What's going on??????

I know this news is surprising to a majority of you - I have just not found it necessary to bring up in conversation. Life is too short to dwell on lemons.  I have stayed active as much as possible, not in denial, but not wanting to give in to this thing. "This Thing" is the fact that my family has Polycystic Kidney Disease. It is inherited, and many in my family have had to deal with it. There is no cure and no cause - just one of those things. It came through my mom's side of  the family -my grandmother, my mom, her siblings, my sisters and consequently their children have to deal with kidney failure on some level. While my kidneys have been deteriorating over the years, I've managed to keep up the boating, golf, directing, performing, etc. but since November 2010, I have lost a point or two of function each month. My kidneys are double size, look like a head of cauliflower instead of a defined kidney, and the cysts are also in my liver. The largest cyst I have is 11 centimeters, several at 5 and 6 centimeters and many, many others. I am fatigued daily. So it is my time.

Currently I have entered stage 5 kidney failure (there is no stage 6) and need to begin the process. I am not on dialysis, and with God's help, perhaps I can skip that chapter and go right to transplant. That's my goal at this point.

We are blessed that this happened at this time in my life - I am retired so don't have to worry about a paycheck coming in, have the time to go to UCLA often, and in general am healthy enough for the procedure. Susie will be able to be my caregiver, taking advantage of the state's family care plan to miss some days of work, and yet continue her job at California United Bank. Our love is strong, and I am blessed with her servant's heart and wonderful support.

So, we thank God for His timing, for the incredible medical advances that make this a possibility, and for the chance of a wonderful healthy life in the future.

Thanks to all for your kind thoughts, support and prayers. It will be an interesting journey!
ch