Before I continue with my live tournament adventures, adding onto my "How I got into Poker (blogs)," I'm going to address the amputation questions that many people have asked, especially after my last entry when I didn't go into detail.

Well, here we go.

I was born with an issue called clubbed feet, and amniotic banding. Amniotic banding result = I have 7 fingers. Not a big deal at all. However, clubbed feet manages to haunt me, still today. It didn't affect my left leg nearly as bad as it affected my right leg. When I was 1, I was adopted to the Junglen family from South Korea. It ended up being one of the best things to ever happen to me. I was adopted to a very loving family, and the doctors in the US were much better than the doctors in Korea. If I were still in Korea, there's a good chance I wouldn't be walking at all.

I could talk about this subject for quite awhile, but I'll try to give you guys a good summary, without taking it too far.

From ages 1 - 16 I had around 17 surgeries correcting my right foot, along with minor ear and finger surgeries. Totaling around 20 surgeries at age 16.

When I was 17 I was told that amputation was the best route to take. While contemplating this life changing decision, I'll never forget what my doctor said. Dr. Ian Alexander looked at me in the face confidently and told me "Adam, you'll be running track in 6 weeks." It sounded great. I'd be able to walk without wearing awkward orthopedic shoes, and wouldn't need my "yearly leg tune-up surgery." He also told me I was very young so I'd recover very quickly....Well....F**K that guy. Seriously.

I went through with the surgery and it was awful. Mentally and physically I was an absolute wreck. It didn't take 6 weeks for me to recover like my doctor suggested. It took 6 f**king month's.

6 Months of being tortured on crutches, hobbling my way through Stow High School
There was no way I could make it to dances or other high school festivities on crutches.
Every week I'd goto my doctor to see if my limb was healed to the point where I could get a prosthetic leg.

Again, this processes DID NOT take 6 weeks as said by my doctor. The healing took 6 of the worst month's of my life. You can only imagine what was going through my mind during this time.

Alright, so he finally tells me I'm healed and can learn to walk again. This was during the time I was interning at Alltel. I was walking, but with incredible pain. It was just awful. Eventually I had an X-Ray done at the doctor's....

Yea...

There were bone chips floating around my limb. I needed to have another surgery.

F**k my doctor. What a joke. Seriously, I have absolutely no idea how I didn't sue him.

Ok, enough of that. The 2nd surgery (which took up my senior year) ended up being "successful."

I can walk, but it's still painful...just not as painful as it used to be. I can get around and have traveled on my leg, but it's still painful. After sitting for 9-12hrs in big live events for example, I'm in extreme pain. On breaks, I quickly walk to my room just so I can take off my leg and relax for a few minutes. I'm far too insecure to take my leg off at the table. it's just something I gotta deal with.

I'm desperately hoping they can come up with some sort of cure. Last I heard they might do something with my nerves so I wouldn't feel the pain. I don't know, I really feel like it's practically ruined my life. People jokingly tell me all the time "Oh I'd give you my leg if I could," well, I know they're just trying to be nice, but I almost take that as an insult.

Nobody deserves the pain that I had to go through.

Sorry for getting off-track. My next blog I'll write up my memories of my first live major events in January of 07.

I'll close this blog with this simple statement that should get the point across.




I would give my net worth for 2 legs in a heartbeat.


Sorry if this ended up being a rant, just a major part of my life I thought I'd include. It was just too big to ignore.

Thanks for reading.

-Adam Junglen

EdmondDantes says

Wow. Gut-wrenching yet inspiring post. Thanks for opening up, man.

FWIW, a guy getting comfortable at the table wouldn't bother me at all. I say be secure in the knowledge that if the other players are cool, they won't care...and if they aren't, who are they that you need to be uncomfortable around them? Again, awesome post.

Edmond

11/13/07

harlem says

Dude,

That's some heavy shit you posted. I thought I got screwed when I broke my neck and had to where one of those funky halo bracelets for 8 months, your story is gut wrenching. I think this bad hand you were dealt made you stronger and obviously you would prefer to just have two good legs but life is not F___G fair sometimes. You're a kick ass card player and have what it takes to beat the odds.

11/13/07

lakong says

Adam, I don't feel bad for you because I'm sure that's not what you want. For whatever reason God made your road difficult. Maybe he wanted you to know pain and suffering at an early age so that you could respond better to life's challenges as you got older. I have a sense that you're going to do great things. Maybe poker will be your vehicle to become known and have a platform to launch other more meaningful pursuits. If nothing else, you are a great inspiration and through your smarts, hard-work and attitude you are showing thousands of people what is possible and what's really important. Keep it up. We're all rooting for you!!!

- S

11/14/07

lakeoffire says

Thanks for the reality check. I should not complain as much as I do about meaningless crap. I only thought you were an awesome poker player and had no clue of the things you were dealing with. I am sure you are an inspiration to anyone that thinks they might be limited in certain ways. Sounds like you have a great family, the world needs more of them. Good luck, Adam!

11/14/07

Anonymous says

Adam - that's quite a story! Not many people could overcome such terrible obstacles the way that you have and still forge ahead so successfully. You definitely have Greatness within you and I think we're all confident that you'll find a safe way to eliminate the pain. As far as being concerned about making others uncomfortable when you are in great discomfort, I think you should concentrate on your own comfort. People are much more aware and knowledgeable than you probably think. Listen - Heather Mills does it all the time - and on national TV. You really are the greatest - Really!

11/15/07

Anonymous says

After reading this post, i had to let it pass through for a few seconds.
Maybe a minute.
Before coming completely back to the place where i physically was : my chair..

in fact the journey bagan when i got through your interview on pokertips.org and when i read your answer''id probably be dead''
i took it very seriopusly.
Why couldnt be ironic?
Because you hadnt used irony in your answers until now.
So why ? why would you be ironic on a subject like life?

In fact, your answer ''i would probably be dead''
it came in the middle of the page like a bomb!

i said to myself, ' wow he realy means it. It sounds like a death and life situation. ''

yes you were honnest about that, and so much, that i wanted to understand all of it.

first i took a guess:
maybe his passion for poker was so huge that he couldnt have found another reason to live for ?
like an artist, who lives for his art and cant accept his life an otherway.



what you lived made you stronger.
strong enough to take care of yourself.
and excel in your mind.

ARTISTS HAVE TO FIGHT THERE DEMONS..
zenduser1@gmail.com
From paris!

03/13/08

Chooose an identity

Login/Register Enter Name Anonymous

Log in with your TwoRags.com account. Click here to register. Email: Password: Remember log-in information Name: