Quote:
Originally Posted by TiggerToo
Firstly, thanks for such a fantastic response; I haven't used this community to ask for help before and I'm overwhelmed by the speed and number of responses.
I'm still going though tests, CT, MRI scans, etc. Thankfully (a) free here in the UK, (b) all clear so far (no brain tumours).
Thanks for the medical concerns; I'd rather not divert this thread into the medical side, except to say that I'm preparing for the worst, hoping for the best (one of the many lessons I've learned here). My reason for posting was to tap into experience / advice on how it should affect my sailing.
I'm reassured at the majority response that I should take precautions, but not stop sailing. Especially so since I've come to it quite late in life (had never set foot on a yacht until 3 years ago) and it has become a great passion. I acquired my own yacht last year, giving me wonderful freedom. My greatest problem is the 3 hour drive I can't now do to get to it. I was on the brink of single handing, and often drove over alone just to potter (my word, what a lot of pottering there is to be done!).
I'm not sure about the Mayday. I've heard several while at sea, all quite a hoo-haa, whereas I feel there is no need unless I was seriously injured, in which case the MayDay would be due to the injury, rather than the seizure per se. I think it would be prudent however to alert the Coastguard without triggering any action, hence the PanPan plan. I'm happy to hear more advice on this (and ashamed I don't remember exactly what the rules are; and I only got my radio licence last November!).
Once again, thanks so much for the correspondance. This status of complete independence but copious help if you ask for it is one of the great aspects of this sport.
On a lighter note I think it's always best to be frank and tell it like it is - davidpm your seizure appears to have turned you into a dog!
PS the driving regs in the UK allow a return to driving after 6 months from a first and only seizure, or 12 months seizure-free, or 36 months with night-time seizures only.
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My wife is a very brittle diabetic, and we have had a few pass-out episodes or similar. We carry basic supplies to deal with this. In each case, if the was weather or navigation issue, or any chance I might need help, I put in a cell phone call to the local station.
Keep these numbers on-board.
In one case (she had a medical equipment failure) her condition required me to seek an inlet I knew to be troublesom and poorly marked, and that I might not get there until dark. It was not our intended stop, but it had a pharmacy. I called the CG, gave them a report, and they asked me to report back at certain times. A few minutes later, they called back with the lat/lon of all the channel markers (they shift them due to shifting bars and they are not charted), as well as the locations of 2 that were off-station. Very profesional. We made the inlet at dusk, and I called and thanked them for their help. Much better than doing it all over 16 and 22a. No emergency or undue fuss, just caution.
We still sail a lot and feel it is safe. But I would not go across an ocean with her. It doesn't feel prudent.
She doesn't leave the cockpit much and we leave jacklines set 24/7. Make them out of rope so they can stand the sun.
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