Unfortunately, CarlostTD said the condition continued, and the trophy-winning player endured some of the worst pains he’s ever had. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome suddenly took over his life, and his performance went downhill from there. CarlosTD said it was a scary time for him, as he wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, or how to even recover.
“When I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, it was something that left me unmotivated,” he said. “I was at my best level in the League, then my performance dropped 70% due to pain.”
Due to his disability, CarlosTD couldn’t play at his best in the recent Free Fire World Series Finals. Thinking this situation was only temporary, CarlosTD said he figured he’d get better in time for future competitions. But soon enough, he started to experience painful new symptoms. Unable to get the pain to stop, he went to a specialist to get a second opinion.
After an examination, he was also diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in his hands, which CarlosTD said his doctors suspect caused his Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the first place. Symptoms of the chronic disease include inflammation, stiffness and acute joint pain that makes it difficult to use the affected hand. Treatment is suggested, but it’s a disease that can not be reversed — only managed with medication and therapy. For CarlosTD, he said he experienced all of the pain that came with the illness and more, making playing comfortably on a mobile phone close to impossible.
“From there, everything has been a nightmare,” he said. “The pains have been horrible and there are still nights when I feel like I can’t take it anymore. Tears win me over because It feels very unfair that I put so much effort and dedication into gaming, and all of that hard work goes away.”
Pushing past the pain
Regardless of the immense pain, CarlosTD said he is still dedicated to his career and won’t let this take over his dreams. Instead, he said he uses it as motivation to look forward to the future.
“I am hopeful that I will be able to achieve remission of the symptoms,” CarlosTD said. “I still keep my head up, and right now I’m much better with the disease and in a state of mind waiting for my return to training so I can be the same as I always was.”
Regardless of these struggles, he continues to keep a smile on his face while continuing to entertain his 24,500 YouTube subscribers. Not long after the diagnosis, CarlosTD uploaded a video where he explained his situation to his fans, stating he’s considering practicing solo until he gets better.
He also gave advice to his viewers, stating to not make the same mistakes as him. He shared that this situation was in part due to him “exploiting” his health when it came to playing professionally. In fact, CarlosTD said he cares so much about his fans that they’re one of the major reason he keeps going.
“My fans have been a fundamental piece in my growth,” CarlosTD said. “I have fans who, from the beginning, were there and still are today. Many of them are now close friends of mine. I always do my best so that they feel proud of me.”
His family is also firmly in his corner, according to Hoyos.
“It’s been very difficult [as a mother] finding out about his arthritis since he lived alone and had no one to take care of him,” Hoyos said. “So, we told him to live with us again, temporarily, so that he can have a proper diet and have proper control and care. Every day I ask God to heal him.”
As a player coming from an underprivileged background, CarlosTD proved that anyone can make it to the top with the right support. Without letting his illness get the best of him, he learned to pivot around the struggle in order to continue playing Free Fire professionally. And even though he still has a way to go on the road to recover, he can say with a smile that he’s reached milestones.
“Today I feel comfortable being where I am,” CarlosTD said. “I came from the bottom in a low profile without doing anything less to anyone. With a lot of effort and dedication, I can say that I made it.”
