I am a leukemia survivor,

with artificial hips,

and a progressive degenerative neurological disease.

I still roll and train, just about everyday.

Neuropathy and muscle atrophy, limited function with my right hand.
Spinal stenosis. Degenerative disc disease C4 to T2.
Trained 5x 10 minute rounds this morning with the team. Workout everyday.

Rheumatoid (autoimmune) arthritis. Diagnosed in 2011 when I was a late stage blue belt. Joint pain, fatigue, etc. Still roll almost daily. Love to compete.

It’s move it or lose it.

Shane, if I can ask, did they identify the cause of your neurological degeneration in your right hand, and rule out treatable causes such as an entrapped ulnar nerve?

You would hate that to progress, if preventable.

Herniated discs, spinal stenosis in both C-Spine and L-Spine. Training keeps my mind right!

William, they told me my only option is neurosurgery to shave down the spurs pinching my nerves. Before I run to surgery I’m researching and implementing ways to reduce inflammation and stress. Better meal plans, more rest, training smarter than ever.

Shane,

Do your research carefully.

I have had athletes, where over the course of a decade, the limb became progressively withered, and I use that word deliberately, without the surgical intervention.

So, I encourage you to check with your medical doctors and neurologist about whether your condition has that potential, with regards to how you approach it.

If you like, I can connect you with that black belt to discuss what his progression experience was.

Not that what happened to him will happen to you.

But, as someone who has a progressive neurological condition himself, I post to you with empathy, and my highest regards.

Thank you William, I really appreciate the words. Would love to hear more about this type of condition. Haven’t seen or heard much people that new a lot about it. The doctors were even stomped for a while thinking it was ALS or just horn disease. After getting the mri results they believe to have singled out the problems.

My right hand

I hate neurological diseases.

Acute Leukemia was its own kind of fight.

But 3 to 36 months, and you are alive or dead.

Make it to 5 to 8 years, and the scars remain and elevated secondary cancer risk remains, but you start again in what is left of your body.

But progressive neurological diseases are different, different because even if their pace is slow, they are so fucking relentless.

I am always following new studies.

Here was a recent interesting one:

https://www.scientificame[...]nd-others/

Eventually the treatments for these diseases will improve, but the remaining gap, until it is crossed, is one of the most frustrating shortcomings in modern medicine.

Had back surgery. Still have alot of nerve damage. Left leg is a lemming. Happy to train.

Question for anyone who has severe asthma - whilst not comparable to what others struggle with of course, I've just found it really limiting when rolling. I do take medication prescribed from doctors, and use my blue inhaler as needed - but wondered if there was any sort of additional activities I can be doing. To sort of, not sure, like build resilience? Basically any time I roll I can feel my strength leave as I struggle to breath, then I go away with burning lungs and really painful limbs due to lack of oxygen.

Don't know if it will help you in your case but I find that diaphragm breathing helped me alot. I used to have to carry an inhaler most of the time especially during summer months. Haven't used one since I started to use diaphragm breathing.

https://www.verywellhealt[...]elly-89853

https://www.bjjee.com/art[...]s-3-steps/

https://www.youtube.com/w[...]KJrBdbny6c

Like I said I really don't know much about it but it seemed to help in my case.

Dave

Oh brilliant - thanks for sharing Dave, I'll check it out. Cheers!

Cheers

Herniated discs in my l4 & l5, like Shane also have degenerative disc disease and bones spurs through my c5-c7. The worst part was the bone spur in my c7 which was pushing into the nerve causing my left side to suffer extreme nerve pain. I was confined to a bed for almost a month unable to move. A little over a year ago I had my c7 titanium disc replacement and when they were in there they shaved off the bone spurs. It helped immensely I wish I hadn’t waited three years to do it.

sounds painful

Lots of great advice here. I have numerous joint injuries and conditions (knees, vertebrae, shoulders, elbows). Lots of time off the mats and many limitations in what techniques I can practice without making things worse. I’ll keep adapting and definitely look into what procedures could make things easier.

Degenerative disc issues, including bulging, herniations, and stenosis. The sciatica that I experience as a result of all that is often intense. Thankfully, I seem to respond well to epidural injections, but I’m currently stuck waiting until March for my next appointment. My last treatment was in late September, but my symptoms returned about 10 days ago. In the mean time, I’ve been prescribed gabapentin for nerve pain, but I just started taking that a few days ago. I have no idea if it’ll be effective.