Overcoming The Odds

[therevmrblack]

I was born with a connective tissue disorder and have underwent multiple surgeries. At age 4 I learned to live with a colostomy, most recently I bid farewell to my colon and some intestines while welcoming an ileostomy. At an early age I got into martial arts and have studied various styles, currently Tang Soo Do. Curious about others, the disabilities they've overcome and what kept them going.

 

[Orange Lightning]

Welcome!
I don't have a disability, but I must congratulate you on your overcoming odds. That's really great. Makes me happy to hear.

Do you know about Bill Wallace? He messed up one of his legs in Judo, but still retired undefeated in the Professional Karate Association. He' quite the famous success story for this.

Bill Wallace martial artist - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

 

[K-man]

Welcome to MT. I take my hat off to you. Well done! We had one guy with an artificial leg training with us years back. He did a pretty good job keeping his balance and getting kicked by that wooden foot was quite painful.

 

[Spinedoc]

Well, I have 2 conditions, one of which influenced my choice of Aikido. First, I have Crohn's and was diagnosed in my early 30's. I've had one LARGE abdominal surgery and have a scar from my suprapubic area up to my upper abdomen, and I also have ankylosing spondylitis. I wake up with back pain every day. One of the reasons I chose to practice in spine care. My spine is slowly fusing itself together. Aikido and Iaido, with their focus on flexibility is helping. I've already regained an incredible amount of flexibility. I don't tend to think much about either disorder, and basically ignore them both.

Additionally, I found out that I couldn't ice skate like I could when I was 20 a few years ago, and fractured my right ankle nicely. I now have a nice titanium plate with 7 screws in my right ankle. It's definitely stiffer than the left, and is apparent in Iaido, but I'll get it back….just will take time.

 

[Orange Lightning]

Welcome to MT. I take my hat off to you. Well done! We had one guy with an artificial leg training with us years back. He did a pretty good job keeping his balance and getting kicked by that wooden foot was quite painful.

I've wondered about that before. Getting punched or kicked by a prosthetic seems....painful. I wonder if it could hurt the puncher as well as the punchee?

 

[Shai Hulud]

Back when I was competing in Judo for university I took a bad fall and ruptured a disc that fractured into my spinal column. I was in agony and had to be pulled off the mats. It took surgery, a lot of physical therapy and joint mobility drills to pull myself back into it. That's also about the time I was introduced to somatics and the Feldenkrais system.

Started taking up the Keysi Fighting Method about a year later. It's been 4 years since that injury, and it don't bother me at all anymore.

 

[Orange Lightning]

Back when I was competing in Judo for university I took a bad fall and ruptured a disc that fractured into my spinal column. I was in agony and had to be pulled off the mats. It took surgery, a lot of physical therapy and joint mobility drills to pull myself back into it. That's also about the time I was introduced to somatics and the Feldenkrais system.

Started taking up the Keysi Fighting Method about a year later. It's been 4 years since that injury, and it don't bother me at all anymore.

I'm beginning to be afraid of trying Judo.

 

[Shai Hulud]

I'm beginning to be afraid of trying Judo.

Don't be! It's a wonderful sport. There is a reason that falling/rolling techniques are taught before the grappling. It's just that my opponent pulled off a high-altitude throw and reaped me up into the air before I could react properly (the point of the sport, really), and I landed at a bad angle. Injuries, apart from bruises and sore muscles are relatively rare!

 

[Buka]

Welcome to MT, bro. Nice to have you here.

 

[K-man]

I've wondered about that before. Getting punched or kicked by a prosthetic seems....painful. I wonder if it could hurt the puncher as well as the punchee?

Depends on the type of attachment. Back then I reckon a hard kick would have been very painful to the amputee. More recently the prosthesis is generally attached by means of a silicone liner and post. Damage to the attachment point is now is more caused by shear on the skin.

 

[Jenna]

I was born with a connective tissue disorder and have underwent multiple surgeries. At age 4 I learned to live with a colostomy, most recently I bid farewell to my colon and some intestines while welcoming an ileostomy. At an early age I got into martial arts and have studied various styles, currently Tang Soo Do. Curious about others, the disabilities they've overcome and what kept them going.

My friend this is awesome and what you are doing is genuinely inspiring. And will you say how the practice of your various arts and your TSD helps in a bigger way in your life? I am always interested to know.. I got a cardiac pacemaker as I had AF since I was a girl (I am thirty.. uh.. something haha) .. I am not able to practice as I used to and it is frustrating some of the time.. I should like to know how you manage if physical complaints ever surpass your will to do your TSD??? Thank you Jxx

 

[therevmrblack]

Awesome to be getting all this encouragement, that's what I love about martial arts the most. Regardless of ability the focus is on growth and discipline, limited only by fear or doubt. You give it your all and try harder where you lack. Sometimes I fear taking a gut shot so I put more focus into my gaurd. My left leg doesn't always cooperate with kicking but stretching is helping. I have been in physical therapy and on meds with little progress, I guess you could say martial arts are my therapy mentally and physically. You take the lemons and beat them into lelemonade.

 

[Orange Lightning]

Awesome to be getting all this encouragement, that's what I love about martial arts the most. Regardless of ability the focus is on growth and discipline, limited only by fear or doubt. You give it your all and try harder where you lack. Sometimes I fear taking a gut shot so I put more focus into my gaurd. My left leg doesn't always cooperate with kicking but stretching is helping. I have been in physical therapy and on meds with little progress, I guess you could say martial arts are my therapy mentally and physically. You take the lemons and beat them into lelemonade.

That's awesome, but I can't help picture The Hulk making lemonade. xD

 

[Transk53]

I was born with a connective tissue disorder and have underwent multiple surgeries. At age 4 I learned to live with a colostomy, most recently I bid farewell to my colon and some intestines while welcoming an ileostomy. At an early age I got into martial arts and have studied various styles, currently Tang Soo Do. Curious about others, the disabilities they've overcome and what kept them going.

Welcome along It is nice to read that you have embraced the situation. Skeletal for me mainly. Have one and a half Kidneys internally with system nerve damage too. I guess that would mean connective for me? Being 44 now, I have researched many a thing at the advent of the BB, and library stuff. Yet to pay for a test, but if I had been born today, there is a major likely hood I would have born with FAS. However, I was left with some pretty good examples. My right arm over extends my left, giving me a normal shoulder, but moves forwards giving me about six inches of overreach, but normal shoulder at body idle or standing still. Just an example there. One question if I may, have you experience of Muay Thai?