Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the intersections of survival

In this episode, Rodney shares the unforgettable experience of meeting his kidney donor and his donor’s wife—alongside his own wife, who stood with him through it all. It was a moment filled with gratitude, emotion, and reflection. He also opens up about the uncertain path of Scarred Not Silent, along with the real reasons behind his recent inconsistency.

This is a story about connection, honesty, and what it means to keep going when life doesn’t move on schedule.

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There comes a moment in every patient’s journey when trust meets tension.

You sit across from the doctor. Numbers are discussed. Adjustments are made. The visit ends… but the questions begin.

In this episode, I walk through a recent follow-up where my tacrolimus levels came back high, and changes were made—just like that. No consultation with my original transplant team. No deeper pause. And now? Every ache, every strange taste, every shift in my body feels like a signal I can’t ignore.

But here’s the truth we don’t talk about enough:

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Hey! I will see ya! Friday the 20th. Sorry, and thank you! 

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 Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review! 

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Trust is an interesting thing. Most of us assume our bodies will do their job. Until one day they don’t.

In this episode of Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival, Rodney Washington reflects on the complicated relationship he now has with his own body after kidney disease, a kidney transplant, and heart valve replacement surgery.

Who: Rodney, a transplant survivor learning how to navigate life after major medical battles.

What: An honest conversation about what it feels like to lose trust in your body and slowly learn to live with uncertainty.

Where: In the quiet space between medical appointments, lab results, and the everyday moments where life continues.

When: After years of dialysis, transplantation, and heart surgery, when every new test can feel like another turning point.

Why: Because many survivors carry this silent tension. The question of “What will the next exam reveal?” often sits quietly in the background of life.

How: By learning to stay alert without living in fear, accepting that some things are outside of our control, and reminding ourselves that even when life forces a pivot, life still moves forward.

Rodney shares how medical exams can bring a wave of uncertainty, especially with the possibility of kidney rejection or new complications. But he also reflects on something deeper: the realization that while the future is unknown, purpose and movement in life do not stop.

Sometimes survival means learning to walk forward without full certainty.

And that is exactly what this episode explores.

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Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review!

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For the past couple of weeks, I have been missing in action. A stubborn cold moved in and brought along a chronic cough for company. My voice now sounds like I stepped straight into a rap battle from the movie 8 Mile… except I might be the guy with the raspy voice getting roasted.

In this episode of Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival, I share what it has been like trying to record while sounding like I swallowed sandpaper. Sometimes life pauses us whether we like it or not. Illness, exhaustion, or just the need to reset can slow even the most determined people.

This short episode is a quick check-in with the community. I talk about the last couple of weeks, the unexpected humor of sounding like a gravel-voiced battle rapper, and why stepping back for a moment does not mean giving up.

The show is not going anywhere. I will be back on track soon, microphone in hand and voice hopefully working again.

Until then… thank you for sticking around.

Now if you will excuse me…

drop the mic.

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 Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review! 

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Sometimes the next chapter of life doesn't arrive through a grand plan. Sometimes it shows up through curiosity.

After years of navigating kidney disease, survival, and rebuilding purpose, a surprising spark has appeared in an unexpected place: the world of resale. What started as a simple activity has begun to reignite something deeper. Energy. Strategy. Creativity. Possibility.

In this episode, Rodney reflects on what it means when something small begins to refuel the fire inside. Is resale simply a side hustle, or could it be the doorway to a new chapter? Or perhaps it is just a reminder that purpose can evolve.

This conversation explores the uncertainty that comes with starting again, the courage it takes to follow curiosity, and the quiet power of rediscovering momentum after life has brought you through storms.

Sometimes the question is not "Is this the answer?"
 Sometimes the question is, "What if this is the start?"

This episode is about listening to that spark.

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 Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review! 

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It is not about lowering standards.
 It is about accepting reality without shrinking your spirit.

In the context of Scarred Not Silent, this episode would explore the difference between:

• Acceptance and resignation
• Adaptation and defeat
• Maturity and giving up

You have lived in seasons when life did not match the plan: health, Career pacing, or Physical limits. Public perception. Expectations of what a provider “should” look like. That gap between expectation and reality can either harden you or refine you.

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 Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review! 

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The Anger Phase.
Funny thing is, I don’t remember being angry. Or maybe somebody’s algorithm filed me under a lazy label and called it a day.

If anger showed up at all, it wasn’t in the middle of the surgery or the most challenging stretch of recovery. It came later, after the healing was “complete,” when the dust settled, and I had to face what life actually looked like.

Maybe it was what life coach Christine Hassler calls an Expectation Hangover. That moment when reality doesn’t match the picture you carried in your head, and the emotional bill comes due.

Maybe my version of “how this was supposed to go” wasn’t reality at all.

So I’m putting it on the table, honestly and carefully.
 Listen, and ponder with me.

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 Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review! 

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Grief for the Old Me” is about something people rarely say out loud: sometimes you are not grieving a person. You are grieving yourself.

Here’s the thinking behind it.

When someone goes through illness, transplant, disability, career disruption, or any major life shift, there is a quiet identity death. The version of you that ran faster, earned differently, dreamed differently, and planned differently — that person changes. Not disappears. Changes.

And change carries loss.

This episode would not be about self-pity. It would be about identity transition.

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 Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review! 

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 Today’s conversation opens the door to the parts of loss that do not show on the outside. The hidden identity shifts. The silent grief. The private battles that continue long after the world thinks you are “okay.” This is an honest reflection on the invisible version of self that still exists and still matters. 

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Support the show

 Thanks for tuning in to Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the Intersection of Survival. Stay connected: www.scarrednotsilent.com | [email protected] | Support the show by leaving a review! 

Oh! If you would like to support my coffee or cheesburger fund, check the link below. 
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2226847/support