Health, Injury, Persistence
The year 2013 hasn’t been a great one for me health wise.
At the end of 2012 I found out that I had a hernia that required an operation to fix.
I was sidelined for a few weeks at first but I was cleared to continue training (I’m still waiting for the operation)
In June around 3 weeks before the SA State Titles I had a Grand Mal Seizure, the first (and only) that I have ever had.
I was in hospital for 2 days (1 night) and recovery from the seizure took about 2 weeks before I felt ok again.
I was able to train at home with some good friends and training partners for 2 days leading in to the competition.
Since this competition things were going quite well. I was regaining fitness and I had decided that I would compete at the 2013 Pan Pacific Jiu Jitsu Championships.
Time was booked off work and training was going well and then, about a month out from competition I was rolling with a white belt, a guy that I had never seen at training before.
I was going really slow and just testing the water to see what he knew when he grabbed hold of my arm and violently cranked an Americana as hard as he could.
Knowing that I didn’t have time to tap I yelled tap tap and then I heard the pop of my elbow. This injury is still not fully healed.
Two weeks out from the Pan Pacs registration cut off and I’m back at training again. My elbow isn’t 100% but I feel as though I could compete still and do well.
We are doing some round robin rolling and I try to jump my opponents legs to pass from his butterfly guard to side control.
I push off from the mat and hear quite a loud crack, and then the pain followed close after once again.
My toe had cracked and I thought that I had dislocated it. My training for the night was done. Over the next couple of days it just felt worse.
My foot had swollen and bruising was coming out. On my day off of work I had it X-Rayed and found out that it was much worse than a dislocation.
A tendon attached to my big toe had pulled away from my bone taking the piece of bone that it was attached to along with it.
This sealed the deal and I wasn’t able to compete at the Pan Pacs.
It’s been two weeks since I busted my toe, my fitness has taken a hit once again but I will be back on the mats as soon as possible.
In the mean time I will just keep reminding myself that Jiu Jitsu will still be there once my injuries heal.
Nah the end of the year is too far away to be out for that long.
Surely I couldn’t get another injury before the end of the year??
There is also the Abu Dhabi trials next month.
Unfortunately this injury and lack of funds due to the Pan Pacs trip I won’t be making it to that one.
Thought about calling it quits for the rest of year & picking it back up after new years Shaun ? looks like 2013 wasn’t a crash hot one for you..
Are the Pan Pacs the last big one for the year or are there others ?
Hope you heal up well & fast mate..