Wassup everybody it’s Derin Lindsey, graphic designer and entrepreneur. In September 2021, after evacuating to Houston, TX from Hurricane Ida, I was diagnosed with Stage 5 Kidney Disease (End-stage Renal Disease) caused by untreated hypertension. I had been feeling ill since the end of July but didn't quite know what it was. I remember feeling nauseous, losing my appetite, muscle cramps and blurred vision. I tried Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Mucinex, Robitussin, you name it. Once arriving in Houston a relative noticed I wasn't well and suggested I go to urgent care. There I found out I had hypertension. My pressure was 217/117. Eventually, a few days after urgent care I checked into a hospital as my condition hadn't quite improved. After the doctor had drawn a ton of blood and ran numerous test he told me I had kidney failure. The news came as a shock and was hard to digest the first few days. On September 8th,  a day after going to the hospital, a catheter was installed in my chest and I started dialysis the very next day. Since being diagnosed with ERD I have been advocating that black men go to the doctor. You can follow my journey online on my social media platforms, or search #INeedBlackMenToGoToTheDoctor there you will find health tips, resources and recipes.