When a problem comes along you must whip it

Whip It - Devo

When a problem comes along you must whip it.
Before the cream sits out too long you must whip it.
When something's going wrong you must whip it.

A year ago this week I walked out of my ultrasound appointment with enough information to assume that I had cancer and would likely have a long path of treatment ahead of me.   Although I had not yet been formally diagnosed, I just knew it.   It takes a while for things to sink in with me and this was my mind's way of preparing me for the journey.  

At that moment I was in action.   I had a problem before me and I was in action mode.    Not running away or hiding from it but taking it full on.   It wasn't going away and in fact not dealing with it would just jeopardize my chance of survival.

The first few months while I kept the news to myself I focused on me and what I needed to do to prepare for the rush that would come with the actual diagnosis and treatment.   Those first few months of reflection helped to keep the calm through the storm to come.   I needed first to come to peace with it before sharing it with others.

So when people ask me, 'how do you do it?' well, my highly technical response is ' you just do'.   Nothing magic.   When something comes along you must whip it.   Take it full on.   Taking each day as it comes; keeping focus off the ' what if' and 'why me' thoughts.  

'Why me' comes up, but I turn that around to consider it a challenge.   A recognition that I have the strength to deal with this diagnosis and all that comes with it.      I feel stronger with the confidence that I have the capacity to take this on and turn it around and make something out of it.    I think I'm well on the way to doing so.  

So, wow - a year.   Unbelievable.   But 'a year' doesn't do it justice.   365 days is more fitting and appropriate.  It wasn't one thing but something different each day - no feelings, side effects, emotions.    I look fondly back on each of those days.  Each one carried some special moments, memories or life lessons.   Thinking back, sounds funny, but I wouldn't change a thing - diagnosis and all.  

Problems come up in life and we can't pick which ones are presented to us.  We just make the best of what we have and whip it good.