Pleased To Meet You

Just a little about me before you dive into the articles I have written regarding my journey with Polycystic Kidney Disease.  I’m really a pretty ordinary guy for those who do not know me.  I’m currently 56 years old and married to a man I have loved since I met him in 1980. Of course I did not know I loved him back then – or that I was gay for that matter. But that is a story for another venue. Suffice to say we have been together for a long time and I am very lucky to have him in my life.

During the course of my life so far, I, like most, have seen my ups and downs. I lost my mom at an early age (I was 17 years old), and my dad died when I was in my 40s. I have also had my bouts with illness – testicular cancer and benign spinal tumors in the 80s.   But I have been lucky enough to overcome these obstacles and enjoy my life so far surrounded by family and friends. I know I am luckier than many because, though I  have had my difficulties, they have all been surmountable. I have been told that I am an optimistic person, and I suppose that is true. I guess it’s a result of having overcome the bad in favor of the good on the other side of whatever it was that I was going through.

    I also realize that when I look back on my life, I see mostly the positive, happy times. The many times I was worried about this or that in the past are now moments that could have been better spent realizing that many of life’s trials and episodes are overcome one day at a time. When I see them in my rear view mirror, I wish that I had not expended so much energy on them. That is the attitude that I bring with me on my Polycystic Kidney Disease journey. I feel fortunate that my illness is something that I can overcome with modern medicine through organ transplant. This is something that would have claimed my life in a different era. How lucky I am to live in a time where I can power through this with the assistance of a kidney transplant and come out the other side a healthy, vibrant person ready and willing to pay it forward in life, as I have always tried to do.

I don’t want to spend too much time on the details of my fifty-six years. You will pick more of them up as you read the articles I have posted here. I am anxious to find a kidney donor so that I can move forward with my life and continue to be a productive person who realizes just how incredible his life and those in it are – someone who is driven to move forward and help others to realize the same in their lives. Please read more about me and my journey with Polycystic Kidney Disease: “And By the Way, You have PKD“ “The Golden Child Speaks”