I was just nine years old when I found out my dad had Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). The news hit like a truck—sudden, heavy, and hard to make sense of. At first, I didn’t fully understand the seriousness of it. I kept cracking jokes, trying to keep things light, clinging to whatever normalcy I could find. But as Dad’s health declined, the reality we were facing came crashing down.

School became harder. My mood shifted. I felt lost watching him in pain, unable to do anything but sit with my helplessness. When he began dialysis, our lives revolved around hospital visits. It was overwhelming—frightening, even—but it also brought our family closer. We were bound together by worry, but also by love.

I gave up sports, birthday parties, and so many things I once loved. But looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. Being by Dad’s side, knowing he was still here fighting—that gave me comfort. It gave all of us hope.

Then came the transplant. We thought it would be the turning point—the end of the nightmare. But even after surgery, complications crept in, and the stress didn’t fade. I felt completely useless. Watching someone you love suffer and not being able to take the pain away… it’s a feeling I’ll carry with me forever. But slowly, things began to change. He started to heal. And when he did, it felt like the world began to breathe again.

Today, Dad’s doing much better. He’s now writing children’s books—sharing his journey to raise awareness for kidney disease. I’ve never been prouder of him. Our bond is stronger than ever. We no longer take time—or each other—for granted. We’ve learned to cherish every moment.

This journey has shaped who I am. Living through my dad’s illness taught me just how fragile life can be, but also how powerful love, family, and resilience truly are.

– Joshua Adams (@J.adams1888)

📚 You can purchase Josh’s father’s story on Amazon:
Stephen Adams – A Kidney for Lily, A Dance for Hope
🔗 Buy on Amazon UK