Will You Make Any Resolutions for 2012?

[CebuShan]

Are you planning on making any resolutions for 2012? If so, what are they?

Since I now have a computer/craft room, I plan on doing at least one craft project per month. I especially want to learn or improve on several that I don't have much experience in. I want to focus on recyclables as I have been getting many e-mails with those kind of projects in them.   

 Also, kid-friendly, super simple projects. I have agreed to teach children's church once a month doing a craft project. I couldn't commit to teaching a whole month because of health issues but we decided to set aside 2 different Sundays for me to choose from. I really miss working with the kids and this will give me a chance to be with them again if only once a month.   

[Ang]

my resoloution is not to make resoloutions

[ToddB0130]

Not starting dialysis in 2012 ............ here's hoping I can keep that one !!

[kristina]

...keep my "two little fighters" as sweet as possible

   so I don't need Dialysis...that is my hope for 2012...

P.S. ...must not forget... I do hope to find a doctor/specialist who is prepared
to provide me with a health-service in my “pre-D “ ESRF very soon...
... if that necessitates moving to another country, then I do hope I shall be lucky
and the move won't be too strenuous for me...

[Rerun]

I would like to stay out of the surgery center for another year.   

[Desert Dancer]

Like Ang, I had made a resolution not to make any resolutions but now I've been forced into one.

Andy was diagnosed with COPD last week. He's 46 and the doctor said he has the lungs of a 65-year-old man. Now, a lot of that could have to do with the fact that he's been a welder for 25 years, breathing in all kinds of nasty gases and fumes, but he also smokes like a chimney. So he's GOT to quit. He's not happy about it but - between the doctor and me - I think we've convinced him of the seriousness of the diagnosis and he's going to do it.

Since it's hard to quit when the people closest to you are still smoking, I've told him I will quit with him and we'll go through it together.

Oh, boy.

[cariad]

Oh, DD. I need to send you a PM, but the moment I told Gwyn this news he remembered the gift I sent Andy and starting spluttering "It's a change tray! Tell him it's a change tray!"

I know it sucks to be forced to make this move rather than deciding if and when to do this on your own, but I would like to offer any support that we may be able to give. Gwyn's father went the cold turkey route, as did his mother. G's dad was on two packs a day, got a diagnosis of a dodgy heart, and that was that, he stopped. Sadly, in his case it was ultimately too late, but I think he did get almost a decade more as a non-smoker. He was much older than Andy of course, and held those Dickensian-style jobs as a child (delivering coal when he was 12!!!) so the absence of child labor laws in Britain back in his day did no service to his health.

I hope Andy takes this seriously, and good on ya for supporting him so completely. I'm sure you're sick of hearing this already, but it will do wonders for the health of both of you, so I'm glad that you both are going to give quitting a try.

Gwyn and I usually write resolutions together around midnight. We are off to a family New Years Eve event, so may be out at that time this year, depends on how long the kids last.

Happy New Year and a joyous 2012 to all!

[Desert Dancer]

Oh, DD. I need to send you a PM, but the moment I told Gwyn this news he remembered the gift I sent Andy and starting spluttering "It's a change tray! Tell him it's a change tray!"

Happy New Year and a joyous 2012 to all!

  I'll tell him Gwyn said that; he'll get a kick out of it. He REALLY loved his gift, too.

I'm not too concerned about my ability to quit because I've ALWAYS wanted to quit and have, too, three times: once for a year, once for two years and once for three years, cold turkey all three times. Why I started again I'll never know. The weight gain worries me. The last time I quit I gained 25 pounds and Andy just bought me five sets of very elegant and nearly perfectly tailored lingerie for Christmas.

Andy's ability to quit worries me, though. He's always been one of those defiant, "I'll smoke till I die because I enjoy it and it's my one and only vice" kind of people. This isn't going to be easy for him.

Oh, and a very Happy New Year to everyone! Hope it brings peace, happiness and all your hearts' desires!

[willowtreewren]

Oh, DD.....

  to you and Andy and I hope that you can DO this! 

I'm thinking that this year I will simply resolve to keep up with being thankful DAILY for the little things. I started that on FaceBook in preparation for Thanksgiving and it has given me a real lift. 

So, nothing big here, just a commitment to enjoy life as much as possible.

Aleta

[jbeany]

To be fearless in my self-promotion so that I can get a good job.  I can sell ice to Eskimos when I'm standing behind a counter, but I stink at selling myself.

To get myself back on the treadmill, no matter how slow I have to go with the mess the docs have made of my abdominal muscles.  I've been a wimp when it comes to pain lately, and I need to get back at it even if it hurts.

To not obsess about my upcoming Medicare deadline.  I have 8 months to get a job and get health insurance.  I just need to keep repeating, "It's enough time.  Stop worrying."

[Poppylicious]

I don't do resolutions, but by the end of 2012 I'd like to be showing off photos from my (as yet not planned) trip to Australia, reporting more weight-loss and asking for decisions about baby names (one can dream, no?) ...

Good luck on the cold-turkey DD.  It will be eight years in April since Blokey and I went cold-turkey and thankfully I've never desired one again (although sometimes if someone is smoking near me I enjoy the smell). 

 

[Riki]

It will be eight years in April since Blokey and I went cold-turkey and thankfully I've never desired one again (although sometimes if someone is smoking near me I enjoy the smell). 

My mom is like that, Poppy.  She quit about 10 years ago through a support group at the local addiction centre.  She hasn't had one since, but she does enjoy the smell of one burning.  She doesn't like the stale smell of cig smoke on people's clothes and hair, though.  She used to complain about the smell when picking me up after I'd been out with friends.  They smoked, I didn't, but you could still smell it on me.

DD, good luck to you and Andy.  It's not an easy thing, but it is rewarding.  I watched my mom quit, and I watched my grandfather quit too.  He quit about 20 years ago, about the same time I first got sick.  I believe he was hypnotized, though.  I think he thought that me being around him, my mom, and my uncles while they smoked somehow contributed to me being on dialysis.  I was always his favorite, still am. *L*  I remember him coming to visit me in the hospital, and he was always sucking on peppermints or chewing on cinnamon flavored toothpicks.  The man is in his 80s now, and except for the use of a pacemaker, his health is really good.

As for me, I don't generally do resolutions, but my new cane has motivated me a little bit, and I think once we make the move in March, me and my new buddy will be out walking the neighborhood.  I think that moving back into Charlottetown is going to be great, because then, at least I'll have somewhere to walk to, like Tim Horton's, the grocery store, or the mall.

[galvo]

I was thinking of making a lot of detailed resolutions, but then I realised that they were all of the 'I won't' variety. Bugger that - I'm old, crook, don't smoke, drink or go out with bad women, so I decided to make some positive resolutions - 1. I'm going to be more financially responsible, 2. I'm going to take better care of my health, 3. I'm not going to complain and 4. I'm going to have some fun!

Good luck to all of you in2012!

[cariad]

I was thinking of making a lot of detailed resolutions, but then I realised that they were all of the 'I won't' variety. Bugger that - I'm old, crook, don't smoke, drink or go out with bad women, so I decided to make some positive resolutions - 1. I'm going to be more financially responsible, 2. I'm going to take better care of my health, 3. I'm not going to complain and 4. I'm going to have some fun!

Good luck to all of you in2012!

Galvo, these are lovely resolutions and I want to hear that you have succeeded in all of them by this time next year. Especially number 4. (Sometimes a little complaining is just the tonic we need, so try not to be too strict on that one....)

Happy New Year my IHD lovelies! 70 more minutes here....

[Chris]

I never made any in all these years and don't plan to start. I do have wishes tho for 2012.

[MooseMom]

I resolve go have more fun.

I have a dear friend who lives in Norway.  I met her on a business trip to Oslo when I worked in London.  We became fast friends, and I have not seen her in 10 years.  I happened to have an old email addy for her, and on a whim, I decided to see if she still uses that address, and I sent her an email to sort of reconnect after all of these years.  Happily, she replied, and we are making plans to get together in March.  Not sure yet if she will come to Chicago or if I might meet her in London for a girls' week out, but it will be nice to have some female friendship for a change.  I'm really excited.  I don't usually allow myself the luxury of planning anything for more than a week ahead.  I've been living this way for going on 8 years, and I refuse to allow myself to continue sitting in the corner, waiting for my kidneys to finally explode.  I figure that since I have a fistula, if I'm in Norway and need dialysis, my fistula is ready to go.

I've got the travel but again, and I'm going to indulge myself big time.

If she comes to Chicago, I'm going to rent us a hotel room in some posh hotel downtown, just the two of us.  No husbands allowed! 

[cassandra]

 I hope that 'girlie week' will really happen MM. I won't make resolutions, or wishes, nor plans. Doesn't work for me for some reason. It'll be ok I hope.  A Happy new year to all though

[sullidog]

I want to do better with the renal diet

[CebuShan]

I want to do better with the renal diet

  Check out the blog: www.thehealthykidneykitchen.wordpress.com   There are some pretty good recipes. Also look for a cookbook called "Living Well on Dialysis" I love that book!  Best wishes to all my IHD family, whether you made resolutions or not! Hope 2012 is better for all of us!

[Cordelia]

Nope         I never keep 'em, so why make 'em!?                          Ha Ha!


I just hope this year will be better. 2011 sucked just about as bad as 2010. I lost $14,000 dollars with the sale of my former home, my husband was rejected by the transplant doctors as my living donor also. My airconditioner died in the summer on my new home  and my gas fireplace in November kicked the bucket and is STILL not working yet.     

Here's hoping to a better year for 2012!!!!

[Kitty Cat]

Resolutions and I have never seen eye to eye. The best I can do is "try". This coming year I am going to
1. try to be kinder to myself,
2. try to keep going, chin up
3. try to do something new, no idea yet, but the year is still young...
4. try to finish an afghan I started crocheting for my daughter when she was 5 yrs old, she's 27 now, it's still in a huge rubber maid container. Let's see if this will be the year!   

But most of all, I want to wish everybody the healthiest, happiest New Year ever! May this year shine on all of you bringing nothing but wonder and joy. Bless all of you, my dearest friends 

[willowtreewren]

Resolutions and I have never seen eye to eye. The best I can do is "try". This coming year I am going to
1. try to be kinder to myself,
2. try to keep going, chin up
3. try to do something new, no idea yet, but the year is still young...
4. try to finish an afghan I started crocheting for my daughter when she was 5 yrs old, she's 27 now, it's still in a huge rubber maid container. Let's see if this will be the year!   

But most of all, I want to wish everybody the healthiest, happiest New Year ever! May this year shine on all of you bringing nothing but wonder and joy. Bless all of you, my dearest friends 

When my 37 year old daughter was little I used to crochet, too. Over the holidays I thought that I should crochet some nice things for HER girls! Let's do this together. There is power in numbers! 

[cariad]

I'll tell him Gwyn said that; he'll get a kick out of it. He REALLY loved his gift, too.

I'm not too concerned about my ability to quit because I've ALWAYS wanted to quit and have, too, three times: once for a year, once for two years and once for three years, cold turkey all three times. Why I started again I'll never know. The weight gain worries me. The last time I quit I gained 25 pounds and Andy just bought me five sets of very elegant and nearly perfectly tailored lingerie for Christmas.

Andy's ability to quit worries me, though. He's always been one of those defiant, "I'll smoke till I die because I enjoy it and it's my one and only vice" kind of people. This isn't going to be easy for him.

DD, I know it comes down to being comfortable in your own skin, and I say this at a so-called ideal weight wanting to drop a minimum of 10 pounds because I feel so huge, but you would be stunning with an extra 25 pounds, and smoking is just such a health nightmare. I think all you can do with regards weight and smoking is to come up with calorie free substitutes and other distractions. I remember that PSA that came out about 5 years ago that had two young girls window shopping and it would freeze on a mannequin wearing a skimpy outfit and say something like 'bikini or emphysema?' Now, as a deeply cynical recovered anorexic, I used to always tell Gwyn "those adverts will never work, because nearly every woman I know will go for the bikini at any cost." I know for most of my life I certainly would have.

I am so much like Andy in what you describe. I just hope that he can appreciate how devastating him risking his life will be for you and use that as all the motivation he needs to quit. I always hated being told what I could and could not eat and drink as a kid, and if I had been just a dash older I probably would have killed myself via non-adherence, especially with fluids. I hope he can just admit to himself that this is no time to prove that he's the one in control. Good luck, and tell him we're thrilled he likes the change tray but ash is not to touch it!

[kitkatz]

I say hurray for 2012
I am shocked as hell to be 49 and still around so my resolutions are:
to enjoy this year.
To enjoy my friends.
To enjoy my job
to enjoy everything this year brings to me.
To spread peace and joy throughout my life.
To bring peace and joy to my life.

[Chris]

I thought of something that is somewhat possible
Like my new car!
If not, hopefully lawsuit settlement is big enough to pay off this car and get something I like when the stock of cars and trucks should be a lot more on dealer los to choose from. I still miss my truck.