need some advice - life kicked me in the balls.

I was on the job collecting evidence when a junkie's needle punctured my glove and drew blood. Great thing is he has hepatitis C. Not sure who else was shooting up there (injecting synthetic meth also known as bath salts as well as subutex and heroin), so the possibilities of disease transmission knows no bounds. All my baseline bloodwork was negative, but I knew that already. So, now that I can't do standup or really roll, what do I do for the 6 months until I know if I am clear or not? All I can figure is that I could finally buy a dummy with all the gym dues I'll be saving and drill some moves.

I won't risk going to any gym until I know I am clear. I have seen way too many people bleed in the gym and hep c is passed from blood to blood. Stand up is over except for drilling and just bag work, which I can do in my basement. Figures, I had finally just dropped the 12 pounds I needed to lose for 8/3/13 for naga. I was really looking forward to rolling with people my age and experience level to see where I stood at. Had august all planned out too.

It is going to be hard to stay motivated, heck, its hard thinking about the possibilities.

I didn't post here for a boohoo poor me, I want some advice from other grapplers on what to do, maybe how I should plan things. I am not a spring chicken and a 6 month layoff would be detrimental. Kinda torqued a bit at the non response from some of the people I texted at the gyms I go to. Non response means avoiding issues. Tell me to go fuck off till I am clear, I can take it I'm a big boy. We can kick, knee, elbow, and punch one another, try to break each other's bones or choke each other unconscious, but can't answer a text message.

rolling and sparring are definately out, if you can find some one who would just let you do reps on them i think youll be ok with out risking drawing blood, sucks brotha im pulling for you

I would totally get a grappling dummy and get those 10,000 reps everyone is always stressing to each other. Get the rubberguard and twister DVD..boom. 6 months gone, just like that. :) That is what I would do. I'd probably make my husband or dog be my grappling dummy if I couldn't get my hands on one.

Get a dummy brotha. Just Don't allow yourself to get depressed. It will be easy to let that happen, so Just keep your head up and remember why you love this stuff so much. :)

I don't know if it is wrong to grapple if you have something or not. Seems to me that the risk would be pretty low with just grappling. They don't test or ban people from tournaments. Just a thought.

I would second the above, def do what u can with video and drilling on a dummy, and a willing partner. Competitive rolling (to be safe) is out just in case cause the errand head butt, knee etc could draw blood. Hopefully after 6 months things will work out, sry it happened this way.

Here is what you do,

1) go to all the other gyms in town and bleed everywhere
2) Form a gym only for people that have hep c so that you can still all train as none of you can train anywhere else
3) collect the $$$

lol jk

buy a grappling dummy

make sure that if you just lost weight for a naga that it stays off, you dont want to have to refight that battle

now is a good time to get deep into kettlebells

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dwight Roux

I don't know if it is wrong to grapple if you have something or not. Seems to me that the risk would be pretty low with just grappling. They don't test or ban people from tournaments. Just a thought.

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Its best if no longer think out loud on the forum.

You people are not telling this poor guy the facts. I trained a student that has hep c. He was one of the top pro fighters at the gym I used to coach at. They even test for this in pre-fight bloodwork. Have you even been tested and diagnosed as having it? Fact is, with hep c you can live a normal life. My father has hep c and it has never given him a problem. You do not have to stop training, but you must let your training partners know and you cant just free bleed everywhere like a cave woman on her period. I hate to break the news to you people, but if you guys have been in this sport long enough; you have rolled with a guy with EVERYTHING before... Research hepatitis c before you tell this guy he must live in a damn bubble..

Wrong forums to post this man, get on medical forum or something..

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Originally Posted by ScottRay

You people are not telling this poor guy the facts. I trained a student that has hep c. He was one of the top pro fighters at the gym I used to coach at. They even test for this in pre-fight bloodwork. Have you even been tested and diagnosed as having it? Fact is, with hep c you can live a normal life. My father has hep c and it has never given him a problem. You do not have to stop training, but you must let your training partners know and you cant just free bleed everywhere like a cave woman on her period. I hate to break the news to you people, but if you guys have been in this sport long enough; you have rolled with a guy with EVERYTHING before... Research hepatitis c before you tell this guy he must live in a damn bubble..

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Thats ironic, no athletic commission I have ever worked with will allow a fighter with Hep B, C or HIV to fight. Which is why the make fighters get blood work (Ammy & Pro).

I'm not going to waste time explaining myself to the biggest troll on the forum. I already gave away more confidential information than I should in effort to help this scared individual. I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true...end of discussion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScottRay

I'm not going to waste time explaining myself to the biggest troll on the forum. I already gave away more confidential information than I should in effort to help this scared individual. I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true...end of discussion.

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I'm the biggest troll on the forum?

You should explain yourself because the information you gave out is false, and the information I gave is the truth. You are correct you should have never given out any confidential information. However there are clear dangers to training and rolling with someone with bloodborne pathogens.

I feel horrible that Ern is going through this. However to mislead him is also horrible.

Private message me and I will be glad to give you all the school details, sanctioning bodies, TDLR records, whatever you want. How can you expect me to give out confidential info on a forum, then call someone out for not giving all details. Really?

This thread is not about my old students and Texas' MMA policies. This guy asked for support... He doesn't need 2 people to argue over some trivial bullshit..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScottRay

Private message me and I will be glad to give you all the school details, sanctioning bodies, TDLR records, whatever you want. How can you expect me to give out confidential info on a forum, then call someone out for not giving all details. Really?

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Reality is support. I didn't say you need to talk about your boy, I said you needed to give out more information on what you're talking about. I know what I said to be 100% true. Athletic commissions will not let a fighter thats tests positive for Hep B, C or HIV fight, thats what I wanted you to expand on. This topic is not trivial, its reality. Why would I debate you in a PM when you brought it out on a public forum?

Scott, chill tha fuck out homie. The fact that your commission allows hep c to fight is not confidential info.

Ern sucks. It takes 6 months to find out?

Keep your head up bro! I agree with everyone, get the dvds and grappling dummy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bobby rivers

Ern sucks. It takes 6 months to find out?

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It is kinda complicated. see they don't really detect for the virus, they test for the antibodies that your body makes to fight the virus - I won't talk about seroconversion. It takes awhile for the body to make enough antibodies to be tested accurately. this is why they test roughly at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months, with 6 months being the "holy grail" if you think about it that way. At 6 months they figure your positive or negative.

thanks for the answers, getting a dummy next paycheck. I just want to say that no one has officially banned me from their gym, it is more of a self ban until I am clear (that and lack of communication from some parties). I have read every piece of literature I can find on the subject, including peer reviewed articles in medical journals. I have family who work in the medical field, and they have access to people who are on top of this subject. All I can say in summary is this : once you are possibly exposed to it, treat yourself as infected until you know your clear. I am doing it for my family, and my extended family (friends) at the gym. I would hope that they would do it for me. Could I train still - sure. Is it safe? well nothings safe, but that being said, would you fight/roll differently with someone you knew was infected or possibly infected? I couldn't live with the fact that I put myself before my family or friends and rolled and fought and by some strange act I infected someone else (if I have contracted the disease). Sure I could drill with someone, be careful regarding scratches and cuts, but what if? Therein lies the rub, what if..... I have told all my friends and cooworkers not to touch me without gloves if I have a cut. Universal precautions for all.



thanks again for the replies.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ern

thanks for the answers, getting a dummy next paycheck. I just want to say that no one has officially banned me from their gym, it is more of a self ban until I am clear (that and lack of communication from some parties). I have read every piece of literature I can find on the subject, including peer reviewed articles in medical journals. I have family who work in the medical field, and they have access to people who are on top of this subject. All I can say in summary is this : once you are possibly exposed to it, treat yourself as infected until you know your clear. I am doing it for my family, and my extended family (friends) at the gym. I would hope that they would do it for me. Could I train still - sure. Is it safe? well nothings safe, but that being said, would you fight/roll differently with someone you knew was infected or possibly infected? I couldn't live with the fact that I put myself before my family or friends and rolled and fought and by some strange act I infected someone else (if I have contracted the disease). Sure I could drill with someone, be careful regarding scratches and cuts, but what if? Therein lies the rub, what if..... I have told all my friends and cooworkers not to touch me without gloves if I have a cut. Universal precautions for all.



thanks again for the replies.

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Exactly what I would do too. You are protecting others. :)
Hope everything works out well for you bro. :)

I still say form a hep c super gym and corner the market

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScottRay

This thread is not about my old students and Texas' MMA policies. This guy asked for support...

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I understand what your saying, I know it is not a death sentence to contract Hep C, I know it is treatable. It is a game changer in my book, and apparently the agency I work for thinks so too. They want me to go to counseling and will pay for everything I need to do. Has it changed me already? Not knowing is worse than knowing. Can't sleep so well, have some anger in me, I am anxious about my results. Having to wait until December to know for sure, killer. Having BJJ MMA plans put on hold at my age - that really is kinda the least of my concerns at this point, but I need to continue to do stress relief. Let's be real about one thing, I carry a gun, so no one, my family, me, my employer, coworkers, or the public, want me running around half cocked so to speak

Punching and kicking people at the gym was a great stress reliever, kept me in shape too. Doing BJJ and MMA was also good for the job. I am getting older and the people I deal with tend to stay around the ages of 21-35. I was spending 3 days a week at the gym, roughly 3 hours on Saturdays, and anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 on Mondays and Wednesdays. That is why I came here, to see what suggestions people had for continued training without being in the gym.

thank you for your replies.

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Originally Posted by Ryan Brick

I still say form a hep c super gym and corner the market

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that is funny, maybe form a HEP AND HIV fight league. Fight to the death...literally. if someone finds that offensive please have a mod remove it. I can see where that might upset someone, but I'll post it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ern

that is funny, maybe form a HEP AND HIV fight league. Fight to the death...literally. if someone finds that offensive please have a mod remove it. I can see where that might upset someone, but I'll post it.

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Apparently the mod is a troll so I doubt he'll remove it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ern

thanks for the answers, getting a dummy next paycheck. I just want to say that no one has officially banned me from their gym, it is more of a self ban until I am clear (that and lack of communication from some parties). I have read every piece of literature I can find on the subject, including peer reviewed articles in medical journals. I have family who work in the medical field, and they have access to people who are on top of this subject. All I can say in summary is this : once you are possibly exposed to it, treat yourself as infected until you know your clear. I am doing it for my family, and my extended family (friends) at the gym. I would hope that they would do it for me. Could I train still - sure. Is it safe? well nothings safe, but that being said, would you fight/roll differently with someone you knew was infected or possibly infected? I couldn't live with the fact that I put myself before my family or friends and rolled and fought and by some strange act I infected someone else (if I have contracted the disease). Sure I could drill with someone, be careful regarding scratches and cuts, but what if? Therein lies the rub, what if..... I have told all my friends and cooworkers not to touch me without gloves if I have a cut. Universal precautions for all.



thanks again for the replies.

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Ern, I wish you the best, and send postive thoughts and engergy your way. You are a stand up dude and commend you on your moral stand on training. There are many selfish people in the word, you sir are not one of them!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ryan Brick

Apparently the mod is a troll so I doubt he'll remove it

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Must ....not... use.... mod.....powers.. for ...trolling....hard...to ...resist...

Lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dwight Roux

I don't know if it is wrong to grapple if you have something or not. Seems to me that the risk would be pretty low with just grappling. They don't test or ban people from tournaments. Just a thought.

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If you're suggesting that he do comps with hep c, I just dont know what to say. Im gonna assume you are ignorant regarding the disease.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chris Herzog

Thats ironic, no athletic commission I have ever worked with will allow a fighter with Hep B, C or HIV to fight. Which is why the make fighters get blood work (Ammy & Pro).

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We have a semi local ammy org "So you wanna fight" that does fights at one of the casinos. They dont test for hep. Our guys cant fight there and come back to the gym without getting cleared for hep.

http://www.soyouwannafight.com/index.htm

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ryan Brick

I still say form a hep c super gym and corner the market

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relentlessly inserting insensitive humor into a heartbreaking thread . . . . I love this guy.

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Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson

relentlessly inserting insensitive humor into a heartbreaking thread . . . . I love this guy.

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You would make millions just off lloyd irving victims

Man I am sorry to hear this. My thoughts are with you and your family. I can only imagine the stress you all are under. Hopefully decembrvwill be here before you know it. Until then, chin up, drill wit that dummy and study. Best of luck to you!!

Dang I really hope everything turns out for you. This is one of my biggest fears to get something or hurt myself to where I can no longer train. Id be devastated.

i actualy had a nightmare once wear i got my knee fucked in a heel hook

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson

If you're suggesting that he do comps with hep c, I just dont know what to say. Im gonna assume you are ignorant regarding the disease.

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I work in the health field and work directly and in close contact with people with hep c. we do not change our protocols at work as we use universal precautions. I feel bad for Erns situation and he is taking the right approach. But i guess i was just thinking along the lines of what happens if someone does contract something. Are your training days over?

Hang in there. Same thing happened to Rory Miller and he spent the time making something wonderful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQn5HljpK_A&sns=em

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dwight Roux

I work in the health field and work directly and in close contact with people with hep c. we do not change our protocols at work as we use universal precautions. I feel bad for Erns situation and he is taking the right approach. But i guess i was just thinking along the lines of what happens if someone does contract something. Are your training days over?

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man, its like you said, universal precautions. The odds of contracting the virus are not great but the potential consequences are (sorry ern) bad.

wikipedia says there is about a 1.8% chance of contracting it from a needle poke with a solid needle and greater from a hollow needle or a deep poke. Thats right I said deep poke. Just rolling with someone the odds would be very low but dont they have the right to know?

Hi friend. Nothing bad will happen if you will take a break. Every athlete sometimes needs to recover. I think it's better for you to stay and rest for some time, till you know you are clean. My advice is to take a HIV Test(i'm a doctor) - who knows what infections were on that needle. You need to take it as soon as possible. This is very important, read more on https://hivrna.com, this can save your life

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrRock

Hi friend. Nothing bad will happen if you will take a break. Every athlete sometimes needs to recover. I think it's better for you to stay and rest for some time, till you know you are clean. My advice is to take a HIV Test(i'm a doctor) - who knows what infections were on that needle. You need to take it as soon as possible. This is very important, read more on https://hivrna.com, this can save your life

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What are you talking about dude?