In today's interview, Brooke talks with Lindsey Depledge, who bravely discusses her journey living with epilepsy. Lindsey shares her evolution from initially ignoring her diagnosis to embracing her identity as an epileptic. She highlights the challenges of an unseen disability and the importance of epilepsy awareness. Lindsey also touches on navigating healthcare, securing accommodations, and finding supportive medical care. Her career path, now in health tech, is also influenced by her epilepsy journey. Lindsey's story underscores the need for understanding, acceptance, and accessibility for those with epilepsy and hidden disabilities.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Epilepsy is often an invisible disability until a seizure occurs, which can make it challenging for individuals to come out about their condition and receive the necessary support and accommodations.

2. The journey to getting a diagnosis for epilepsy can be difficult, as seizures may not be witnessed by others and symptoms can vary greatly among individuals.

3. The impact of epilepsy extends beyond the seizure itself, as individuals may experience post-ictal phases that can last for days and affect their cognitive functioning and overall well-being.

4. Accommodations and understanding from others are crucial for individuals with epilepsy, whether it's securing a bottom bunk in a dormitory or receiving extensions on assignments during periods of seizure-related impairment.

5. Pursuing a career or educational path may require adjustments and finding a balance between managing epilepsy and personal goals. It's important to prioritize self-care, seek support, and explore opportunities that align with individual strengths and interests.

BEST MOMENTS

1. "I think epilepsy is just not something that's seen unless you're having a seizure to begin with. And so it's one that is often like an invisible disability until it's not."

2. "Every disability is different, obviously. And even if you have the same diagnosis, it manifests differently. And that's like kind of something that's so cool about it. And it's something that's so interesting."

3. "I think it's changed over time when it took me a while to say that I had epilepsy. I think I was afraid to say that."

4. "I remember sitting in the hospital and giving me these like really big pills and I had hardly been able to like take like paracetamol at the time. I felt like taking horse pills."

 

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Disabled and Proud is the show that brings listeners a different perspective on disability. Each week this podcast highlights an awesome disabled guest speaking about their own disability; why they are proud to be disabled and why they are proud to be themselves. 

The conversations in this show will look at what challenges these amazing people face socially, mentally, physically and life in general. This show is raw, open, honest, funny, welcoming and educational. 

Disabled & Proud does exactly what it says on the tin! And whilst we are creating this space for disabled people to be unashamedly themselves, without the need to conform to society, this is also not about toxic positivity. This show will be shining a big, bright light on disability without it being “Paralympic or pity”. 

As you will hear disability is WHOLE, COMPLETE & PERFECT and whilst the topic of disability can be quite heavy - and we definitely don't shy away from the bad days - this podcast is also about having fun too! Our aim is to play a part in reclaiming the word disability - turning it from inadequacy to perfection!

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