sharing it on socials! Find us on Instagram @seizeyouradventurepod.
Seize Your Adventure is part of the Tremula Network - adventure and outdoor podcasts off the beaten track. To find out more, head to tremula.network

We’ve heard from people with epilepsy how they seize adventure. Now it’s time to put some adventurers on the spot. I talk to three people who work within the adventure field to find out what they know about epilepsy, what they don’t, and how we can get more people with epilepsy in adventure.
We mention:

-These three adventure professionals’ first aid and epilepsy experience

-How they handle risk assessments

-The different types of seizure

-Basic epilepsy first aid

-How to encourage people with epilepsy to take part in adventure

-What adventure means to them

-Where to go to learn more about epilepsy

THE ADVENTURERS:

Jago Hartland (Outdoor Pursuits Guide)

David Willis (Bushcraft Instructor)

Nicki Bass (Resilience Consultant)

LEARN ABOUT EPILEPSY:

https://seizeyouradventure.com/learn-about-epilepsy/

This podcast is an independent production - costs of the show are covered by me (Fran) with the support of patrons. If you want to help support the show financially, head to patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. This will help me to continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure.
Or, support the show for free by sharing it on socials! Find us on Instagram @seizeyouradventurepod.
Seize Your Adventure is part of the Tremula Network - adventure and outdoor podcasts off the beaten track. To find out more, head to tremula.network

For Jake Quigley, adventure is more than just a past time, or even a passion. Adventure is a lifestyle, and one he built up around his epilepsy. Jake was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was eleven years old. Rather than being scared by the condition, those around him encouraged and supported Jake to try adventurous things. But having carved out his adventure lifestyle, Jake’s seizures began to evolve when he was an adult, and they started to impact on his quality of life. Eventually, medication wasn’t working, and Jake was left with one last option. Brain surgery.
TERMINOLOGY

Medically refractory epilepsy - Epilepsy that is never fully controlled by medication. Generalised seizure - a seizure that affects the entire brain
Focal point - A place in the brain the seizure starts
Grand mal - a generalised seizure where a person loses consciousness and convulses. Also known as a tonic-clonic (more modern term).

More about Outdoor Mindset: https://www.outdoormindset.org/

MUSIC:

Groovy Guitar - LOOP by joshuaempyre | License: Attribution
Extract of "wrapped in dreams" by Frankum & Frankumjay | License: Creative Commons.
Lonely Lake by Kev Rowe | License: Creative Commons
git2016_4.WAV by Hoerspielwerkstatt_HEF | License: Attribution
BR_094_Himalaya_Buddhistmonks.mp3 by kevp888 | License: Attribution
Groovy Guitar 2 - LOOP.wav by joshuaempyre | License: Attribution
Explosion and Ski sound effects from Zapsplat | License: Creative Commons

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT AT seizeyouradventure.com/transcripts

This podcast is an independent production - costs of the show are covered by me (Fran) with the support of patrons. If you want to help support the show financially, head to patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. This will help me to continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure.
Or, support the show for free by sharing it on socials! Find us on Instagram @seizeyouradventurepod.
Seize Your Adventure is part of the Tremula Network - adventure and outdoor podcasts off the beaten track. To find out more, head to tremula.network

I get a lot of people contacting me. People who have adventurous souls and lived and breathed their sports before they started having seizures and were diagnosed with epilepsy. And the question I get asked most by people in this situation is “can I do this sport with epilepsy?”.

And no matter what the sport is, my answer always has to be the same: “I cannot say”.

I talk about a very valuable resource from the International League Against Epilepsy or ILAE that was recently shared with with. And I wish that I’d known about this sooner because it’s two tables that clearly lay out some guidelines for taking part in sports with epilepsy.

One table is labelled ‘Seizure risk level in sport’

The second table is labelled ‘Recommended sport participation by seizure’.

Listen to me talk about some of the sports on these tables, and advice on doing sports with epilepsy by the ILAE.

You can find the tables by ILAE here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/epi.13261

DISCLAIMER: All information presented in this podcast is for your information. I have not contributed to the classing of sports. I take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions. Risks will be different based on the sport and individual. Always speak to your neurology team.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST:

Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Find out more and sign up at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.

TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE at seizeyouradventure.com/transcripts

FOLLOW SEIZE YOUR ADVENTURE:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SYAdventurers/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/syadventurers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syadventurers/

And tag when you listen, share, subscribe!

Get bonus content on Patreon

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This podcast is an independent production - costs of the show are covered by me (Fran) with the support of patrons. If you want to help support the show financially, head to patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. This will help me to continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure.
Or, support the show for free by sharing it on socials! Find us on Instagram @seizeyouradventurepod.
Seize Your Adventure is part of the Tremula Network - adventure and outdoor podcasts off the beaten track. To find out more, head to tremula.network

This is the second Articles episode!

Martin had his first tonic-clonic seizure when he was 10 years old, whilst playing a recorder in a music lesson. Since then, he has lived with epilepsy and seizures. In secondary school, he was told he could not go on a ski-trip because of this epilepsy - not once but twice.

But when Martin left school, a friend at work suggested that they should start travelling together. Now he had a travel-buddy, Martin could travel safely with epilepsy, and they went to Australia, Iceland and more. And Martin was excited to book a trip together to his dream destination - America!

But when his travel companion had to drop out of the trip, Martin had to decide - could he travel alone with epilepsy?

This article first appeared on Martin's blog:

https://epilepsytraveller.home.blog/

Frankie and I discuss the story from 9:25mins:

Fran and Frankie catch up and discuss the article

What they loved about the article

Admitting when something is difficult

Martin's great advice for travelling with epilepsy

How lovely Martin's friendship with his colleague was

Why encouragement from others makes all the difference

Why it's nice to hear a longer story from an Instagram persona!

How Fran has improved her epilepsy routine over the years

I had also had a short chat with Martin about his adventures with epilepsy, and travelling to American alone . The Q&A will be out in 2 week's time.

Follow Martin on Instagram @EpilepsyTraveller

https://www.instagram.com/epilepsytraveller/

Disclaimer: All stories on Seize Your Adventure are personal experience. We take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions.

MUSIC:

Kev Rowe on Soundcloud| Creative Commons Attribution License
Additional sounds from Zapsplat

THE FULL TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE:

https://www.seizeyouradventure.com/transcripts

This podcast is an independent production - costs of the show are covered by me (Fran) with the support of patrons. If you want to help support the show financially, head to patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. This will help me to continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure.
Or, support the show for free by sharing it on socials! Find us on Instagram @seizeyouradventurepod.
Seize Your Adventure is part of the Tremula Network - adventure and outdoor podcasts off the beaten track. To find out more, head to tremula.network