This is for Arwin. My best friend. My Husband.

For those that don't know him, here's a brief introduction. Arwin is a genuine, down to earth, pop culture, movie loving, athletic guy. If there is a chance to do something active whether it's with someone, in a team or on his own, he will be there with bells and whistles on. You can ask his circle and they will attest to that!

In his spare time, Arwin enjoys travelling, food exploration Dragon Ball Z and spending quality time with friends, families and his fur babies Conan, Lucian, Hades & Yoda. He always has time for anyone. If you need him and ask for help, he'll be there in a heartbeat.

Arwin is a quiet man and he doesn't talk enough about is his battle with End Stage Chronic Kidney Failure. So here is his story.

Arwin in his prime, was a young and fit individual with no health issues or ailments. One day and out of the blue, he felt dizzy and collapsed at work. His health started spiralling and declining really rapidly and unexpectedly from the guy you would least expected from. His rapid spiral caused him to go through, muscle spasms, vertigo, gout, joint pains, fluid retention and severe inflammation.

He went through a multitude of doctors, specialists, medications, tests and misdiagnosis, until he was finally diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease. That was at 29.

Since 2014, we have been managing the disease quietly just between the two of us. We thought that everything was going well and Arwin was stable so there's no need to inform or alarm our family, until we got a call Christmas 2023.

It's not the type of news that you would like to receive through the festive season, but the call advised us that Arwin's kidneys were failing him (to no fault of his own in the near 10 year's he's been trying to maintain his health) and there's no longer anytime for him to find ways to repair or options to repair the health of his kidneys. They were done and he needed to prepare for dialysis immediately.

Since "the call", we have visited the hospital and GPs more than we've visited our loved ones and we've stayed at multiple hospitals longer than having a having a cup of coffee and quality conversations with each other. Our regular visitations and support from his Nephrologists, Surgeons and doctors are always about trying to prepare for Arwin's life on a machine in home care or organ transplant to provide him with a better chance and quality of life.

Arwin's life is currently in a limbo. While his vitals and tests shows that he needs to be on a machine for support, Arwin is not on it due to shortage of homecare machines, and dialysis schedule for Australia is busy, he is much fitter than the many others that are battling this nasty disease and therefore, they get priority and he gets put on hold.

The catch 22. Arwin is not able to be on the transplant waiting list for organ donation as he's not currently on the machine. How is this fair? "He's too fit" - While Arwin tries to defy all odds mentally and physically to stay fit, alert and show courage. He is punished in return and robbed of an opportunity of a second chance at life as his time slowly runs out naturally without help.

Arwin continues to battle with his 6% total kidney function by going to the gym, competing in Spartan Races and sporting events so he's mental and exterior physical health doesn't deteriorate as well.

For perspective, a patient who is diagnosed with 12%-15% kidney function, needs to go on dialysis and Arwin is on 6% and still not on the machines or Donor list! Our health system needs him to get worse, before he's given the chance to get better, unless we have the gift through a living donor.

Through the chaotic change in our lives, we have tried to make life as normal for Arwin and us as much as possible. We have changed our dreams of living a nomadic life to trying to settle into our new home most recently to prepare Arwin's life with home care. Arwin has never asked for help and humbly accepts life as it is with an always positive attitude, but with ongoing care, medicals, travels and a long list of expenses preparing him for his future, recovery, medicals, living, we need the help.

As we continue to have the hard conversation of looking for a living organ donor, raising awareness of Kidney Disease and staying positive in hope to find Arwin the best second chance at life, we have to consider his future on dialysis or post transplant recovery, time off work, medical expenses and myself being his primary care giver, so we're reaching out for help to stay on top of our necessary expenses while we navigate through life together with End Stage Kidney Failure.

I'm scared. Mentally drained, I feel like I'm at capacity and I'm fighting myself not to checkout with life, responsibilities as a wife, partner, care giver and friend. I don't know what to expect and what the future holds for us, but I want to help make sure that Arwin has options and taken care of as a priority. I want to be able to have the ability to focus on helping him without stressing about all the other things in our life and not losing that too.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. We want to say thank you to the support, love and thoughts that we have received along the way of our journey. We are beyond grateful.

We understand life can be tough and everyone could be going through something. All we can do is ask you to listen and share our story.

We sincerely appreciate any consideration and all donation(s) great and small. We encourage all of your support, thoughts, prayers and stories for others to read and be inspired

Life can take a turn without knowing. I hope Arwin and I can encourage you to look after yourself and take signs in your health seriously.

Enjoy life, you only have one to Live. Life and time is precious, we tend to stress on the needless things and forget what matters to us most until it's gone.

Look after one another, be kind to yourself and be kind to others.

~ Shell & Arwin