Promoted to Brown Belt

June 29, 2025 

It took 3 years 8 months to get through Purple belt.   4 surgeries during that time, were all huge setbacks.  

As soon as I could, I was back at the gym watching class.  I cautiously pushed myself back to training as fast as possible.  I was extremely selective with my training partners and modified everything.  My shoulder still isn’t 100%, but it’s good enough most days. 

Battling the medical system has been its own challenge.  I had been asking for a hysterectomy for 2 years.  My Apri 2023 surgery should have been a hysterectomy, but they didn’t want to jump to such a serious surgery, despite the near constant pain and drastic impact to my quality of life. Normally, hormones are prescribed to help treat my symptoms, but previously having breast cancer meant hormones were off the table, and it felt like no one knew how to help me.  It took an ER visit after days of extreme bleeding and concerns I was losing too much blood during my period, which was at that point lasting 2 weeks every month, that the hysterectomy was finally approved.  After the surgery, they found I had a condition that could only be treated with a hysterectomy but also can’t be diagnosed until you have a hysterectomy.   

Continuing to show up 9.5 years into this BJJ journey is about so much more than wanting to be good at BJJ.  There are battles off the mats, battles with my body. 

I’m thankful I’m able to train as much as I am, even though it’s not nearly as much as my brain wants.  I’m also thankful for having a team and partner who are endlessly patient with me and supportive.  They really motivate me to fight my way back to the mats every time. 

This promotion came while I was already registered for my next tournament only 2 weeks away.  The first thing I did when I left class was update my IBJJF registration.  No one was in my purple belt bracket, but within days of moving to brown belt, someone signed up! Looking forward to my first brown belt tournament!

Oct 2021 – June 2025 

• April 2023 Uterine tumor removal 

• Nov 2023 Hysterectomy 

• Nov 2023 Shoulder surgery 

• Aug 2024 Shoulder surgery 

November 2023, I was pushing doctors to stack surgeries so I could shorten my overall recovery time 😊