this made me feel soooooo good..

[texasstyle]

I helped out as a preparer/server at our local soup kitchen. I can't tell you how rewarding that was. It was the best I felt in a long time. I totally understand how and why people give thier time to people in other ountries even. We're all human beings just trying to help each other out in the long run. I would give up my Thanksgiving day and Christmas to do it again no problem.

[MooseMom]

This is one of the biggest reasons I hate this disease; I don't have the energy any more to do volunteer work.  I've always volunteered.  I lied about my age when I was 17 and became a blood donor.  Can't do that anymore.  For a while, I was a translator at The Texas Heart Institute in Houston (in the medical center, if any of you are familiar with it).  Once I moved to England, I became a blood donor there, too, and I volunteered as a support person for parents whose child had just been diagnosed with having any sort of special need.  When I returned to the US, I volunteered at our local hospital, and I was in the process of being trained to be a literacy volunteer through the local library system.  But then I just ran out of energy and had to start spending more and more time with more and more doctors, and I can barely get out of bed in the morning, much less actually be a valuable human being who can help other people.  It is the most frustrating and soul-destroying experience I've ever had.  I would love to get that feeling back...that feeling you get when you do something that helps someone, you know?

I have given up my Thanksgiving and/or Christmas in the past.  I am hoping and praying that one day, I'll have the energy to do it again.  Good for you, ts, for volunteering your time.  I'm sure you will be blessed.

[looneytunes]

TS...GOOD FOR YOU!      Helping someone else is one of the best ways to fight depression in our own lives.  I have worked at a local soup kitchen and also volunteered at a nursing home and agree, it is very rewarding.  It makes my problems seem pretty small when I see life from a different perspective.   

[texasstyle]

That's right Looney, sometimes when you think you've got it so bad, you see someone is a worse position. One day at a time, right?

[Traveller1947]

Nothing feels better than helping another person.  But you know that already, texasstyle--you're a caregiver!  To MooseMom: You help people here every day with your input and insight.  Don't give up on becoming a literacy volunteer either.  You may not believe it now, but after you start dialysis and things settle down, you'll feel at least somewhat better.  You may just find you have enough energy for that!  Very rewarding...

[Poppylicious]

Coming so soon after your sex question on the Dialysis: General Discussion board, I was a little scared to open this post ...

 

I said to Blokey that I'd like to do that sort of thing at Christmas (I don't know WHY Christmas and not summer, but there you go) and he just said, Why don't you then? for which I didn't have an answer.  I felt like a fake.  Good for you!