Chapin baseball coach Scott McLeod grateful for 'new lease on life'

Chapin baseball coach Scott McLeod has a new lease on life and is making the most of it.

Less than six months removed from kidney transplant surgery, McLeod is energized and feeling the best he has in years. He became a grandpa for the second time last week hours before his team defeated defending state champion A.C. Flora in the first round of the Class 4A Lower State playoffs.

Chapin is in the midst of a special season. The Eagles have been ranked No. 1 for most of the year and have won 24 games, the most since winning 25 in 2002.

Chapin hosts St. James on Wednesday for the Class 4A Lower State championship, with the winner advancing to the state title series beginning Saturday. The Eagles haven’t played for a state championship since 2002, when it was in Class 2A.

“Win or lose, whatever happens, we have had a great season,” McLeod said Monday at practice. “I have been blessed beyond what I deserved. I got a new lease on life. I used to think the whole world revolved around this field. But with this happening and grandchildren, it is not life or death like it used to be.

“This year has been a blessing. Lucky to be here, for one thing. All this other stuff is just gravy here.”

McLeod was diagnosed 15 years ago with IgA, which is also known as Berger’s disease. It was discovered during a routine physical when he complained of being run down.

According to mayoclinc.org, the disease occurs when an antibody called immunoglobulin A lodges in your kidneys. It results in local inflammation that, over time, may hamper your kidneys' ability to filter wastes from your blood.

At the time of diagnosis, McLeod’s kidney was functioning at a 50 percent level and doctors were able to treat it with medications. But the kidney's function slowly deteriorated. By August of this year, his kidney was functioning at a 12 percent rate. If it had gotten to 10 percent, he would have been forced to start dialysis treatments.

Luckily for McLeod, his doctor, Thomas Wheeler, put him on the inactive list for a possible kidney transplant five years ago so when he needed one, the wait would be shortened. According to kidney.org, the average waiting list for a kidney is three to five years.

A match was found for McLeod, and he went to MUSC for the kidney transplant Nov. 22, a day before Thanksgiving. McLeod said the kidney came from a 45-year-old about the same size as him. Doctors will tell him in a year or two the name of the person so he can contact the family.

“It was God’s timing, and it worked out perfectly,” McLeod said. “When I needed a kidney, there was one there. I go back Thursday to get checked.

“It was God’s timing. He has taken care of me, why I don’t know, but he has.”

McLeod took it is easy the month of December and slowly worked his way back during tryouts in January. He said he got tired about 7 p.m. or so each night, but his energy has gradually returned.

McLeod still can’t lift some things or pitch batting practice, but he can hit fungos. He also was put on a strict diet and has lost about 30 pounds.

“He grinds it out every single day, working hard so that the players can not only be great on the field but also as young men off the field,” Chapin assistant coach Paul Scheno said. “His energy level is the same today as it was before his surgery. That is because he cares so much about these boys. He may have had a damaged kidney, but he has an extra special heart and mind.”

SCHSL Playoff schedule

Wednesday

Class 5A

Lower State Championship

Lexington at River Bluff, 5:30 p.m.

Class 4A

Lower State Championship

St. James at Chapin, 6 p.m.

Upper State Championship

South Aiken at Airport, 5 p.m.

Class 3A

Lower State championship

Gilbert at Bishop England, 5 p.m.

This story was originally published May 8, 2018 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Chapin baseball coach Scott McLeod grateful for 'new lease on life'."