Fab Weekend......

 The weekend was rather enjoyable. It was filled with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches down in Santa Cruz and a little football. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has been ahuge part of my life since I have returned home from the midwest. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has filled the void created by football that took up so much of my time during the earlier years of college days. Once football stopped while in the midwest I seemed to be un-happy a majority of the time. When you mix alcohol into the scenario I could be down right mean. There were times I would be in bars and dumb ass "townies" (the locals from the town) would pop off and say something stupid in regards to me being from California. Most likely an insult geared to homosexuals or something about hugging tree's, nothing to really bother me normally until a couple of Jager Bombs become involved. Once those Jager Bomb's went down the hatch I would get tough with people when ever they stepped out of line.

I know look back at the old me and I think what a fucking jack ass. I can honestly say Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has made me a better person. It allowed me to make great new friends and travel through out the country. I have made friends in so academies and always have a place to train.

The negative side of the sport is the wear and tear it puts on your body. There are many bumps, bruises, dislocated fingers and Cauliflower Ears. Cauliflower Ears are when the ears of a martial artist become mangaled looking like a piece of Cauliflower. Wrestlers also get a nasty case of Cauliflower Ear as well. Cauliflower Ear developes due to the ear not having a solid bone so therefore the cartlidge bends and tears forming Cauliflower Ear. Some people tend to wear head gear to protect the ears but it can be very uncomfortable causing a rash around the neack and ears.

Reconstructive ear surgery is a new tool used to combat Cauliflower Ear. The reconstructive ear surgery is a new tool used to combat the effects of cauliflower ear. Retired Mixed Martial Artists are the ones who have made the reconstructive ear surgery popular. The reconstructive ear surgery does not fully bring the ear back to shape instead it cuts away at most of the scar tissue slightly re-shaping the ear.

It seems that I have finally developed Cauliflower Ear. I got caught with a knee while training last week and shortly after the Cauliflower Ear developoed. Ice was immedialtely applied to the ear to bring down the swelling and it helped a great deal. My ear looks some what normal an individual has to look close in order to see the defect in my right ear. Needless to say my better half found out right away and become pretty pissed in regards to it.

Defenitions

Cauliflower Ear- Usually present in combat sports i.e. wrestling, brazilian jiu jitsu, judo, mixed martial arts, and rugby. Heavy abuse is usually taken to the ear which causes a blood clot which causes the cartilage in the ear to seperate. Thus, in turn causes the ear to look like a piece of Cauliflower. Usually the looks are the only bad side effect of having cauliflower ear and hearing is not affected.

Reconstructive ear surgery aka "Cauliflower Ear Surgery"- popular in retiring mixed martial artists who have sever cauliflowered ears. A plastic sugeon thins down the cartilage around the ear that has thickened.Thenthe skin is repositioned over it.