Upon receiving the proposed date of the next cochlear implant surgery, I had only one thought: “Let’s Get It On!”

As many of you know, I had cochlear implant surgery in the left ear in December of 2013 and have had amazing results. Then I had two glaucoma surgeries (October of 2014 and January of this year) and had a setback from my right eye surgery that has been described elsewhere.

My doctor recently cleared me to resume physical activity, with one particular restriction. Since resuming physical activity, I have lost 5 lbs and have a few more to lose. Otherwise, I’m happy with my progress.

Back in August, during a routine checkup on my left cochlear implant, I was told that I might qualify for a cochlear implant on my right side. Long story short, I did qualify for the right cochlear implant. This is great, as my right side has been nearly profoundly deaf my entire life, and I really look forward to new experiences with that ear. I have had amazing experiences with the left ear. It has helped me become a more confident person.

There’s no doubt in my mind that, due to the more severe hearing loss in my right, I will have to work harder post-surgery than I did after the left ear cochlear surgery and gain even more confidence. 

I was informed via email two days ago that my surgery date has been set for Tuesday, November 3rd, just under two weeks from now. Not a whole lot of time. And just when I was just beginning to get into the swing of things, physical activity-wise.

I’ll have to go with the flow, get through the surgery, recover, and resume training from scratch. I can’t wait to put all of this behind as I would like to get back into shape and continue with my martial arts journey. I love the journey and expanding my horizons through learning from others and self-discovery.

Some have asked me how I have gotten through all this. Simple. It’s all about resiliency.

Now I know some have it and others don’t due to circumstances beyond their control. I’ve always felt that any time you get knocked down, you must get back up and keep going. It’s bred into my personality. It’s hard to explain. I remember seeing several friends at Notre Dame trying a class on the first day and then dropping it in favour of another course. I never dropped a class in my undergrad or law school years. My mindset was always, “Let’s Get it On!”

It was just foreign to me and akin to quitting. As many of you know, I have struggled with my place in this world, but I have never quit. Quit is just not in my dictionary. And so it is with all these recent surgeries and another one in two weeks.

This awesome motivational video comes close to describing my outlook. I have no desire to “get knocked down every day!” Period.

If you are not able to view this video, click here.

“I’m telling you, if you don’t know what your why is and your why isn’t strong, you’re going to get knocked down every day!” -quote from the above video.

In conjunction with the above, a unique view of life comes from the late Radomir Kovacevic (1954-2006), a champion judoka and Olympic coach who believed:

This is life! This is what made you! Hundreds of millions of sperms, all equals, all swimming to see which will reach the egg first, and only one will see the sun, the light of the moon, only one can make you! To be born is the biggest victory against the biggest odds in the biggest competition anywhere, ever—ohhhhh, what a champion! But a champion for what? To watch television, drink Coca-Cola and eat McDonald’s? No! We must continue with the same effort we achieved by out swimming millions! We must keep proving we are worthy of that victory!

Heck yeah! 

Let’s get it on!

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