Category: Multiple sclerosis
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Dark Humor
June 11, 2021 When you suffer long enough, your sense of humor changes. It doesn’t get louder. It gets darker. People say humor is a coping mechanism. They say it like it’s a trick. Like you’re dodging pain. Like you’re avoiding reality. But when suffering doesn’t leave, humor isn’t avoidance. It’s adaptation. At first, you…
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My new 100%
Sept 23, 2023 “I’ve reached a point in life where I must confront my age, my health condition, and my lingering injuries. These realities are not going away; in fact, they are only becoming more pronounced with time. Recently, I took a much-needed three-week break from my usual routine of 7-9 classes a week .…
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Shedding Your Shell:
How BJJ Helps us Grow Through MS March 2020 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can bring a lot of obstacles in your life, and it can be quite a tough shell to crack. But just like a lobster, who must shed its old shell in order to grow and thrive, people with MS…
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System Crash in Seattle
September 8, 2025 I took a great trip to Seattle this week. I walked Pike Place Market. Ate incredible food. Stood outside the spheres. Spent time in the pop culture museum. On the surface, it was exactly the kind of trip I love: movement, noise, life. Underneath, things were unraveling. The trip came after five…
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The Insanity of Greatness: Finding Sanity in the Jiu-Jitsu Gym”?
“Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music.” – George Carlin Oct 7, 2021 In the world of Jiu-Jitsu, amidst the sweat and struggle on the mats, lies a community unlike any other. While some may perceive it as a gathering of “insane” individuals, those within its embrace recognize it…
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Coach Joe
“No one ever steps into the same river twice.” – Heraclitus I have taken on a new role recently. Coach. I have always been the guy people ask before, during, and after class. It felt natural. People saw me as someone who understands the game and can explain it in a way that helps. My…
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Why me?
I’ve seen no scientific data to prove this, but I’m positive that everyone diagnosed with MS has the same first thought: Why me? I remember thinking it wasn’t fair. Fair is such a bizarre concept. We’re taught early on that if we work hard and do the right things, life will reward us. But life…
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Rolling With MS: What My Training Partners Don’t Know
September 2021 I slap hands, bump fists, and start moving. To them, it’s just another roll. To me, it’s another battle against a body that doesn’t always cooperate. Most of my training partners don’t know what it feels like to roll with MS. They don’t know that some days my legs feel like they’re full…
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“Gift” what Richard Pryor taught me.
I’ve always loved comedy, especially the kind that pushes boundaries. As a kid, I didn’t fully understand Richard Pryor’s perspective, but his raw energy and sharp wit captivated me. Later in life, his story took on a deeper meaning because the same disease that stole his gift is the one trying to take mine. Saturday…
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Grappling With Multiple Sclerosis
My name is Joe, and I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003. I was 27 years old, just two months away from my wedding. My body betrayed me, and I had no idea that years later, I’d be stepping onto a BJJ mat, learning to fight in a whole new way. Multiple sclerosis is…