Grappling with health limitations

[SuperOx]

Hey everyone, figured there are some smart folks around here and I'd bring this up.

I am Seoul born and am a Hep B carrier. The chances of my body developing immunity are about zero since I contracted it at birth and therefore I carry the surface antigen (the virus' signature as I understand it).

My doctor has warned me not to engage in full contact sports (I've been aware of this since I was 18 when I first went to donate blood) and asked that my family members, roommate and girlfriend be vaccinated and when/if I am married, my wife be vaccinated, etc.

So this makes grappling a problem since cuts can always open up and blood to blood contact is possible. Now, grappling with vaccinated people is fine and safe. However, after much negotiating with the two local schools that offer BJJ programs, we can't come to an agreement. In the interim, I have been learning from a guy who goes to Baltimore BJJ and his friends, learning sweeps from full guard, mount escapes, basic armlocks, shoulderlocks, chokes and neck cranks from all the major positions and minor variations and passes, transitions and positional techniques. I'd say I have about 40 techniques I drill, a very basic portion of a white to blue belt cirriculum. We just have some mats and use the studio at the local Gold's when it's empty but we can't/don't meet regularly.

The problem is, without a partner to really grapple with regularly, I'm never going to get better. But the HBV issue causes problems.

Does anyone have any good suggestions? I live in Bel Air, MD btw, which is near Baltimore.

Thank you everyone,

Ryan

 

[Jiujitsunoob]

Wow man that sucks.

My honest to god advice would be to just pick up a different hobby. Before you get too into BJJ, just get involved in something else.

I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear, but grappling with Hep B is ridiculous, no school will (or should) ever agree to let you grapple there.

Thats unfair, but it would put everyone else at tremendous risk. And if you gave someone else Hep B, it would be about infinitely worse than keeping one person from doing bjj.

 

[BigCP84**]

I would suggest trying to work out a more permanent schedule with the people you are already training with. I dont want to sound rude but since you have Hep B I don't think a lot of people would want to risk getting infected. Which is why the 2 gyms probably don't feel comfortable letting you attend classes. Hep B can live on surfaces for 7 days so someone doesn't even need direct contact to contract the Hep B virus from you, just a random drop of blood can infect someone and there is blood in bjj.

So you might find a new training partner on here who has been vaccinated if not then try to make a better schedule with your current partners. To be honest I think that would be your only bet to continue training BJJ because they wont let you in any tournaments either with Heb B.

 

[moehawk]

wow dude i feel for you

 

[ironbismark]

no school will ever take you for liability reasons. it sucks but its not something there is a reasonable solution too. i feel for you because bjj is awesome but it i wouldn't ever want to roll with you.

 

[moehawk]

no school will ever take you for liability reasons.

i heard of no bjj school that screens their students for health problems

 

[YeahBee]

i heard of no bjj school that screens their students for health problems

he was probably a mature adult and told them.

feel really bad for the TS

 

[BigCP84**]

i heard of no bjj school that screens their students for health problems

well my school I had to sign a waiver and it asked if I had any medical conditions so I would think other schools do the same. I would think that if you lied and something happened then you would be held responsible especially if someone ended up getting infected with Hep B.

 

[FLoWitheGo**]

Doesn't sound like you can do anymore then what you're already doing. That sucks.

 

[ironbismark]

he was probably a mature adult and told them.

feel really bad for the TS

what this guys said he seems like a nice guy who doesn't want to unknowingly spread the infection to others so he told them about it. clearly he could just lie about it but that will lead to someone getting infected down the road. i'm sure lawsuits and criminal charges would be a possibility after infecting someone with hep b by not informing them and engaging in activity you know has a risk of spreading the infection.

 

[SuperOx]

Yes, while schools can't obtain health records (I suppose since they are private businesses, they could make an prerequisite to enrollment, to subvert medical information) I let them know about the condition. I guess it might not have been lying by not saying anything but I wouldn't feel that is the right thing to do. Anyway, thanks for the feedback, I was just kicking around ideas and you are all right: there is no easy solution other than perhaps taking 6-8 months of disability and trying a combination therapy that has a minimal chance of success and horrible side effects.

Until one day there might be a cure, I will have to bide my time. As for giving it up, as JJNoob suggested, he is right in that it is probably the most reasonable thing to do. But I love grappling, the little I got to do, I knew I liked it since I was introduced to freestyle in Junior High. So I appreciate you being very honest with me, but I will bide my time and continue lifting weights, running, yoga, swimming etc. until there is a solution or I am no longer here. That sounds like histrionics, but that's really my personality.

So until that happens, maybe I just go to Brazil to learn to surf in the meantime, no?

Happy grappling friends.

- Ryan

 

[jmoh]

See if Aleksander Emelianenko needs a training partner....


I kid, but seriously I feel for you man. There got to be a brown/black belt out there with the same condition as you. Try to find one? I dont know.

 

[ironbismark]

that treatment sucks man my dad went through it. it worked but man he was so weak for 6 months i had to drive 2 hours to my parents house 2 times a month to do all the housechores.

 

[Solidus Snake]

Ryan, my best wishes. You seems like a good, correct person, it really sucks to heard about your condition, I really really hope that someday you'll be able to grapple/practice this wonderful sport, you would surely deserve it. Anyway, with an attitude good as yours, I'm sure you'll have a great life anyway, grappling or not .

 

[Neuro]

Hey TS,

I know everyone else has said this-- but I'm sorry that the Hepatitis is stopping you from grappling. That really, truly sucks. Everyone on this forum who loves BJJ knows how awful it is to not be able to do it when injured, etc.-- and it kills.

I hope you find a healthy solution for everyone involved, and I hope you have fun doing it. Surfing in Brazil? Supposedly amazing! My brother does MT and surfing, and he loves surfing just as much, it's another art that fuels healthy obsession and love just like BJJ. Go for it!

Good luck man.

 

[Dirty Deeds]

i heard of no bjj school that screens their students for health problems

Gyms may not screen, but TS is being a stand up guy, so the facilities can protect all of their students. It appears you could learn A LOT from the TS.