And then I stumbled a cross a quote that so reminded me of my mom as she used to say this to me often. It seems like since finding that I’ve begun to learn, see, and feel reminders of my mom everywhere.  This is all at once so sad for me, as I miss her, and also reaffirming.  So the best conversation I had last week was with my mom.  I actually posted it on Facebook too.

Mom to me – ” Meggie, why are you always pushing and chasing and pursuing?” 
Me – “Because my biggest fear in life is that I won’t fulfill my potential.” 
Mom -”How will you know when you have?” 
Me – “I don’t know, but I’m not there.”
Mom – ” You are who and what and where you are supposed to be.”
Me – “I miss you mom.

I’m especially grateful because I received a full 4 day scholarship as a Front Line Scholar.  On a whim I put in my application commenting about the importance of Health Communication and Health Literacy to patient safety.  And to my utter shock I was named a recipient.

The delegate list is simply extraordinary with some of the most credentialed, successful people on the planet.  I’m humbled indeed and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was concerned about what I can contribute as a non clinician.  And while I’m not exactly sure, I know that as a scholarship recipient I’ll be listening, engaging, questioning and doing my very best to earn the bade that I get to wear.

TEDMED has launched the Great Challenges program  - 50 of the most pressing and complex issues in health care.  This list will be cut down to 20.  Which would you champion if you could?

I search for wisdom

This challenge bewilders me

Bring on day seven

For me my true north is my husband of 20 years.  He is the love of my life and my greatest champion.  I cannot imagine my life without him and I am at once, again reminded how fortunate I am.  Having a loving, supportive husband and equally supporting friends and family is something I wish for everyone,but especially those fighting illness.

When confronted with an unexpected death of a family member, the phrase “I’ll get you through this” was said to me often.  And while I think of myself as a strong person, I have learned that one can be strong and still lean on friends and family.  A weakness is thinking that you can do anything alone.  Being a good friend, listener, and champion is both a gift you can give someone and a gift you can also accept in your own life. 

I’m in a Master’s program in Health Communication’s at Boston University and pretty much decided to go into this field after having worked 18 years in a for profit organization.  I took a look at the landscape of emerging fields and it was health care, tech and the environment that had the most job growth.  Purely an analytical decision. I opted for the former and have certainly loved learning so much about our health care system, health disparities, epidemiology, health communications among many other topics.  This big broad field has certainly captured my interest as a professional, but it has not yet pushed me to really take stock of myself and my own health issues.  And, I know it’s time.

I’m hoping by actually taking this leap, sharing that I’ve taken my health for granted, that I’m among the worst patients you could ask for, just might give me the courage to own up to my fears and actually do something about it.  I don’t want to be a fraud.  I want to write about my health and share that I’m making improvements.  If you knew me, you would know that of all the challenges in my life, this will be the hardest for me to overcome.

So here’s my pledge to myself – by July 1 I will identify a primary care physician and arrange for a full physical.  Deep sigh, heart rate rising already.

Anyhoo, the mind meld allowed Spock to know the innermost thoughts and feelings, her knowledge or lack thereof.  I would want this super power!   For health reasons one of the greatest challenges we have is health literacy which affects adherence, among other issues.  I also think that so many people get intimidated or nervous and don’t often fully disclose to their physician.  One of the key elements for a health care practitioner is taking a patients history.  If the patient is not forthcoming this hampers the doctor from doing their job well.  The old adage of not being able to read minds could be solved with mind meld!

Bring on Spock I say, he can keep the ears and hair cut though.  =)

As I reflect on this quote I’m reminded how important self image, self confidence and sense of self plays into our health and well being.  There are lots of studies and research that talks about the power of a positive attitude, and yet there are messages everywhere, particularly targeted at women and young girls that tell us that we aren’t thin enough, pretty enough, funny enough, smart enough.  I’m all for self improvement and being our best but when are we going to give ourselves a break and celebrate ourselves?

The endless quest  that so many of us are on to meet this mythical an impossible standard can be so destructive.  I’m so saddened to hear about young girls suffering from anorexia, or young girls who have committed suicide because they weren’t accepted in their social group.  I long to arrive at a place where I can even say to myself, that I like myself just as I am.

One of the most recent campaigns to move us in that direction was Dove’s Real Campaign for Real Beauty – one of the most successful ever.  Kudos to Dove for continuing this campaign and incorporating it as part of their social mission.  http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx

Today’s question is about a health time capsule that would be opened in 2112, what would be in it, and what would people think of it when opened?  Given that we spent last week with our eyes on the Supreme Court and the  issue of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, I would put a copy of the legislation in my time capsule and would hope in 2112 that it would come as  a shock that there was a time when health care coverage, good quality care, was not available for all citizens.  In 2112, not only are all American’s covered but medical education is free to those who want to be doctors and who qualify.

I’d also put the red ribbon of AIDS and the pink ribbon of breast cancer.  AIDS and breast cancer will have been eradicated.  The citizens opening the capsule would likely not understand how the world could allow generations of Africans to go without condoms, without pharmaceuticals to prevent this disease from nearly wiping out a continent.  In 2112, all of Africa is thriving and instances of this disease are rare.

Lastly, I’d put a paper medical record! Imagine the surprise to learn that we used to keep track of our records with pen and paper and not electronically.

While this exercise has been fun, I truly believe these advances are possible and that in fact we are on our way of achieving these goals.    At TedMed in two weeks, attendees will discuss Great Challenges.  What amount of creativity, innovation, risk taking has to occur to solve the Great Challenges?  A significant amount of a willingness to think differently and a laser light focus to overcome these medical & societal challenges.  Let’s hope that the dialogue becomes a call to action.

Taking that first step… in large part I feel like I did that two years ago after leaving an organization where I spent 18 years serving as a Chief Marketing Officer and building a $100 million dollar company.    In 2009 I found myself and the entire executive team swept out by the companies owners who had a different vision for the future.  This sudden change afforded me the opportunity to sit back and evaluate what I wanted professionally and personally – and with every intention of taking a year off – I set a course to do just that.

Funny thing though, I’m someone who thrives on “what’s next” and after sleeping for nearly a month straight and a week of watching Law & Order episodes, I discovered that taking a year off wasn’t going to happen.  I’m not good with idle time.  On a whim, I sent my resume out to test the waters and 6 weeks later I had a job offer in the association community in a health care organization serving as a Sr. Director of Communication & Marketing.    My husband was thrilled that I was now going to be within this thriving association community, a community in which he works.   Having been married for nearly 20 years I thought I understood what this community was like, I had some non-profit experience and a little health care experience so I thought this transition would be easy.

Boy was I wrong! And I’m glad I was because these last two years have been an extraordinary time of learning, succeeding and failing, a time of great change in my life and has challenged me as a leader, marketer, as a staff member and most assuredly as a student.  More on the student aspect later.

So today I launch The Mix by Meeghan , my intention here is to offer insight on a mix of things – health care marketing and communications, MobileHealth, social media and community building,  my life in the association community and as I’m a closet pastry chef, perhaps a recipe here and there.

I would welcome feedback and comments and hope you will connect with me here or on twitter @themixbymeeghan.

All for now!