Scarred Not Silent: Stories from the intersections of survival
Welcome to Scarred, Not Silent, a podcast where I open up about life with kidney disease, the transplant journey, and the healing that comes after. I'm Rodney, a kidney recipient, life coach, and social worker who's lived through dialysis, disability, and the quiet moments nobody talks about.This space is real talk for resilient souls. Whether navigating your chronic illness, supporting a loved one, or just curious about what it means to start over with a second chance, you're in the right place.Here, we keep it honest. We keep it hopeful. And most of all, we keep going.New episodes drop every Monday and Friday.Let’s breathe deep, live rooted, and walk this journey together.
Episodes
29 episodes
Disability Pending, Bills Due: Our 11th-Hour Housing Win
Rent due, savings thin, and one meeting that could keep a roof over us. We put on our best clothes, made our case to a property owner, and I started a simple weight-loss plan: carrying groceries. We dodged homelessness, but did the plan w...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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13:41
Purpose Is Plural
Purpose is not a one-ticket ride. Even on dialysis, you can carry many callings and move forward.
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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7:28
The Long Walk to SSDI: Finding Space Between Pain and Purpose
This week, I pause to honor my family as we grieve the passing of my uncle. At the same time, I continue to process my own recent job loss, a weight that has tested my identity and my faith. Yet, in the middle of loss, an unexpected gift appear...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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10:38
Imagining Silence, Choosing Life
At home, I caught myself picturing the ocean as an off switch for the noise in my head. I did not go. I only imagined the hush underwater, knowing even the thought could be misunderstood. What I really wanted was stillness long enough to ...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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12:03
Notice Served. Shadows Stayed
Two weeks came and went. The pressure eased, but the weight did not. I clocked out, yet the stress stayed clocked in. I was still carrying regret, second-guessing every step, and life felt a little darker each day.
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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8:30
I Saw Death Around the Corner
In this episode, Rodney Washington candidly discusses the relentless pressures of working in social services and the impact on his health. Despite facing anxiety, pneumonia, and the stress of managing discharges without support, Rodney reveals ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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7:22
Unwanted Tension on Day One
Moving to San Diego for a coveted job felt like the next logical step, but nothing prepared me for the frosty reception that awaited. In this episode, I share my first days on the job and how I learned that my assistant had been eyeing th...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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13:25
I can’t share the details of our talk, but meeting with my kidney donor left me with one powerful truth—every conversation can change a life.
Sometimes the most powerful conversations are the ones you can’t share, but the lessons still deserve to be told. In this unscheduled edition of Scarred Not Silent, I reflect on an unexpected mee...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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6:34
Still Standing After the Sh*t Show: One Move, Many Lessons
After surviving what can only be described as the “Airbnb Olympics of Chaos,” I finally touched down in a new neighborhood that feels like a Beach Boys remix—Yes, even the White folks said hi… at night… in California. 😳 The journ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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8:22
High Rises and Hard Truths: The Relocation That Nearly Broke Me
In this raw and reflective episode, I take you inside my move to San Diego. It was a journey filled with hope, struggle, and the constant drag of medical equipment through Airbnbs and high-rise elevators. What started as a fresh chapter s...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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13:58
When the Money Says Yes, But the Soul Hesitates
In the final episode of Season 1, I share the surprising pivot that led me from the familiar comfort of Arizona to what felt like a second home — San Diego, California. From the jaw-dropping moment of being offered more money than expecte...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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10:54
Unlisted and Unprepared: A Journey Without Answers
In this raw and revealing episode, I share the emotional aftermath of discovering I was never placed on the transplant list in Tucson. From the initial shock to the silent scrutiny that followed, this story uncovers the mental toll of unanswere...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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14:03
Accountability Over Anger: Why Blaming Doctors Won’t Heal You
In this raw and personal episode, I unpack one of my biggest pet peeves: when patients reject medical advice, deny treatment options, or lash out at healthcare professionals—only to face the fallout later. We’ll talk about how patient self-dete...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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13:15
Three Words to Get You Unstuck: Observation, Process, Action
In this episode, Rodney breaks down his method—OPA: Observation, Process, Action—a simple, powerful approach for navigating kidney disease. Born out of lived experience, OPA helps listeners tune into their bodies, make...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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9:15
Eating the Unthinkable: My Wake-Up Call for Iron Deficiency
Join me as I share my personal journey of craving and consuming paper, flour, and yes, even baby powder. Call it fine dining for the nutritionally challenged. This unusual menu is rooted in iron deficiency and a condition called pica. Together,...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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7:07
Peritonitis: Zero Stars, Would Not Recommend
This episode shares the day peritonitis had me truly down and out. I talk about the pain, the fear, and finding moments to chuckle at my own misery, because sometimes laughing is the only thing that doesn’t hurt too much. For anyone who k...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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5:37
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Shame Behind My Scars
I used to burn with embarrassment over the tubes and the scars, the roadmap of survival carved into my skin. It is hard, truly hard, not to care about the eyes that linger too long, judging what they do not understand. Some days I want to...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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8:08
Traveling on Dialysis: Our Journey from Tucson to the Pacific Northwest
Who says dialysis has to keep you homebound? With planning, teamwork, and humor (even when someone steps in the bucket!), you can see the world, one exchange at a time.
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Episode 12
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8:27
Who Really Carries the Burden? A Caregiver’s Quiet Strength (Episode originally aired on June 30, 2025)
Caregiving isn’t a job you apply for. It’s a role life assigns you, often without warning or pay, but always with stakes that feel impossibly high.
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Episode 11
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7:33
Aftershock: The Outcome of My Hematologist Scare
A brief and honest reflection on the emotional and physical aftermath of a recent scare with my hematologist, and what the results revealed.
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Episode 10
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10:42
This 21 Second Phone Call Changed My Day
In this short but powerful episode, I share how a 21-second phone call shifted my entire mindset. Sometimes, it’s the smallest moments that leave the biggest impact. Tune in to hear what was said—and why it reminded me that connection, ...
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Episode 9
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9:12
The Cost of Breathing: Dialysis, Dollars, and the Fight to Be Heard
Dialysis isn’t just a medical treatment — it’s a financial battlefield. In this episode, I speak about the hidden costs of staying alive and how DaVita’s social workers and financial team helped me navigate the storm. But the real lesso...
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Episode 8
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5:13
The Day I Chose Dignity Over Dialysis
In this raw and reflective episode, Rodney shares how he navigated the emotional and physical demands of home dialysis in 2015, and how a simple moment of connection with a patient reminded him that gratitude can find a way even in frus...
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Episode 7
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7:13
Bitter or Better: The Choice Gratitude Gives Us
In this episode of Scarred Not Silent, Rodney opens up about the kind of gratitude that doesn’t come easy. The kind born from loss, pain, and survival. This isn’t about being thankful for everything—it’s about finding meaning i...
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Episode 6
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10:34
Bravo in the Living Room, Dialysis in the Dungeon
On this episode, I share the chaotic, emotional, and unexpectedly funny story of my final night on hemodialysis. From tangled tubes to Tucson heat, and a surprise cameo from my wife as Gordon Ramsey, this is a raw look at what it really...
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Episode 5
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10:29