There was a time when I anticipated the “freedom” I would experience when the “Christmas Vacation” from school would come. I looked forward to going ice skating with my friends, and just having more time to spend doing enjoyable things without the responsibility of school work.

Then there is the feeling of “dread.”

Studying for the “dreaded” final exams! In early June when the weather was fine and so were my glands! The gals were wearing less and guys were seeing more!

This was torture!

I survived!

If you are like me and were diagnosed with PKD, the anticipation of an unknown future lead to dread.

Our survival instinct seems to be programmed to anticipate the worst of a situation, so that we could do something about.

This instinct fails us when we are more or less powerless to stop the negative consequences of a situation like PKD.

We conjure up all sorts of troubling images of a future with PKD, including physical symptoms, and life on dialysis.

And, again, this is “normal” given our survival instincts.

But, it’s not helpful.

The anticipated negative scenarios that our minds conjure up can be so vivid as to convince ourselves that they are inevitable. This tends to foster a negative attitude about how we will live with PKD.

What if you talked with people who have already gone through what you’re afraid of, and offered you alternative scenarios that you might also anticipate?

Scenarios that are not so “dreadful,” but more “rational,” and not so threatening.

Now, I’m not talking about looking at the PKD experience through rose-colored glasses.

No. I’m talking about the idea that all the negative consequences don’t happen all at the same time. The imagination doesn’t usually factor in “time” in the “dreaded” scenarios. The imagination tends to “compress” dreadful thoughts into a “short time-frame,” which in reality, for PKD patients, usually isn’t the case.

Also, “re-framing” fearful thoughts in helpful.

So many people are dreading dialysis.

I did too.

When my day came, it wasn’t a joyful experience, but it wasn’t as bad as I anticipated it would be!

I figured that it’s preferable to the alternative, and thousands of people are living on dialysis. And, if they are following the correct diet and other proper courses of action do quite well. I determined that I would as well. And, for the most part, I did.

My point?

Like in the old, old TV series, “Dragnet,” go after “just the facts!”

You’re imagination is a wonderful tool.

Don’t let it carry you away into visions of “dread!”

Imagine good things!

Peace and Blessings!

Coach Richie Perl

Certified Professional Coach

Certified Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming