I'v delved deep into the archives for this one! Back 2019, I had a taster session with Archery Fit as part of my 30 at 30 challenge. During the session, I learned the basics of using a bow, and afterwards I sat down with the co-owner, Roman. We had a little chat about archery, and in particular how it’s a very accessible sport for people with conditions such as epilepsy.FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ARCHERY FIThttps://archeryfit.com/SUPPORT SEIZE YOUR ADVENTURE:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for £5 a month to help fuel me with a bit of coffee! Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure.  Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A short conversation at Archery Fit

26th March is Purple Day! The international day of epilpesy awareness when people raise awareness of what it's like to live with epilepsy.Seize Your Adventure is already dedicated to raising awareness of how peole live iwth epilepsy and enjoy adventures and outdoor living. A lot of work goes into the podcast - and a lot gets taken out! Here's your chance to hear a few outtakes from the show.First published on Patreon in July 2020.Contains a few beeped expletives. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's Purple Day! Here's some stuff from the cutting room floor

Hello Adventurers! And I can't quite believe it but it has been 3 years since I launched the Seize Your Adventure podcast. Who knew that a podcast about epilepsy in adventure sports would have such longevity? And whilst I have been abandoning you all ever so slightly, I wanted to mark this 3-year anniversary with something a little bit special. And so, I have decided to start releasing the Patreon episodes to the public.Over the next few weeks, you'll be getting new episodes on this feed only heard by a select few until now.We're starting with Outdoor Mindset Conversations.When I created the Outdoor Mindset episode of Season 1, I conducted several interviews and had many conversations. As always, they were fascinating and we could have talked for days. But I only had a half hour episode to tell that story, and many conversations were edited to short soundbites.This bonus episode brings you some of those conversations. Only lightly edited, you get to hear the interviews with Kalyn Lepre, Kyle Martin, and Jeanie Ringelberg-Quigley. Plus, the full audio that OM Ambassador Jeanie Sroka sent me.And after listening, you can head back and re-listen to the Outdoor Mindset episode, to see if you can spot what made it into the final piece!Head to https://www.outdoormindset.org/ to learn more about the organisation.Thank you for you continued support.Safe Adventures x Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Outdoor Mindset Conversations

Hello Adventurers! Seize Your Adventure has been quite, I know. But there is a good reason for that...Introducing, my new podcast: On The Outside.We need to talk about the outdoors. Not just the epic stories, but the important news, the big events and the social issues that permeate the whole of the outdoors. This show is for anyone who spends their time outdoors in the UK and wants to engage in the wider outdoor community. Each episode, a diverse panel of enthusiasts and experts from a range of outdoors sports discuss the news stories that matter to them. We'll look at everything from specific sports news, to headline stories about our countryside and environment, and the viral posts that capture outdoors culture - all in a jargon and judgement free way! If you want to talk about what's going on outside, search On The Outside now wherever you're listening to this, and make sure you sign up to the newsletter ontheoutsidepodcast.co.uk/newsletterSafe adventures x Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Introducing: On The Outside

Back in June, I had the honour of being invited on to PODCASTER for a slightly different type of interview... Hosted by V, the Voice of Pod, podcast hosts take a seat in the Podcaster chair, to answer random questions about life and the podcast they have created.I've done a few interviews now - this was one of the most fun and soul-searching! Do go check them out:Follow Podcaster:Twitter: https://twitter.com/PodcasterPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcasterpod/Produced by The Chancer Collectivehttp://thechancercollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_chancer_collective/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChancerCollect Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

PODCASTER x Seize Your Adventure

Over the years I have written many articles about adventuring with epilepsy. I wanted to share this one with you because it does not focus on the epilepsy side of things, but rather it was a nice reminder of what adventure can bring to you. How do you have small adventures? Can you have an adventure close to home? And after years of asking other people what adventure means to them, I try to answer the questions 'what is adventure?' in this article.Do you agree? How do you have an adventure? Do adventures have to be big? These are the types of questions I have tried to answer!Frankie and I discuss the story from 5:20mins:- Where the idea for this article can from- The writing and (lack of) editing process- How the small adventure mindset prepared me for lockdown adventures- Interestingly found new places during lockdown!- Reframing what adventure means- Shared family experiences in Wales- The privilege of being introduced to the outdoors as a child- Frankie's small Ikea adventure!- Adventures with dogs- Plans for a return to Wales this month...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. SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s  less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus episodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:Kev Rowe on Soundcloud| Creative Commons Attribution LicenseAdditional sounds from Zapsplat  Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fran: Advocating For Adventure in the Everyday

This short Q&A with Martin follows on from the Article he read for us at the start of the month. We talked about the types of adventurous activities Martin likes to do, what he would say to someone else who has an epilepsy diagnosis, and - of course - what adventure means to him! Listen to Martin's Article:https://www.seizeyouradventure.com/post/s3-e3-martin-venturing-out-alone Find out more about Martin:https://epilepsytraveller.home.blog/ Follow Martin on Instagram @EpilepsyTravellerhttps://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. SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s  less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus episodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.READ THE Q&A WRITE-UP ON THE WEBSITEhttps://www.seizeyouradventure.com/post/a-q-a-with-martin-hossell  Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Q&A with Martin Hossell

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 yearsI 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. But if you're a $10 Patron, you can listen early over on the Patron-only feed!Follow Martin on Instagram @EpilepsyTravellerhttps://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.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s  less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus episodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:Kev Rowe on Soundcloud| Creative Commons Attribution LicenseAdditional sounds from Zapsplat  THE FULL TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE:https://www.seizeyouradventure.com/transcripts Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for pri

Martin: Venturing Out Alone

Episode 2 follows on from Cameron's Article - Learning from Surfing with Epilepsy. Those of you who are very attentive to the Seize Your Adventure feed might well recognise this episode. Due to an issue with my hosting, my Patron-only episodes suddenly went public for a bit - including this Q&A! And I saw many of you downloading it, I started thinking about my offering for Season 3. After speaking to my Patrons, I've decided to make all the Q&As public. Here is the Q&A that I had with Cameron back in December 2020. We talked about surfing, snowboarding, holding on to hope in tough times, and how adventure can be having the confidence to stay safe.You can read the blog version of this Q&A on the website:https://www.seizeyouradventure.com/post/a-q-a-with-cameron-schwartzkopf$10 Patrons will still get early access to all Q&As, as well as the Patron newsletter. There is also a new miniseries for Patrons about my Race To The Stones experience in 2019.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s  less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus minisodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.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. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Q&A with Cameron Schwartzkopf

Welcome to the first The Articles episode!Is surfing with epilepsy dangerous? What happens if you have a seizure in the water? This is something we hear about in Cameron's story. CW: Cameron goes into detail on the consequences of having a seizure in water whilst he's surfing. So please bear in mind that some of the content and descriptions might be upsetting. Frankie and I discuss the story from 9:30mins.-Fran and Frankie catch up and discuss the article-The article resonates with and is very important to Frankie due to her background surfing with epilepsy and similar experiences of dealing with seizures in the water-Fran and Frankie discuss the slightly traumatic nature of the article and how Cameron acknowledges any mistakes he made leading up to the incident-Frankie comments that she would have liked more detail on how Cameron mitigates the risk and impact of this reoccurring-Fran discusses the importance of handling this article delicately due to its intensity.I had also had a short chat with Cameron about his adventures with epilepsy. There will be a blog post of my Q&A on the website next week, but If you're a $10 Patron, you can listen to Cameron himself over on the Patron-only feed now!The full transcript of this episode is available now:https://www.seizeyouradventure.com/post/the-articles-learning-from-surfing-with-epilepsy-full-transcript Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cameron: Learning from Surfing with Epilepsy

Introducing: The ArticlesFRAN: You’re listening to The Articles from Seize Your Adventure.[Sound of waves breaking]Season 3 of SYA is going to sound a little bit different. The articles are simple stories taken from across the internet and read by the person that wrote them.[Wave sound increases]CAMERON: I remember the first time the instructor said I was ready to paddle into a wave unassisted. I’ll be honest, it took a while to get into one. But when I did, I realised I was partnering with the power of Mother Nature. I was drawing lines in the waves, creating new feelings, It was beautiful.[Waves end]FRAN: ...and then after you’ve heard the story, Frankie and I will discuss it, talking about what we liked, what we learned and what we take away from each article.FRANKIE: I think this article is beautifully written. But I think it resonates a lot with me because he manages to vocalise a very similar experience to myself in a way that I never could…FRAN: For Patrons there’s going to be some bonus content every month, and you’ll get to hear a Q&A with the writer of the story.CAMERON: I mean of course getting outside is what we really like to do, but we all know that that’s not everything that life holds.FRAN: This is our way of sharing some more stories with you. Hopefully, this new way will still encourage you to go and seize your adventure. So make sure you are subscribed or you are following the podcast. And until next time, safe adventures everyone.Wave sound from Zapsplat.com Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Introducing: The Articles

Surprise episode for your audio feed! This bonus episode has come from the Patreon feed. I wanted you all to listen to this one today, not only as a bit of encouragement to head over to patreon.com/seizeyouradventure if you are missing the podcast... but also because it shares some information on what Season 3 of the podcast is going to sound like.For December's Patron episode, I waited until January so that I could share my New Year's Day walk. Listen to me ramble as I ramble about the year just gone - the 30 at 30 challenge, the type of lockdown adventures I will remember, and how my listeners and Patrons have helped me this year.If you can't support the show financially, I understand! Please do support it by sharing it, subscribing and reviewing the podcast. It really helps to boost the show in podcast apps, and get stories of epilepsy in adventure into the mainstream.Thank you for continuing to support the podcast in any way you can (and apologies for the slightly bad audio!).Safe adventures x Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fran Rambles | Patreon Taster

"How would you feel if you had a seizure again? Could you emotionally and mentally handle it? Would it feel like everything was falling apart? Would epilepsy have control?”WARNING: This episode contains a graphic descriptions and creative depiction of what it feels like to Jade when she has a seizure.For 2 years, this podcast has been sharing stories from adventurous people with epilepsy. And making this podcast has taken my life in a direction I never thought about. I have learned to make a number of different types of episode on this show. This series, we’ve had a lot more chats with new adventurers - and these chats are so much fun to have. But, my favourite episodes to make, have to be the storytelling episodes. They are very labour intensive, they can take months to write, record and edit together, pick the right music and making sure the narration fits into the rhythm of that music.So, we haven’t had a storytelling episode in Season 2. But, I’m very happy to be able to bring you this bonus by Jade Nelson.Jade approached me with this story at the end of 2019… so for one reason and another, it has taken a year to pull it together. But this story is meaningful now as it was when it was written. And at a time when many are confined by circumstance to adventures closer to home, there are some great lessons for us to hear as well.Disclaimer: All stories are personal experience. We take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s  less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus episodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:-Guitar Drone by Toilet Roll Tube | Attribution non-commercial license.-Groovy Guitar – LOOP by joshuaempyre | License: Attribution-Dandelion.mp3 by TexasMusicForge | Attribution non-commercial license.-Train sound recorded by Fran.-Additional sounds from freesound.org.TRANSCRIPT ON ITS WAY.I am working to try and get accurate transcripts for all the Seize Your Adventure episodes. In the meantime, you can find most episodes on YouTube for auto transcription. Get bonus content on Patreon See

A Change of Track | Birthday Bonus

The Seize Your Adventure podcast is 2 years old! Join me in the celebrations with a Happy Birthday, some facts and stats about the last 2 years, and a return to where it all started in West Texas with Jade Nelson...The facts and stats:-The first episode of the podcast went live on 3rd December 2018-But the trailer launched on November 5th 2018-There are 32 episodes in the back-catalogue-Including 6 story episodes, 13 chats, 3 trailers, 3 journalistic episodes, 2 times I had to make 2 episodes with 1 chat, and 5 times you have listened to my monologues...-We have featured 14 adventurers with epilepsy-Adventurous activities mentioned so far include hiking, running, camping, ultimate Frisbee, paddleboarding and stand-up paddleboarding, skiing, mountain biking, bike-packing, swimming, surfing, karate, ice climbing, trail running, ultra marathons, archery, freediving, wild swimming, canoeing, snowboarding, ballroom dancing, yoga, and swimming with crocodiles!-The podcast has had over 5000 downloads-Which works out at about 160 of you listening per episodeThank you, thank you, thank you!Disclaimer: All stories are personal experience. We take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus episodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:NEW HAPPY BIRTHDAY by Steven Mon | Creative Commons Attribution LicensePoignant Texas by Mark T | Attribution non-commercial license.Dandelion.mp3 by TexasMusicForge | Attribution non-commercial license.acoustic guitar interlude by graham_makes | Attribution non-commercial license.Additional sounds from freesound.org. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Revisit West Texas | Birthday Bonus

Is it safe to surf with epilepsy? How can you support somebody who has seizures  in the water?  And do surfing instructors know how to help someone with epilepsy? In this episode, Frankie York takes us through some of her own experiences surfing with epilepsy, and how having epilepsy affects her relationships with other surfers.Surfing is classified as a top tier extreme sport, with inherent danger and a need to be aware and alert at all times. But it is also a sport recognised for the therapeutic benefits, and the sense of escapism being in the water can provide. Frankie found a passion for surfing when she was travelling in Ecuador. Over the last 2 years, she has had to explore her relationship with the sport, and examine how to stay safe.And she has also had to explore and examine the relationships she has with her fellow surfers, who have supported her through her epilepsy journey.In this episode, Frankie talks to three surfers: Simon, who runs her local surf school; Jessie, who was the former Vice President at their University surf society; and Zim, a good friend who supported Frankie with surfing, and with her seizures.They talked about:The requirements for becoming a International Surfing Association (ISA) qualified instructorHow much responsibility should friends of surfers with epilepsy take?Responsibility in a more formal organisational mannerWhat goes into planning a surf tripThe accessibility of surfing when you have additional needs or safety concerns The type of emergency training surf instructors undertakeRisk assessments from a professional point of viewWhat organisers do to help 'high risk' people and what worst case scenario plans areHow it feels to support a friend with epilepsyWhat Frankie's surfer friends would like people with epilepsy to knowPlus we hear a bit more about Frankie's backstory and when she started having seizures, and balancing her passion for surfing.CONTENT WARNING: We talk about some close calls with surfing, and the potential consequences of having a seizure in water.CONTENT WARING 2: There is a small swearword.Disclaimer: Please remember this is Frankie' personal experience. We take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s  less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus episodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:Kev Rowe on Soundcloud | Creative Commons Attribution LicenseTRANSCRIPT ON ITS WAY.I am working to try and get accurate transcripts for all the Seize Your Adventure episodes. In the meantime, you can find most episodes on YouTube for auto transcription.

Surfing, Seizures and Safety with Frankie York

Back in July, Seize Your Adventure grew a little bit bigger. Francesca York (who luckily goes by Frankie to stop any confusion!) has volunteered her help over the next few months as an SYA Intern and it will be great to get her fresh eyes/ears on things.This episode shares the Instagram LIVE conversation me and Frankie had back in August, where we got to learn a little bit more about her, and how she seizes her adventure.We talked about: Learning to surf (because of a boy...) The dangers of surfing with epilepsy, and some close calls  How your choices regarding risk can affect others  The best way to learn to surf as a beginner  How surfing can be addictive and becomes a lifestyle  Learning to listen to your body when you have epilepsy  Speaking to lifeguards about your epilepsy  Basic safety in the water when surfing  Plans for Frankie's study abroad year in Spain...Frankie is hard at work on her own episode about her relationship with surfing, and how people have helped her through her diagnosis., so make sure you are subscribed to hear that episode later in the year.CONTENT WARNING: We talk about some close calls with surfing, and the potential consequences of having a seizure in water.Disclaimer: Please remember this is Frankie' personal experience. We take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s  less than the price of a coffee!!). All Patrons will get extra content every month, even between seasons, and Patrons at $5 and above get bonus episodes. Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:Kev Rowe on Soundcloud | Creative Commons Attribution LicenseTRANSCRIPT ON ITS WAY.I am working to try and get accurate transcripts for all the Seize Your Adventure episodes. In the meantime, you can find most episodes on YouTube for auto transcription. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A LIVE Chat with Frankie York: Surfing and learning how to adventure with epilepsy

Chris is an Epilepsy Education & Outreach Worker for the British Columbia Epilepsy Society and in summer last year Chris also raised money for BCES by cycling from Prince George to Jasper - a distance of 375KM - in just two days.(N.B. I can't add up and in the podcast I say 275KM... Sorry Chris!)Chris is a hardcore adventurer. I was introduced to Chris about a year ago, via the British Columbia Epilepsy Society. Chris is an Epilepsy Education & Outreach Worker for the BCES.As well as his work for BCES, he’s also a ski instructor, and he did a BA in Nature Based Tourism at university. His Facebook page always shows beautiful pine forest, trees and rocks and rocks and trees and the odd lake.Chris' lifestyle, his career and his independence really relies on being healthy and able drive.We talked about:-His first seizure when he was 21 years old-Having to give up driving-Depression due to epilepsy-Reaching a moment of crisis due to depression-How his friends, family and colleagues supported him (and how some didn't...)-Laughing about his own condition-Working for British Columbia Epilepsy Society-His Facebook videos talking about epilepsy-Mitigating epilepsy risks in the backcountry-Leaving a trip line when going on solo adventures-Finding good friends to adventure with-Hiking the Chilkoot Trail in the Yukon-Turning to road cycling because he couldn't drive-His 375km cycling challenge...-And (of course) bears!!CONTENT WARNING: Chris talks about depression due to epilepsy, misuse of alcohol and a moment of crisis in this episode. If you want to skip that part of the chat, the conversation about his adventure life starts at 20 minutes.CONTENT WARNING 2: There is the smallest swearword in there.Disclaimer: Please remember this is Chris' personal experience. We take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions.If you have depression, or would like to talk to someone about your mental health and how you feel, if you are in the UK you can contact Mind for information and support or contact the Samaritans if you are in crisis. Those in Canada can contact Crisis Services Canada. VISIT CHRIS' FACEBOOK PAGE:The Diaries of an Epileptic Dirtbag OtakuSUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s $1.50 per episode - less than the price of a coffee!!). Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:Kev Rowe on Soundcloud | Creative Commons Attribution License

A Chat with Chris Winwood: Endurance cycling, backcountry hikes and working in adventure with epilepsy.

In this bonus episode we get to hear some more of my chat with mom, wife, teacher and blogger, Jewel Gibson. I asked Jewel to tell me a bit more about the specifics of have a baby when you have epilepsy.Last time, we heard about Jewel’s path to an epilepsy diagnosis, and her personal challenge of running the New York Half Marathon to raise epilepsy awareness. We also heard that Jewel is diagnosed with ‘catamenial seizures’ - seizures that are affected or triggered by changes in hormones.But I was also really interested to learn more from Jewel as a mom. As well as her blog, Jewel has also done a short podcast series called Well Fit Mama. So what does it take to be a Well Fit Mama? And how did epilepsy affect her pregnancy? I asked her about what steps she had to take to make sure both she and the baby were safe, and whether there was anything she wanted to say to other women with epilepsy who want to have children.Jewel was already a Mom, but she didn’t have epilepsy when she was pregnant the first time.A QUICK WARNING: Jewel does talk about the later stages of childbirth and aspects such as epidurals in semi-graphic detail around 7.30 minutes after the start of the actual conversation.Disclaimer: Jewel does talk about specifics with medication and birth choices. She is talking about her personal experience with pregnancy and childbirth whilst living with epilepsy. Other’s experiences and situation may vary.VISIT JEWEL'S BLOG:https://lifesajewel.com/WELL FIT MAMA PODCAST:https://thewellfitmama.com/SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s $1.50 per episode - less than the price of a coffee!!). Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.TRANSCRIPT ON ITS WAY.I am working to try and get accurate transcripts for all the Seize Your Adventure episodes. In the meantime, you can find most episodes on YouTube for auto transcription. Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Epilepsy, Pregnancy and Birth with Jewel Gibson

Jewel Gibson is a mom, a wife, a teacher,  and a blogger from Brooklyn, New York. Her Instagram and blog, Life's A Jewel, focuses on motherhood and encouraging women to live healthier lives, experience fulfilling relationships and conquer parenthood fashionably. She also uses her platform to talk about the day-to-day challenges navigating a seizure disorder.Jewel was an athlete and runner in highschool, so when she saw  an advert from The Epilepsy Foundation of Metropolitan New York about running the United Airlines Half Marathon, she figured it would be fun to try. She wanted to run to help eliminate the stigma about epilepsy and seizures, as well as raise awareness within the community.But when Jewel started training, she realised that her seizures and epilepsy were going to make running more difficult than she remembered! Jewel couldn't find any information on running with epilepsy, and how this might affect the way you train. She had to figure it out on her own and learn how to run without aggravating the condition. In today's episode Jewel talks about: Her first seizures and difficult EMT experience The confusion between pseudo/non-epileptic seizures and epileptic ones The difficulty getting to her diagnosis of 'catamenial' seizures How her family supported her through her diagnosis  Learning to accept help when her seizures were bad  Hiding her epilepsy at work  Starting a blog because she didn't see other Black people talking about epilepsy  Why she decided to do the NY Half  The COLD New York weather during training!  How running makes her feel free  The anxiety around seizures and when they might happen  Deciding what to tell her students when she has a 72 hour EEG  Balancing being a mom/wife/woman/teacher  How the 'adventure' question made her realise how adventurous her life is!  And more...DEFINITIONS:Catamenial  seizures - seizures that are affected or triggered by changes in hormonesPseudoseizures -  Now more commonly known as psychogenic seizures, which are not caused by electrical activity in the brain.  Also called Non-epileptic seizures (NES), dissociative seizures, non-epileptic attacks. The name 'pseudoseizure' is an older term. In the UK it is not used because it suggests the person is not having 'real' seizures.VISIT JEWEL'S BLOG:https://lifesajewel.com/WELL FIT MAMA PODCAST:https://thewellfitmama.com/SUPPORT THE PODCAST:Become a patron to support the podcast and continue telling stories of epilepsy in adventure. Sign up for as little as $3 a month (that’s $1.50 per episode - less than the price of a coffee!!). Find out more at patreon.com/seizeyouradventure. You can also make a one-off donation at https://www.paypal.me/seizeyouradventure.MUSIC:Kev Rowe on Soundcloud | Creative Commons Attribution LicenseTRANSCRIPT ON ITS WAY. In the meantime, autotranscripts are on YouTube.

A Chat with Jewel Gibson: Catamenial Seizures and Running with Epilepsy

On Tuesday 19th May, I handed over the Seize Your Adventure Instagram account to Cath Shanks,  a skate coach who was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy in 2010. In this bonus episode, you get to hear how it went, and listen to the Instagram Live interview we had afterwards.I've only discovered Cath recently, and her account @specialeptic is still new. But the account is a mix of great fun and heart-breakingly honest:"SOME DAYS.... some days are harder than others. some days are that little bit darker. some days it’s not even the seizures that are the problem. some days I think I’d rather have seizures than take meds. some days it’s just a little bit too much to cope with. some days I can pull myself out of the rut, some days I can’t. some days Epilepsy sucks WAY MORE than others. some days I just wish I had a different brain. some days, like today."Cath has also been learning to slackline during lockdown. Which is just so cool. You can see some of her progress on her YouTube channel.Cath talks about:Her cocktail of epileptic seizuresLearning to skateboard as an adultWhy an all-woman skateboarding lesson was perfect for herHaving a seizure whilst teaching at summer campHow she got a job teaching skateboardingThe comfort she has found in the epilepsy communityDoing jigsaws in lockdownAnd more... Find Cath on Instagram as @specialepticSUPPORT 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.MUSIC:Kev Rowe on Soundcloud | Creative Commons Attribution LicenseThis interview has an automated transcript available:https://www.seizeyouradventure.com/transcripts  Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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