I can’t tell you how many times I’ve muttered this phrase to myself over the last few years. I love the Dory character in “Finding Nemo”. The wisdom she’s famous for offering is simple, but I think its simplicity is what contributes to its power. To me, “Just Keep Swimming” means just keep going… make the most of each moment; don’t think of everything I can’t control; and, focus on what I can do. Obviously, it’s much easier to stay in the moment if you have Dory’s memory problems. It’s much harder when you are aware of the difficult decisions and serious considerations that come along with the kind of diagnosis my daughter has received. Having these types of things swirling around in your head turns the swimming into treading water… not only are you exerting a significant amount of energy, you aren’t going anywhere, so you can’t avoid acknowledging and thinking about all of the difficult stuff.
When I remind myself to Just Keep Swimming, I’m encouraging myself to stay in a “can-do”, hopeful space. All of my best decisions and efforts along this journey with my daughter have been powered by hope. This is a year I need to remember this… Cailyn will be having reconstructive surgery on her left foot before this school year is over; and, if her tumour is stable prior to this surgery, we will be stopping her weekly chemo. Stopping this weekly treatment will be a wonderful break for both her physical body and her emotional well-being. This wonderful outcome doesn’t make the decision easy, though. This weekly protocol provides a “safety net” against another growth in her tumour. Losing this safety net is the stuff of nightmares! Ask any other care-giver faced with the same reality.
Yep… I imagine I’m going to be quoting Dory very frequently…