A Chronic Kidney Disease patient conducting Dialysis said, "Valentine's Day is around the corner and I'm already super depressed. I am on dialysis unable to enjoy myself like I used to and have been this way for four years now. It is hard seeing other couples celebrate with flowers or hearing about outings together and - even though I am married - I just want to crawl under the covers and pretend like this day doesn't exist. This holiday just gets me down :(......Any suggestions?"
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Valentine's Day can be very hard for Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis patients as well as their loved ones since patients can feel lonely on this day even if they have a 'Valentine.' This is likely a result of the fact that Dialysis can at times be very overwhelming and demoralizing. Here are some tips to enjoy a successful Valentine's Day:
1. Buy yourself or your loved one an affordable gift that is meaningful. While flowers count, the best place to order Valentine's Day gifts are at KidneyBuzz.com (click here).
2. Looking for something sweet? Holiday events that emphasize the giving of candies such as Valentine's Day can be difficult for Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis, and Diabetic patients who avoid consuming candy to prevent phosphorus and blood sugar spikes. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) advises to "go easy on Valentine's Day candy," for Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetic patients especially those on Dialysis to avoid serious issues. Instead of the traditional treats, KidneyBuzz.com has approved the Dialysis Tailored sweets and snacks offered by VidaFuel. You can learn more at the following link: https://www.vida-fuel.com.
3. Try to do some journaling about your feelings. Sometimes this helps Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis patients get it all out and they feel like a weight has been lifted off of their chest.
4. Watch your favorite movies or TV shows. Old romance movies are the best to inject a few cozie feelings into your Valentine's Day. However, you can also watch any of your favorites or take the day to find a new interesting flick that you have been meaning to watch.
5. Make plans with someone you haven’t seen in a while. Go out to dinner and make up funny backstories about the couples sitting around you.
6. Perform a random act of kindness. Make someone’s day by buying their coffee at Starbucks or passing out a valentine to your neighbors or co-workers.
In the end, Valentine's Day is just a day. It can be a happy one, but if you are not happy about it, keep things in perspective. You are not alone. If you aren't in a relationship, don't despair. Remember that most relationships fail (It's always good to comfort yourself with other people's miseries). If you are in a good relationship, don't put too much pressure on yourself for Valentine's Day. The measure of your relationship should be what you do the other 364 days of the year. One day shouldn't determine a relationship.
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How do you plan on spending your Valentine's Day? How do you overcome depression in general as well as demoralization on the holidays? Share your experience and insights with the over 87,000 Friends who have liked KidneyBuzz.com on Facebook (click here). Also, follow the over 300,000+ monthly individual viewers who visit KidneyBuzz.com regularly for the latest daily news and information which teach those with Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis, Kidney Transplant, Diabetes, and Hypertension how to better manage and improve their lives. Erica Ashley Jenkins (Dialysis Nurse) said, "Hello I just wanted to let you know I work in a dialysis clinic and over half of our clinic reads this page, we enjoy everything you put on and love to have new information. My patients are very grateful."