19 Days of Living with FMD - A Rare Disease in Focus

Sometimes it's hard to understand just what it means to be a patient. It's even harder to understand what it means to be a patient with a rare disease. So - I'm going to show you.

To put it very bluntly, fibromuscular dysplasia has tried to kill me many times before. I'm doing my best not to let it. FMD Chat is raising funds via MedStartr, so that the organization can grow to support more fibromuscular dysplasia patients like me around the world.

FMD has no cure, but at the very least we can care. We have 19 more days to raise $1,274 dollars, so for 19 days—or until we reach our goal—I'm going to show you what it's been like, and what it continues to be like, to be me, a patient with FMD.

WARNING: it's going to get graphic.

DON'T WANT TO SEE IT: help FMD Chat reach its goal before I get to the emergency surgery pics.

Day 1

This is my right kidney.
It is the only kidney I have.
My other kidney was removed when I was 29,
after my renal bypass failed.