My fiancé and I love to go camping. Last year, we were lucky enough to come into possession of a 1978 Trillium trailer. It’s a full fiberglass body and only 12 feet, making it ideal for myself, my fiancé and our three dogs. Come summer, you will often find us out at a campsite or even just pulled over next to a lake on a piece of crown land. Long story short – I love getting away into nature and camping.
But the question is always there – how do I ensure I’m safe when camping? There is always a fear and the chance of having a seizure when being dozens of kilometers from civilization.
Here is what I do to stay safe while camping for my type of epilepsy and seizures:
Invest in a long-distance radio phone or a satellite phone: Oftentimes, even provincial campsites are dozens of kilometers out of a service area. This means that if I were to have a seizure that requires emergency services, we would not be able to call for help with a regular phone. Although long-distance radio phones and satellite phones are not cheap, in case of an emergency, it is definitely needed and could potentially be life-saving. This is why long-distance radio phones and satellite phones are on my list of essential items while camping!
Wear a life jacket: Whenever we camp and we are close to a body of water, we find ourselves kayaking, fishing, or even just wading into the water to throw a stick for one of my dogs. I wear a life jacket every single time I am in the water or even near the water. I know that it might not seem like the “coolest” thing to do but I do it for peace of mind as seizures in the water can lead to drowning and have a higher chance of being fatal. The lifejacket that I have is high-quality and has a neck float or rest. I specially chose that life jacket because even if I am unconscious after a seizure that occurs in the water, it ensures that my head still remains above the water.
Create a seizure safety plan: I never go camping without having a seizure safety plan in place. In my seizure safety plan, the first thing I do is to let other people know where I’m going, for how long, and how they can contact me. Next, I assign an outside person to call for help if they don’t hear from me for a predetermined period of time. Finally, I talk with the people I will be camping with and create a plan in case I have a seizure, whether it is a regular seizure or one that requires emergency assistance. I also ensure that everyone I am camping with knows seizure first aid as well as where all of my medications are in case I need them.
Camping doesn’t have to be a scary thing! It can be a great way to reconnect with nature, and yourself. What are your tips for going out camping or in nature and staying safe? I’d love to hear them and share them! Send me an email at impactspeaker@bcepeilepsy.com.
Christine Jamieson is Miss Canada 2019, Miss British Columbia 2018/2019, and a person living with epilepsy who works for the BC Epilepsy Society as an Impact Speaker. Christine believes in impacting the world for the better and is a strong advocate for epilepsy and mental health.