One of the amazing capabilities that we human beings have is the ability to create and apply meanings to events. These meanings which we create and apply to events lead to how we react or respond to them.
For example, the recent death of Michael Jackson had no particular meaning or significance to me. I was annoyed by the media coverage. However I can certainly understand and relate to those for whom this event had an extreme significance.
For the record, when the great jazz saxophone player John Coltrane died in 1967, when I was 19, I was deeply affected.
When it comes to your Polycystic Kidney Disease, what meaning do you give to it?
For most of us, upon initiual diagnosis, we apply a very negative meaning to the diagnosis. This, of course, is natural. Our survival instinct is not thrilled with negative medical information!
Before we learn about our disease, our imagination runs wild. We imagine all sorts of terrible suffering. This use of our imagination, if understood, serves a very useful purpose for us: It scares us.
Hopefully, it scares us into finding out as much about our disease as possible. And, today, we almost suffer from too much information.
Too much information? Well, suppose as part of the information about PKD, you know or learn of individuals (family members, for example,) who have or had many negative experiences with disease, including what may be considered a premature death. These stories will impact you in a negative way, and you may apply a discouraging meaning to your “PKD story.”
Of course, you wouldn’t be human if weren’t negatively affected.
But…there a positive stories as well. Stories of people who have done exceedingly well both on dialysis and with a long-lasting transplant.
The suggestion is obvious. Become familiar with positive stories. Allow these stories to make a bigger impact on you than the negative ones. Create and apply meanings that with diligence and compliance, a fulfilling life can be lived.
Change the meaning of PKD from:
“This is a terrible disease, I’m going to be horribly sick and then I’ll die young”
to:
“Well, this is a tough break. But I guess I’m on a new adventure. I’m going to work with the medical team and do what I can to have the best quality of life possible. And, if “things” don’t go the way I would like, at least I’ll have the knowledge that I gave it everything I got. I will also be grateful for all the good things that I can contribute and receive while on my “PKD Odyssey.”
From a fellow “PKD Odyssey” traveler,
Peace and Blessings!
Coach Richie Perl
