Four Lessons I Learned While Standing By My Mom's Battle With Chronic Disease

29 Nov 2025 #misc

Three months ago, she left after fighting chronic kidney disease for over five years.

One day, her kidneys collapsed. Her body was giving clues of a real issue: swollen belly, dizziness, and vomiting. Her body was full of toxins her kidneys could no longer filter. She had to stay at an ICU for a couple of days to feel right again.

In five years, we visited hospitals over a dozen times. And you know you’ve been to hospitals often when doctors recognize your name.

ERs, dialysis centers, and checkups became routine until God, Life, or the Universe decided it was time for her to rest.

This whole experience taught me lessons I will never forget:

#1. Kidneys DO matter.

Every organ is important. They’re there for a reason, right?

But kidneys don’t get the same attention and care, as the heart or lungs for example, until it’s too late. We knew they were important when we had to take our mom to the ER for the first time.

#2. There won’t be a perfect moment ever.

We had plenty of plans together. Plans we won’t do now.

We bought jackets, got vaccines, and even paid for her passport to visit Barcelona. But we delayed our dream trip. “Next month,” “after the next checkup…” We had plenty of opportunities, but the perfect time never came.

Don’t delay your plans or goals. Set a date and do them.

There’s no perfect moment for anything.

#3. Fight for your dreams.

My mom had one dream since she was young: have a family and kids.

She turned down graduate school to raise my sister and me. She chose to stay at home instead of chasing the corporate world. Being a housewife is one of the busiest, least rewarded jobs.

But she made her dream come true. She raised two kids. She never missed any of our childhood moments. Her family was her treasure.

That only made me fight for my own dreams to make her feel proud.

#4. You’re what you put into your body.

My mom had a strict diet: low potassium, low sodium, and high protein.

To support her, my sister and I decided to start the diet with her. The sugar jar disappeared from our kitchen. Sodas and processed foods were gone. Deep-fried food was a luxury every once in a while. Those small changes helped us lose weight, feel energized, and reduce belly fat.

After five years, her diet became so ingrained in the family that sugar, sodas, and processed foods are gone from our table forever.

It might sound like a cliché. But you never know when it’s going to be the last day with someone you love. Say “I love you.” Make that phone call. Listen. Be present. That’s how you build memories that will last forever.