I never did mention about how much my head hurt one night after judo practice, how it got to the point where I was lying on the mat, and that I thought I was going to throw up driving home from judo practice. But I did mention it to my doctor. He, as a specialist, thought the worst due to pre-existing conditions and sent me in for an MRI. What I got from the MRI was good news and bad news.
The good news: IT’S NOT A TUMOR. (This should be a familiar quote to those old enough to have seen Kindergarten Cop with Arnold Schwarzenegger.)
The bad news: my doctor told me that I may have had a subdural hematoma at some point and that I should avoid judo until they knew more.
I was sent to a neurosurgeon, who told me everything was fine, nothing abnormal in my brain, and I was getting better so there was nothing I should do about any of it EXCEPT I was supposed to QUIT JUDO. Think of all the football players having problems, he said.
This wasn’t exactly the best news, as I’m having a lot of fun practicing judo. I’m not especially good, but it’s still fun and I’m hooked. Besides, I don’t think I got this from any actual “hard judo” but when I knocked my head into another guy’s head while we were learning how to do a certain ground maneuver where we pulled a guy onto his back. During “normal judo” I would’ve taken a fall and my head wouldn’t have the chance to strike anything hard. I also had headaches before that, but those went away when I got a massage. I’m pretty sure it’s due to a stiff neck and besides, my dad had a history of headaches too. And, it’s not like I’m an NFL football player who has to go hard every time, every game, every practice, for years and years.
I called my sister who said people get told to quit running, too and nobody seems to listen to that nonsense. (She’s a big runner for the one or two people who might possibly read this who don’t know her.) Since I also had a disagreement at work the same day, her suggestion was that I should shut the hell up and be nicer at work because after I get all drooly and feeble at the end of my life doing judo, she was going to put me in a home and she wasn’t going to pay for that shit so I better have some money saved up.
MY DECISION IS TO QUIT JUDO.
For one month. Plus, I decided to start counting the month at the day I think I got my possible head injury so that means I’m starting back up next Monday. Or maybe Sunday, since we have kata class on Sunday.
I hope all of you (the half-dozen readers of this blog) support me in my decision.
of course she suggested you keep practicing the possible life-ending sport. OF COURSE.
I don’t go often anymore but I always find myself thinking about judo through out my day. Even if you take time off, it’s not in the spirit of a Judoka to “quit”. Many broken bones and torn ligaments later I’d still do it all again! 🙂
You can wear the padded helmet except I don’t think that keeps your brain from sloshing arond your head which is where the injuries actually come from. It’s been a year and a half since I was told I had to give up kickboxing (which I love) because of my bad knees but I’m in denial and still have a punching bag out in my garage.
The only thing that seems to be a safe workout anymore is swimming which is awesome but kind of a hassle because you have to be at a pool to do it.