Motivation

[Quita55]

Hi has anybody felt overwhelmed with their health care? Finding strength, courage, and motivation to take care of your daily tasks that need to get done. Every day I have to weigh myself ,water restriction, monitor my blood sugar, watching my potassium then try to juggle your lifestyle. Living with kidney failure, diabetes, sciatica, and high blood pressure. I'm open for any tips you might help me to get motivated.

[Bet117 NKF Ambassador]

Hi Abigaleknight,

Healthcare and self care is a lifestyle change.

It is doing your best to love yourself and those who love you and forgiving yourself if you are unable or not in the mood to carry out daily tasks.

It is going one day at a time and having patience with yourself knowing that you are taking the best care of yourself that you can and preparing data to share with your doctor's to keep you as healthy as you can as this is a process and a journey.

Look in the mirror and be proud of yourself that you have the courage to do this for yourself.

Reward yourself with something that you love; a call to a loved one, a favorite movie or something as simple as flowers.

Look for the sunshine even when it is cloudy.

Know that you are not alone and have friends here who will always reach back to you if you reach out.

Keep those thoughts !

Bet 👍🌹🌞

[Hidden]

Hi, I have two chronic conditions. Diabetes and CKD. I also have hypertension. Add to that I'm training a puppy. When you have chronic illnesses it's all about a lifestyle change. I do my blood pressure readings twice a day, my blood sugar readings are only done once each day and I'm working 24/7 with the puppy. I work on my kidney-friendly meal plan menu for a month at a time. I've done it for so long that I know what it takes to make each meal. My shopping is done based on that weeks meals, my doctor's appointments are made around my shopping. In between all of those things I get in my exercise.

It's hard but it is not impossible.

I'm retired now but my last career was teaching middle and high school students with special needs. They were a piece of cake. However, the parents would sometimes drive me to think about retirement. To do that for as long as I did you have to be organized.

Again, as Bet117 said, it's all about a lifestyle change. I don't think about what I can't do or can't eat or have. It isn't part of my life.

Currently, I miss my grandkids, but there are video chats and that makes it okay for now. When the present madness ends, I'll load up my RV and begin to travel again. My routine then is the same as home only on a smaller scale.

If you think of your meal plan as a diet, you figure it's okay to cheat now and again. Almost everyone cheats a time or two or ten times on their diet. You can't really do that when you have a chronic illness or two.

Once you get organized and get into a rhythm it's easy to find time to read, watch a good movie or just help with support in this community.

Hopefully, I'll never have to face the need to go on dialysis, but if I should, I've done my research and know that I can do HHD and still maintain my lifestyle and continue to travel.

Set your priorities and hang in there. It can be done.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

I am 79 was diagnosed 4+ years ago with CKD and have to watch my prescribed diet. Am also dealing with anemia which is a side effect. I also have neuropathy, and now pre-diabetes (used to be called diabetes). After a while it becomes a routine. Every once in a while I treat myself by getting off my diet a little. Keep us posted on your progress in dealing with several conditions. You have come to a good forum for CKD support.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

HI,

The alternative is to die and that is not a good choice. The thing about diets is that people look at them negatively for their restrictions. Try changing your attitude about that and it helps. Look at what you can eat and make it the best it can be. Learn new recipes and ways to change things up. It can be challenging but also fun. Your monitoring is you life line to watch for changes. When you are stable, it is a good sign and means you are doing the right things. Reward yourself for those achievements.

We all get overwhelmed at times with it all, and now it seems to be more to worry about. But worrying does not change things other than to make you sicker. Rejoice in the fact there are things you can do to maintain your current health. There are many people who do not have that.

[drmind]

I just put myself on a renal diet and although I fairly self-disciplined, I'm finding it difficult, too, especially being quarantined and not having the freedom of shopping at the grocery myself. After about a week and a half, I slipped back to eating whatever and allowed myself to feel badly for a few hours then, back to the diet. I find that its just an adjustment of portion control and choices. And, there are days when I just don't want to prepare a meal. My "go to" answer for that is to have some simple little sandwich ideas ready and eat that instead of making a whole meal. It works for me. We are all navigating these issues and when you're tired, its difficult. But, don't give up. I love the idea of giving yourself some treats like buying a special movie or getting some flowers. Boy, these treats can make any little meal taste great. Love and best wishes....

[Ladyboomer]

I hear you. I was dx'd in 2007 with stage 3 kidney disease and managed to overcome the overwhelming information I got since mine is hereditary. My dad died from it in 1959 at 39 yrs old. I missed all my high school/college functions of father/daughter dances, dinners etc. Anyway, 3 weeks ago everything changed, and i missed all the signs that something was wrong. My feet/legs always swell in the spring summer and with this being one incredibly hot summer/fall in Arizona, i had no other symptoms something was wrong. 2ndcwk of Dec, we finally got a hard freeze at night and in the 40s-50s daytime, and my ankles still swollen. Went to my cardiologist and we schedule a dopp,dope, and an echo if the heart for Dec31, unfortunately, i ended up in the ER on Dec 28 in cardiac and respiratory failure. Long story short, heart functions back to normal but did sustain so mg e heart AND KIDNEY damage, and have 2 heart valves that need to be replaced towards end of this year. So you bet I can completely relate to you? Walk and exercise are your best friends right now. Trust me on this. Good luck to you.😊