The Big Scary Health Thing: Part I

On March 13, 2024 I was diagnosed with Kidney Failure caused by Nephrotic Syndrome and Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Those two things are NOT a good combination to have. It’s one of those things in life where you just get a random roll of the dice. It’s a rare condition— 7 million Americans are affected by it? Don’t quote me on that. Something I read somewhere, sometime.

It was really weird how it all happened. I closed One Man, Two Guvnors at Black Hills Community Theatre, and had noticed that I had started moving a lot slower, and heavier. In a week or two, I went from 250 lbs. to over 300 lbs. I was swollen everywhere. Like, really badly swollen. I couldn’t move anymore. So finally, Candi convinced me to go to the Emergency Room, which was a wise decision. (Always listen to Candi, everyone.) And from there, I was admitted for a week while they conducted a kidney biopsy on me and officially diagnosed me.

I could’ve died.

Following my treatment at the hospital, I was connected with a very good Nephrologist in town and began my long journey of fighting these two kidney diseases into submission. They’re chronic illnesses that I will have for the rest of my life. And the goal is to stave off dialysis and/or a transplant for as long as possible.

In a rare bit of good news lately, I learned today that after a little more than one year of fighting with these conditions, I am officially in remission. Now, there will be a time where I am no longer in remission because that’s the nature of the beast with these diseases, but for now I am celebrating the small victory of being in remission for now.

But yikes, what a scary health scare to have. I couldn’t have survived without Candi by my side.

Much love.