Thalassemia: Is this my goodbye to martial arts?

**EternalRage** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 4:03pm

Originally Posted by 1point2

Why did he recommend stopping MA? I did a little research and didn't see anything glaring.

Sucks to hear of the diagnosis either way--but even with a good doctor, second opinions (especially from sports specialists) are worthwhile. Good luck however it turns out.

If it becomes severe, you can get anemia that requires transfusions, you can get hepatosplenomegaly, cardiac failure, etc.

Depends on which kind the OP has, alpha, beta major, beta minor...

**Snake Plissken** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 4:08pm

Sorry to hear it and echoing all the others:
1) make sure your health is addressed
2) when your wellness is no longer a concern, then look at a MA
3) if the club won't let you out of your contract for this, **** 'em they are scumbags
4) as others said, if you want to train, then train something, anything....as long as you are healthy and happy don't quit on something you like.

and hey, from reading about this illness quickly, you are safe from malaria.

**omoplatypus** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 4:14pm

my doctor basically said he doesn't want me doing any alive MAs. he used to be a ringside doc for amature boxers, so he knows his ****.
i'm a little bit biased against yoga ever since i blew a richter scale level fart in one class at my old fitness center. an internal MA might be good for me, but i'll probably just find a gym with an indoor pool and start swimming.

i did pull my contract out of my files, and it does not have a medical clause for cancelation in it. but hopefully my instructor wont be a dick and try to keep me obligated. my doctor is faxing me a statement to give to him.

**Rivington** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 4:16pm

Doesn't Hedgehogey also have Cooley's Anemia?

**3moose1** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 4:19pm

Do aikido.

**omoplatypus** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 4:24pm

Originally Posted by 3moose1

Do aikido.

YouTube - Fruity Aikido, by Bullshido.net

but i don't wanna put on a skirt and slow dance with men.

**Hedgehogey** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 5:11pm

Doesn't Hedgehogey also have Cooley's Anemia?

Yes, I do. To deal with it I do a set of lung expansion excercises before class.

But why is it called that? As far as I can tell, Chinese people don't get this condition.

**Happy Panda** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 5:22pm

Let me first say that I have no idea what your condition is or how serious it is. However, in my experience, most doctors tend to blow things out of proportion. I've been to 6 different doctors/specialists recently for an eye injury, and only 1 of them has at least pretended to respect my decision to fight. One flat out told me that fighting is silly and pointless and that I need to stop, and this was before she actually knew anything about the injury except that I had a black eye and broken nose. A different one later on mirrored her sentiments and told me a few horror stories about some boxers he had seen with detached retinas (I don't have a detached retina).

The impression I get from the majority of doctors I've met (recently and in the past) is that they'd be very happy if everyone would just powerwalk 30 minutes a day, eat right, and let that be the end of it. If for whatever reason someone feels compelled to do more, then God forbid they ever play a sport which doesn't involve a ball of some sort.

My point is that you can't let doctors make decisions like this for you. Don't just assume that he knows his ****, because chances are he's trying to play it as safe as possible, and the safest alternative is always to quit. If you're fine with giving up MA, then go ahead, but don't do it because a doctor told you to.

**patfromlogan** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 5:23pm

If they don't let you out of the contract I'd tell them feel free to see you in small claims. They'd look like fools in front of the judge.

**Hiro Protagonist** · Posted On: 1/27/2009 5:23pm

Originally Posted by Snake Plissken

Sorry to hear it and echoing all the others:
1) make sure your health is addressed
2) when your wellness is no longer a concern, then look at a MA
3) if the club won't let you out of your contract for this, **** 'em they are scumbags
4) as others said, if you want to train, then train something, anything....as long as you are healthy and happy don't quit on something you like.

and hey, from reading about this illness quickly, you are safe from malaria.

What Snake has said, and all the best!

Hey, and Aikido isn't that bad. ;)