CKD renal cookbook

@kayabbott I love all your ideas. Lately, the last 3 months I've been at my daughter's family. At times I've shopped for fresh produce for myself, they don't eat as many salads as I need to. Yesterday I had my usual plain Greek yogurt, berries and pecans one hour later they had bacon, eggs, cheese and buttermilk biscuits from a can. I avoid the table, that evening they had frozen meatball sandwiches, and chips as I walked past to go for a walk. I'd eaten earlier. As you read these foods you'll feel what I do, a mental and emotion struggle. That's what's so hard living in the home with it all. There's 5 of them, we cook from scratch mostly, I'm exhausted. I go back home in a few days but it's been hard. I've eaten more salt than I should, waking up dry and thirsty. I need to shorten my visits to 1-2 weeks at the most, at the risk of eating badly.

@ddon Diseases can be socially isolating, from being ill and not having the energy or social network. I learned from celiac that just ordering gluten free is enough for friends and coworkers to flee (fad diet and all). I always carry healthy granola/protein bars, and batch cook things so that I can freeze portions to take on trips (not easy when flying, but my sourdough GF bread is OK). Most people don't understand why our diets are limited, and feeling like one has to fit in leads to us eating what others eat. Most processed/frozen food is high in sugar and salt and low in nutrition. Lettuce wraps help to limit bread, if the meatballs by themselves are OK. I don't know if a class in healthful cooking would work, because people seem to like junk food. Could your daughter keep an area of the fridge/freezer for your foods? Talking with her could be useful. When I got celiac I got a call from my "best" friend saying "I had a big party and didn't invite you because I didn't know if there was anything you can eat"; afterwards I contacted all my friends and talked about how I enjoy meeting with them, that food is unimportant. Some dismissed me anyway, but all friends are friends in places. You are in a tough place.

@kayabbott All your ideas are so valuable, I needed to hear your words, thank you Kay. I live alone so when I'm with my family I want to sit and eat with them at dinner for exactly what you said, to fit in and feel less socially isolated. To eat differently even with them is a small separation. It's hard for me to advocate for myself, I do initially but eventually I get tired and stop reading labels, stop talking about it. Yes I could keep a separate space in frig/freezer for my foods. I'm sorry you went through not being invited to a party just because of food. Sometimes it's easier to not say anything about what we eat, to forgo the looks or the oh your one of those. What's also hard is when you know they don't understand it, again the isolating feeling. It's just hard. In the end it's us who must take care of ourselves, this group is invaluable. I feel understood and not alone
Thanks sooo much! P.S. I do carry nuts, craisins and Kind bars with me.

@ddon I wish I could help more; our diseases tend to isolate us. If there are local or online support groups for learning and talking, those can help too.