What would you do if you’re a twenty-year-old kid and you have just found out that you have been living with only one kidney your entire life? One Wyoming football player did exactly what he needed to do: listen to doctors and get back to the football field.
According to Wyo Sports, sophomore defensive end Seth Edeem found out in April that he was born with only his right kidney and had a cyst the size of a softball over his right pancreas. As a guy whose father struggled with Pancreatitis for ten years, I can empathize with the young man.
After being hit in his side during spring practice, Edeem noticed blood in his urine and decided to visit a doctor. That is when he was told about only having one kidney and the cyst. He was told the cyst was not a major concern so he could worry about having it removed after his football career was over.
“That’s what I’m leaning towards right now because I don’t want to have any time away from football right now,” Edeen said.
That’s right. Edeem is back to working out with his team and will play football for the Cowboys in the fall. Edeem will wear a protective “shield” over his ribs to protect the one kidney he does have.
“A lot of Major League Baseball players wear them, and there is a video on YouTube where a guy takes a baseball bat and hits it. It’s some hardcore stuff,” Edeen added. “As long as I’m wearing that, I feel like I will be good to go out there.”
Edeem will certainly help out the Cowboys on the field by giving them depth at the defensive end position. The team only has two guys at the position with extensive field experience, both being seniors Eddie Yarbrough and Siaosi Hala’api’api.
Let’s all hope that Edeem has a successful 2015 season and an even more successful career at Wyoming. Best of luck Seth!
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
