I Can Do It...

What "it" is, can be left open. But it is more uplifting, has a positive connotation.

These were the words (essentially) Meagan uttered as we were driving back from seeing her Dad (plus numerous other assorted relatives) out at their beach place in the Port Ludlow area. She was pretty relieved to have a day which didn't involve thinking or talking about cancer - just a fun time with family.

But as we were driving across the Hood Canal bridge - she wanted to talk a bit about her disease. The hardest part for her seems to be reconciling the highly probable outcome with hope. If you have no hope, how can you function? We've talked about various ways to look at it. For example, to just live in the now, live in the moment, and make each day meaningful. This latest approach seems helpful.

Because the "it" could be anything from a treatment, to a scan, to a surgery, or to a process at the end. It's like the swiss cheese theory of tackling big projects - take a bite here and there from what might seem a huge block of cheese and pretty soon it's gotten a lot less weight. While the project at the outset might seem daunting (eat that whole block of cheese??), if you focus on one bite at a time and do it and celebrate its achievement, that's a good thing. It's progress. Similarly, while she can live her life meaningfully and be in the now - she can also make it positive by focusing on one thing at a time - whatever "it" is, and being told - "you can do it" seems helpful. And it opens the door to doing things well at different stages of the disease, depending on progression. And having some optimism and support.

It's fascinating how the mind works...