Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Abstract

It's a dreary October morning as I sit to write my last message to you as CRN Chair. It's a time for reflection on where the renal community has been in the past 2 years and where we are going. I'm sad but hopeful because I know that the Executive Committee has steered the CRN through the tumultuous times of Conditions for Coverage, the incorporation of CRN councils into the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), and the start of bundling and Medicare QIP. I am leaving the Council in the experienced hands of Jessie Pavlinac. There are many people I need to thank along the way. To Jean Stover, I thank you for all of your expert advice, your willingness to jump into any position or project, and your amazing calmness when I was at my wits end. To Denise Dilley, you have been a wonderful friend as we have navigated the sometimes complex world of the NKF. You brought me great perspective on how the NFK has navigated these challenging times. You have often provided me a smile on Friday afternoons around 5 pm! To the Executive Committee, you are a wonderful group of strong women who have spearheaded projects, initiatives, and fun. I have always valued your opinions and insights. It has been a great honor to work with you and I hope that our paths cross again. Finally, to the CRN membership, you have been and will always be my driving force. It takes a special, and sometimes crazy, person, to take on the world of renal nutrition. This field is not for the meek. We have labs to evaluate, patients to educate, doctors to call, medication recommendations to make, regulations to follow, and goals to reach. Despite the vast changes we have just undergone, we still stay committed to the community we serve. Let's face it, telling patients to take their binders over and over gets boring, yet we do it month in and month out because we see the bigger picture. We care. This dedication goes mostly unnoticed by our community, but I've noticed and I have pushed for the empowerment of the renal dietitian. Thank you for your commitment and thank you for your support. Jessie Pavlinac steps into the CRN Chair position in February. Jessie has had a long history with the CRN and served as its Chair in 1993. I won't recant her entire history because I don't want to “age” her, but I can tell you that she started in this field when big hair and leg warmers were a fashion trend. In addition to her involvement with the NKF and CRN, Jessie is also very active with the Academy of Nutrition (AND) and the Dietetics and the Renal Practice Group, serving as AND President, Speaker in the House of AND Delegates, and on many committees. She will remain active in the organization as she takes over the position of CRN Chair, bridging the relationship between the CRN and the Renal Practice Group. Jessie is currently the Director of Clinical Nutrition, Food, and Nutrition Services at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. She is also a senior instructor at the University's School of Medicine. Internationally known, Jessie has been an invited presenter and publisher on many topics, including promotion of the field of dietetics and implementation of nutrition practices, research, and health care reform. She is a strong addition to the Executive Committee, and I am confident she is ready to tackle the challenges that face our field in the upcoming future. I am grateful for her belief in what we, the CRN, have accomplished over the past few years. So, as I step down from the CRN, I wish all of you much joy, happiness, and success in our chosen field. May you always look on the bright side of life!