does anyone else do this?

[disfan07]

Does anyone else here have a habit of making jokes when they are scared or worried about something?

I have spent the past 5 years in and out of the hospital and my dad and I have a motto that when it comes to anything medical related, the best thing to do is laugh.

I have a tendency to make jokes when I am scared or worried about something and it drives my mom crazy. She still doesn't understand that after all of these years, it's how I cope.

We've known for months that there was a pretty good chance that i would be having brain surgery. Well, we found out on thursday that I am having the surgery in 3 weeks. Since yesterday, my dad, my cousin and I have made many jokes about the surgery because it's how we cope with it.

I suffer from anxiety and depression and I was talkign to my therapist about this and she was just saying that as long as I have someone to really talk to about how I am feeling (whetehr it's her or someone else) than if making jokes and keeping a sense of humor is how i deal, than joke away.

I have had nurses and doctors tell me all the time that they are amazed at how well I handle everythign and how well I cope with everything. In reality, i am a nervous wreck a lot of the time. With me, the more I make jokes, the more scared or worried I am and I am scared out of my mind about this which means that the next three weeks are going to be very interesting in my house

 

[Robinrs]

Old saying, Laughter is the BEST medicine!

Your attitude and your smile will sustain you thru the worse trials. It's so good for you and your soul.

The last thing I told my dying mother was "Mom, I'm going to miss you"... she looked at me and said in her usual sarcastic funny tone.. "where are YOU going?" That was the best laugh we ever had together....and the last. I'll never forget it.

Prayers for you and your surgery. I absolutely KNOW that your attitude will give you a perfect resolution.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Absolutely, I've changed doctors before because one didn't have a sense of humor. I've been blessed with some great ones who, in moments of extreme stress, come up with the wackiest jokes (with a completely professional treatment as well.) It's an enviroment I am comfortable with.

Best wishes for your upcoming surgery, I hope you get plenty of laughing medicine on your road to recovery!

 

[Inigo]

I have been to the ER so many times because of my Crohn's Disease in the past, and they always tell me they are amazed at how I joke around while I'm there. They said most patients in the shape I'm in would be griping, complaining, and whining. (I do some of that too!) I figure I need to make the best of a bad situation, and why should I be mean to them when they're just trying to help me.

I was in the ER this past Wednesday night, and we were all laughing.

The CD was diagnosed when DD was 7 months old, so my kids (19 and 23) have never really known a mom without a major health problem. I figure I didn't want them to be worried and scared that mommy is going to die or anything, so I've tried to deal with it with humor. We have a lot of family jokes dealing with the disease. It's how we handle it.

I decided I'm not going to call myself diseased. Diseased sounds like there's something wrong with me. No, I just have parts that don't work right. They're defective.

Living in 3-D: Defective, Depraved, and Demented.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I absolutely have to joke or make light of a situation that is worrying/upsetting/stressful. I just can't cope otherwise!

 

[jt'smom]

this thread makes me laugh! with joy actually because my husband and i are exactly the same way

i was diagnosed with a malignant brainstem tumor awhile ago and both of us are always joking around with my doctors. i've been through alot, and i completely feel like just because you are terminal doesn't mean that you need to sit around and be depressed, especially since you know that your time here is limited. this is the exact time you should be joyful and appreciate your life

it does create a lot of issues for my mom and siblings though... they think i'm just an awful, selfish person because i don't treat my illness with the "seriousness" it deserves. we get a lot of crap because we don't sit around with my 13 son and cry and pre-mourn my passing. it annoys my son to no end though because he is just so thrilled to have time to enjoy me and we look at each day as a gift.

i think maybe it helps that i have complete faith where i'll end up for eternity. our family motto is if i don't wake up one morning, my dh and ds will catch me on the flip side

 

[torinsmom]

I had brain surgery and joked about it before the surgery and still joke about it now. The whole situation was scary, but it did help to be able to laugh about it. Good luck with the surgery!

 

[krcit]

this thread makes me laugh! with joy actually because my husband and i are exactly the same way

i was diagnosed with a malignant brainstem tumor awhile ago and both of us are always joking around with my doctors. i've been through alot, and i completely feel like just because you are terminal doesn't mean that you need to sit around and be depressed, especially since you know that your time here is limited. this is the exact time you should be joyful and appreciate your life

it does create a lot of issues for my mom and siblings though... they think i'm just an awful, selfish person because i don't treat my illness with the "seriousness" it deserves. we get a lot of crap because we don't sit around with my 13 son and cry and pre-mourn my passing. it annoys my son to no end though because he is just so thrilled to have time to enjoy me and we look at each day as a gift.

i think maybe it helps that i have complete faith where i'll end up for eternity. our family motto is if i don't wake up one morning, my dh and ds will catch me on the flip side

Wow. You have an amzing and inspirational attitude! I wish you all the best

 

[MomRN]

After I get to know my patients and can get a feel for their concerns and sense of humor, I use humor a lot. It's amazing how healing humor and a positive attitude is.

The last dentist appointment I went to was for an extraction. I'm scared to death of the dentist. So much so that I had a tooth get so bad it had to go. I contemplated getting a script for Valium, Xanax, or some other anti-anxiety med to take beforehand. However, I put on my girl panties, sucked it up, and gripped the armrests (probably pale as a ghost). The assistant started joking around, even the dentist kicked in a few one liners... and it wasn't so bad. I know I would have been close to a panic attack had I sit there in silence.