HEMA and ITP

Hi everyone, I've been recently diagnosed with ITP as of this past summer after the doctors realized that the reason for my low platelets was NOT because of the mono I was dealing with, but because my immune system wants to destroy all of those lovely little platelets in my blood.

Anywho, I'm nearing the end of my senior year at college, so I've been looking into different places to live/find work and activities I could do if I lived there, which is how I came across HEMA (Historic European Martial Arts). The city I'll most likely be living in has a HEMA guild with classes that will teach me how to fight with swords, spears, etc., and I've ALWAYS wanted to learn how to do so, but is it a good idea to go to a place where you'll be hit with sticks for sport (and fun!) with ITP? My platelet count on average ranges from 30,000-50,000, so I bruise really easily and will get concerning nosebleeds with prolonged time in dry weather, but my count isn't low enough for my hematologist to make a call for treatment (he basically said he's not too worried about me since I got all 4 impacted wisdom teeth cut out while I wasn't diagnosed with ITP yet and didn't die, so what few platelets I have work really, really well). There IS a lot of HEMA specific protective gear that I could buy, but it costs... A Lot, and I wouldn't want to invest all of that into something until I've done it for a few months. Does anyone here have experience with HEMA or a similar sport, such as fencing (even hockey?), that could offer any insight on working around our irritating lack of platelets? Or is being able to challenge someone to a duel by sword going to be an unattainable goal?

I don't think it's an unattainable goal at all, but you'd have to take the proper safety precautions. It would be best to discuss this with your doctor to see what he recommends. Your counts are perfectly safe for normal daily living, but activities like that might require some planning.

I gave up kickboxing but my counts drop to unsafe levels quickly (48 hours) and I don't get any symptoms on the way down. If you are steady I would say let the gym know about the disorder and train with people that are ok not hitting you in the head (I don't know if that is part of it but just in case.) . Maybe also train with people that will go easy on you as far as how hard they hit, but make sure you are going easy in return. Most good martial arts gyms will work with you to keep you safe.

I am sure in the least you can join and learn the skills with out sparing (until your counts go up). Their is much more to learning martial arts than just getting hit and I think you can get something out of it even if you join and just learn the skills.

let me know how it goes for you and be careful!