Wesley Warren Jr. had such an advanced case of scrotal lymphedema that he wore a hoodie for pants and rested his scrotum on a milk crate after every few steps.

Now, thanks to the generosity of a surgeon and listeners to the Howard Stern show, he can wear normal pants and underwear.

Recalling the night before his condition started, Warren, 48, remembers feeling an incredible pain in his right testicle that woke him from his sleep, like a nightmare.

"I felt the most enormous amount of pain that one could possible imagine," he said.

Although the pain subsided and relief came, the next day his scrotum swelled to the size of a soccer ball.

He quickly went to the emergency room, where he was treated with antibiotics, which had no effect on the swelling. He was told that he would need to seek the help of specialists, but Warren didn't have the money.

Lymphedema is a condition that can affect many parts of the body. It occurs when there is a blockage or damage to the lymphatic drainage system. Small capillaries throughout the body collect lymph, a fluid that surrounds the cells, and drains this fluid back to the heart, where it is mixed back into the blood stream. Lymphedema is a common condition in people who have lymph nodes removed during surgical cancer treatments, such as breast cancer removal.

In a normal functioning lymphatic drainage system, the lymph fluid in the scrotum would be brought back to the heart. In Warren's case, the fluid collected, causing his scrotum to grow to 134 lbs.

Warren lives off of disability benefits in Las Vegas. His condition makes it incredibly difficult to move around.

In 2012, he was approached by Dr. Oz, who offered him free surgery in exchange for the rights to his story. Warren turned down the deal, which he said made him feel like a "freak."

He turned to Howard Stern to solicit support from Stern's audience. Warren believed Stern's mostly male audience would be sympathetic to his plight. Warren began collecting donations for his treatment through the email address, benefitballsack@yahoo.com.

"It may not sound like the classiest of email addresses, but it's one people can remember," he said.

A surgeon who specialized in scrotal lymphedema came across Warren's photograph approached him. When Warren told them he did not have enough money to pay for the 13-hour surgery, surgeons at the University of California, Irvine's Center for Reconstructive Urology offered to perform it for free. He used the money raised through the Howard Stern show for transportation.

Dr. Joel Gelman, director of the center, performed the surgery on April 8. He estimates that he removed more than 160 lbs. of fluid and tissue. Warren weighed about 500 lbs. before the surgery.

Removing that large of a mass at one time is risky, Dr. Gelman said. Some of the veins were very large in diameter, which makes bleeding out a risk.

In the past, Warren was accused of enjoying his celebrity status, an accusation which ignores the pain and humiliation he faced because of his condition.

Warren is grateful for the new change in his life.

"I call Dr. Gelman my lifesaver, and I'm grateful to him and all those caring fans of 'The Howard Stern Show' that have supported me through this," he said.