Seeing To Box

Wednesday was another night of limited sparring action, as only Anthony and Jamil got into the ring.  Randy begged off sparring, stating that he wasn't keeping his hands up enough, and wanted to work on doing that. 

I suspected that a lot of the people who were in the gym during the summer session assumed that the gym wouldn't be open during the break period.  That's probably why the number of people have been so light lately.  Some of them will return later this month when the Fall session starts and be surprised that they could have come in during the break.

Carlos's cousin returned to the gym along with a friend, a very good looking guy named Adam.  They signed up for fall, but I told them they could get a workout in that night.  The only thing they wouldn't be allowed to do was sparring.  Carlos's cousin said that Carlos would be returning to the gym soon.  His work schedule has kept him out lately.

Josh showed up ten minutes before closing time wanting to work on pads.  We worked with the punch doughnut instead.  "Ten minutes is better than nothing," he stated, but the time frame doesn't allow for much of a workout either.

I had another eye exam yesterday, a more comprehensive one, at the Illinois Eye Institute.  The floaters in both eyes are something I'll have to live with.  They are more of the result of aging than injury.  The doctor, a very bubbly woman, said that she saw nothing in my right eye that looked serious.  Both her and the student doctor, Tracy, suggested something that Alan has told me time and time again:  to keep my hands up and not take so many knocks to the head.  They told they were glad that I had come in to check out the white flashes (which have stopped) in my right eye.  If anything else seems out of place, they told me to call them.

It appears that I'm good to go for having a match on September 24th.  I left a voice mail on Alan's cell to let him know.  Time to intensify the workouts that I've been doing in and out of Loyola Gym.  Not easy to do with all the reading and homework I have to do for school (plus other obligations), but I want to be as ready as I can.  Especially if I'm going to be fighting someone from Hamlin Park again.

Vitreous Trouble

I went to the eye doctor today, praying that some good luck would rub off on me because it was my youngest brother's birthday.  Ken would have been 45 years old today, and he was actually born on a Sunday on a kitchen table in the apartment our family lived in at the time.  It is also the 45th anniversary of when I learned the "here's the steeple, here's the church, open the door and see the people" game that people have been teaching little kids forever.  One of the midwife staff that day taught me that in an effort to keep me occupied while my mother was in labor.

After explaining the recent problems with my right eye (a new floater, white lights flashing), the doctor dilated my pupils with drops to get a better look.  My left eye has a floater, but it's fine.  There is a vitreous detachment in my right eye (and the floater in that eye is an indication of that).  "After four to six weeks if there are no changes with that eye, the possibility of a detached retina goes down.  But come and see me a month from now for a follow up appointment so we can make sure it didn't get worse," the doctor told me. 

As I carefully walked down the street later (dilation of the eyes makes sight blurry for awhile), I wondered how this was going to affect the fight I have next month.  The doctor suggested that if I spar, I shouldn't take any shots to my head at all.  He confirmed what I had suspected:  hits anywhere to the head could affect one's vision.  If I'm not sparring, I won't be getting in the extra practice I need to face my opponent.  Maybe I can do drills instead.

I was just thinking about who may have hit me and caused the eye injury.  But what does that matter?  Stuff like this is usually cumulative most of the time, and I've been boxing since 2001.  I'm still curious as to why it's my right eye and not the left.  I can't remember being hit in my right eye as much as my left eye has been.

Alan called to check up on me this afternoon, and I gave him the report about my eye.  "Didn't that light they shine in your eyes hurt?" he asked.  It was uncomfortable, but the light was the way the doctor had to use to check out the trouble. 

I'm grateful that my sight hasn't deteriorated much.  The eye doctor said that ten years after a diagnosis of diabetes is when the sight problems really kick in (I was diagnosed in 2007).  The capacity to see distances has diminished a little.  If I take care of the diabetes even better than I have been doing lately, I might not need a white cane later on.  I paid for a new pair of glasses, and those will come in a couple of weeks from now. 

Look Out For Flying Headgear

No sparring for me again Wednesday night.  I have an appointment with the eye doctor this weekend, so sparring is on hold until I get the results about that.  Plenty of action in the ring generated by others, however.  First up was Professor and his brother Miles.  Miles threw some solid hits, even more so when he was up against Anthony.  Anthony rallied back in a later round, and caught Miles with some bombs.  "I was proud of how you did," Alan told Anthony later.

Since I could not spar with Evangelina, she got in the squared circle with Randy.  It didn't look like he was hitting hard, but I've been in the ring with him enough to know that he can.  Evangelina got in one while Randy was backing up towards the rope.  His headgear flew off.  "Whoa!  Time out!" I called out.  Alan quickly put his headgear back on, and the action resumed.  Josh commented, "She's aggressive!"  Professor agreed with him.

Randy's headgear flew off two more times, each time right behind a hit from Evangelina.  Both Alan and I noticed that she was slapping at Randy several times.  Both of us suggested that she throw her punches straight on. Randy did catch her in the face a few times, but as usual, Evangelina took it and carried on.  There was a cut on her lip after the last round. 

Matthew (Alan's son) was in with Ralphie.  Matthew brought in his iPod and a speaker, playing a mix of heavy metal and rap.  While he and Ralphie were sparring, a heavy metal song played.  Alan kept telling the guys to take it easy.  During a break, Ralphie laughed, "I think this music is pumping him up!" 

As I guessed correctly, news about possible tearing in the retina in my right eye brought about shock and dismay among the church folks.  I announced the problem during the woman's fellowship gathering on Tuesday night.  Suggestions were made -- again -- for me to give up boxing.  The thought crossed my mind that I may just have to be satisfied with the workout only if I get some funky news from the eye doctor. 

Deo's Progress

It was a surprise when Deo walked into the gym last night. I assumed he'd be out for awhile due to his eye injury. Deo explained to Alan and I that his sight is still blurry in his left eye. When Leon hit him, the muscle around that eye got caught up in the bone fracture. Doctors were able to move the muscle back in place, but Deo has to be careful for awhile. He's still under a doctor's care. Deo hung around for awhile to talk to Alan, who also experienced a bad eye injury years ago.

Carlos sparred with Alan. The oppressive heat in the gym was bothering me, so I did one round on the uppercut bag, then I watched the guys. I reminded Carlos to keep his hands up. Alan likes overhand rights, and he tagged Carlos a few times with them. Carlos improves each time he spars. Regardless of what he gets hit with, he keeps coming forward. He tends to back away straight from his opponents, however, and I also reminded him to be mindful of that.

Upon looking at the class roster, Alan noted, "Ieisha hasn't been in for awhile." The other women have not been around, either. Some of that could be blamed on the weather. It's been too hot outside, and unfortunately, there's no air conditioning in the gym.

One of the last times I sparred, my mouthpiece became very loose in my mouth. Teddy Atlas of ESPN's "Friday Night Fights" grumbled once during a match when a boxer's mouthpiece kept flying out onto the canvas. He stated that there's no reason -- or excuse -- for a mouthpiece to keep slipping out. It was a sure sign that it's not fitted properly. I've had both of my mouthpieces for several years. Maybe it's time to change them.

Get your boxing gloves and equipment for less.

Since I've had my mouthpieces, I've had five of my teeth removed: all four wisdom teeth, and another tooth in the back that was too bad to save. I'm guessing that when dental extractions have been done, a boxer should be fitted for a new mouthpiece. I would love to get one professionally done by a dentist, but the cost is steep. Most of the ones that can be brought from boxing equipment companies are very good, however.