"All is well"

For the past 20 years, I have enjoyed my locs. Regardless of what other people may have thought, I saw my locs as a sign of beauty and strength. To me, they seemed to fit my head, my face, and my personality.

(Picture of 20 years of Shawn's locs)

However, it started to thin (and I mean really badly). I don't know if my hair began to thin because that's what locs do overtime because they get heavy or if it's because of the daily cocktail I have to take due to Kidney failure. You can read about my journey with the miserable disease on my blog,

(Picture of Shawn's hair thinning)

www.TheMaldonCirculator. Go to Health and Fitness section and read to your heart's desire. In terms of daily cocktail, I am taking about 15 pills per day and have to use a boat load of creams, ointments and medicated oils.

So, yes, folks it's real. I cut my hair. It was a very hard decision and one that came with some emotional "stuff". I literally had to call upon India Arie, "I am not my hair." I listened to it over and over and over. It finally registered with me, 'you know what, I am NOT my hair.' While I am definitely going through one of the worst times of my life, I am still here. Still fighting. Still laughing. Still serving. Still worshipping. My godmother always says, "...at least your'e not pushing up daisies." She isn't minimizing my journey, she is trying to give me hope. Like when she says, "...all is well." (In my head, I am like, 'seriously? All is definitely not well'). She derivers that from the Bible of course. Was sit Esther? At any rate, I appreciate her for loving me. Speaking of appreciating her, guess what? She came all the way from Alabama and has been with me, caring for me daily. She makes sure I have my meds on time and three hot meals every single day. There is not a day that goes by that my godmother doesn't ask, "...are you ok?" You see, I am blessed. I am grateful that I can recognize that in the middle of the struggle.

I wanted to start a new paragraph here, though I am not quite done talking about my godmother. Guess what folks? Every time I find myself in the hospital, which is often. It seems as if I go every other day. You may be asking why I have to go to the hospital so frequently. I go so frequently because of the complications associated with CKD. I had other issues too: MRSA from the hospital, pneumonia (praise God all has cleared up) or I have to go so they can intravenously regulate my potassium, calcium or even for blood transfusions. Kidney failure is no joke. Sorry for rambling. My point here was, every time I find myself in the hospital, my godmother REFUSES to go home. She comes and sleeps in the room all night with me. Keep in mind we are not talking Ritz Carlton accommodations here. In fact, most hospital rooms haven't even had a couch for her to stretch-out on. So, she sleeps in a chair or pulls together two chairs and makes a DIY bed.

(Picture of godmother Glenda Kelly. I apologize I didn't snap a real-time photo of her in the hospital).

I am grateful that so many of you have visited me, prayed for me, and thought of me. Thank you. However, I owe a great deal of gratitude to my godmother from childhood, Glenda D. Kelly. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Words aren't enough, but Maya Angelou once said, "Thank you is the highest praise. It's what you tell your God." So, thank you! I know it's a lot considering you had to make arrangements for your business, uproot your busy schedule, take a flight and travel a distance to be with me, but you did. So, thank you for being here. Means to the world to me.

Ok, let me dry my eyes. Now, I want to share with you guys a couple more things by way of an update, then I am done for today.

1) I am still awaiting a kidney-not much new information here. I am hopeful regarding a few things here, but nothing concrete. You will know, when I know.

2) Yes, I cut off my locs. It was a hard decision. I look VERY different. I look less attractive. I do not want you to come up to me and say, " Did you cut your hair?" YES! I did. I had to do it. Look at the pictures. It was time (sick or not). I never wanted to be THAT GUY who hangs on to his locs when they are thinning and only one strain is left hanging on for dear life.

3) I am about 5 shades darker. I assume its because of the dialysis I don't have much to say about this. In fact, I don't care. I never had a color complex. All shades of blackness is beautiful. If I was as black as tar, I would be fine with it. I assume, though, my color will come back after all of this misery.

(Pic of Shawn Maldon as of April 3, 2023. Still smiling)

Ok, I am tired of writing now. LOL. Much love to each of you and be kind to someone you don't know Also, live life to the fullest. I know I am!

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO GET TESTED, TO SEE IF YOU ARE A MATCH PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME. MY BLOOD TYPE IS 0+.