Make the impossible possible — a personal story (part 3)
Mountains, parachuting, rock climbing and travelling; Epilepsy and Dyslexia — a story of experiences and challenges I overcame.
Part 1 was to introduce you to how I started with mountain climbing, Part 2 was an introduction to my very first marathon, and even though I continued running and climbing, in my early 30s I decided on something completely different.
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return — Leonardo da Vinci
Having a condition of Epilepsy sometimes restricts me in what I can do. Flashing lights, adrenaline, tiredness and stress all contribute towards the possibility of dropping to the floor and having a seizure. Even though the expeditions to Russia and training for 2 years to run a marathon pushed my limits, this next challenge was going to push me even further.
Although Leonardo da Vinci was talking about propelled flight, I had always had an interest in taking my adrenaline-fueled activities further into the skies. Some while back I came across a DVD and saw a movie with Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, a 1991 movie called “Point Break” with a sequence of the 2 actors skydiving out of a plane. The scene made me think “it looks awesome!” but is it possible with my condition? Would this be too dangerous? Too much?
I did an internet search and found a skydiving centre in north Cambridge (UK), they took over an ex-military base which was used during the second world war. I asked them if with my condition I could do a skydive and the response was as long as both you and a Neurologist sign a form.
Planning
On regular bases every 6 months I saw a neurological consultant at Addenbrookes hospital and my next appointment was coming up. I asked the neurologist if this would be possible and if he would sign the form to allow me to do the skydive. He had known me for many years and knew I had done marathons and expeditions, out of this he signed the form! I could not believe it, someone with Epilepsy can jump out of a plane.
I thought all was in place, the doctor's form was signed, and the skydiving school said yes, but a spanner was in the works with the skydiving school coming back to me and said “because of the airfield insurance you can not do it free fall but you can do a tandem jump”. My heart sank.
The jump
The day came, my current girlfriend at the time drove me to the airfield. I was given a few hours of tuition for the jump. It was mid-day, a sunny clear day with no wind — perfect conditions. The plane took off with me attached to a guy that I assume had done this many times before, nervous with my heart pounding thinking if this is a good idea. Legs dangling over the side — we were next to jump. No turning back now. I shut my eyes and thought of what I was told to do, keeping my arms in then off the side we went falling, I opened my eyes and screamed but could anyone hear me? No, so why scream? We were falling towards the tops of the clouds I paused in my mind and stopped screaming, looking down it was an amazing feeling, a crazy feeling of a mixture of elation and adrenaline while falling over 100 miles an hour towards the ground and through the clouds. I felt safe and free as a bird.
Parachute released and we gracefully came back to the ground, I had just done my first skydive, 10,000 feet (3,048m) and landed safely with a feeling I was as light as air with a huge smile from the adrenaline pulsating through my veins. I looked back at the aircraft that took us up, I wanted to do it again! Can I? Should I? Obviously not today, maybe tomorrow someday.
I did this in part for my mum. During her younger days she did Karate and got kicked in the ribs. She had tried to do a jump but could not due to this injury. When I brought this up she told me I should go ahead with the jump. But in the end, I owed it to a movie I watched many years back which gave me the initial push.
Before I started climbing or running or even doing a skydive I had a very real fear of heights. To get over this and while I was at University I joined a climbing club (did help I also fancied the head of the club). To this day when I am climbing I still feel a bit of that fear, yet it did not stop me from jumping out of a plane.
If you wish to get over a fear, you must face it. With a little exposure at a time, this fear will go away to be manageable and healthy. Admittedly jumping out of a plane is diving into the deep end but, if I did not try, then I would have never known if I could get over it. It is better to try and fail than not try at all.
If you have any questions/comments on my experiences or wish to know more about something specific, add a comment. It will be a pleasure to respond — I will be posting other articles as often as I can.
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