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My Brain on Pro Wrestling - The End of My Career


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Would you mind if I shared this post on my social media? I have a lot of friends in the Northwest Wrestling scene and I think this is some important stuff. Thank you for sharing something so personal and I'm glad you made the decision you made.

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1 hour ago, Ramsey said:

Would you mind if I shared this post on my social media? I have a lot of friends in the Northwest Wrestling scene and I think this is some important stuff. Thank you for sharing something so personal and I'm glad you made the decision you made.

Go right ahead.  Like I said, I don't want it to be a cautionary tale - I knew the job was dangerous when I took it - but I hope it gives people something to think about.  I certainly am.

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Take care of yourself, dude, you're one of the good ones!

You know, as this 61 year-old man limps around on knees that should be replaced as the result of twenty+ years playing shortstop with guys far my junior and in better shape, I think about whether or not I would have done anything differently... Not a fucking chance! Grab all the kicks you can, you only make this scene once!

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And here I was waiting for the "X-rays of Sweetser's brain revealed nothing" joke...

Seriously, what you've shared here is incredibly important. I've seen way too many guys in the business who can barely put a sentence together after years of abuse, including a few I'm friends with on FB. Also, I had a really bad concussion a few years ago, plus a handful of others from childhood into college that I'm 100% certain weren't diagnosed at the time. Your post a) is giving me PTSD, b) makes me want to get re-evaulated for some of them.

Congratulations on "graduating," Mike. As @OSJ said, you're one of the good ones.

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I'm very glad I never decided to try and persue wrestling, going the undertaker route because of wrestling.

Sweetster, thank you for sharing. It was quite informative. I wish you good health and nothing but the best in your future endeavors.

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11 minutes ago, Michael Sweetser said:

Believe me, I made all of the "no data/negative" jokes before and after the scans. ?

Did anybody use the "Do you deny that this is a sketch of the inside of your head?" line?

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I've always loved that line for no logical reason, but have few chances to use it.

Godspeed, Sweetser.

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4 hours ago, Michael Sweetser said:

 

.   You won't see me involved in a frivolous lawsuit blaming others for this. 

I just wrote an article for Courthouse News about the concussion lawsuits against WWE.

https://www.courthousenews.com/wwe-knocks-out-consolidated-concussion-case/

Thanks to you and all the wrestlers who put everything on the line to entertain us. I couldn't do what I love without you guys.

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I am glad you are getting out now, knowing all of this. I don't talk about it often here, but before I became a commentator, I had a 10 year career in the ring. I've always dealt with anxiety and depression in some form or fashion, but around 2011 or so it started getting magnified. Not coincidentally, 2010/2011 were years where I took some pretty sharp blows to the head, both from bumping, and guys who work a fairly stiff style. 

I would have never connected the two until you posted this honestly, and has prompted me to want to get checked myself. I wish you all the best, Mike. You're a solid dude.

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11 hours ago, RandomAct said:

I am glad you are getting out now, knowing all of this. I don't talk about it often here, but before I became a commentator, I had a 10 year career in the ring. I've always dealt with anxiety and depression in some form or fashion, but around 2011 or so it started getting magnified. Not coincidentally, 2010/2011 were years where I took some pretty sharp blows to the head, both from bumping, and guys who work a fairly stiff style. 

I would have never connected the two until you posted this honestly, and has prompted me to want to get checked myself. I wish you all the best, Mike. You're a solid dude.

I’m so happy it made you decide to get tested.  The SPECT scans I got (and that Daniel Bryan got) are not cheap but insurance can cover a lot of it, and it’s going to add untold productive years to my life.  It’s a down payment on me. 

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.  

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Good on you for getting checked & walking away.

Ive told my story on here a couple of times about serious depression being linked back to a heap of untreated concussions from my time training to be a wrestler.

Those scans are scary & really put into perspective how dangerous this business really is.

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As a person dealing with someone with neurological issues, I totally sympathize with your plight,  Mike.  I will continue to pray for your good health and that you will have excellent quality and quantity of life from here on out.

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