Laughter Is The Best Medicine
Laughter had it's part in my breast cancer journey. It was laugh or cry and I chose laughter! Proverbs 17: 22, "A cheerful heart is good medicine..." When my hair began to "hurt" I knew it would begin falling out so it was time to shave my head. I was worried that my niece and nephew (just turned 3 and soon to be 5) would be scared of me. I had them come over for a hair cut party giving them scissors and clippers and told them to have fun. I had a bowl cut, mullet, flat top, mohawk and we all laughed so hard. It was so fun and I ended up with a buzz cut. It was a fun evening that still makes me smile! Ephesians 3: 4, "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..."
As I began to get sicker and weaker there were many things that Mike had to do for me. At one point he had to help me in the shower, stand there with me, help me out, dry me off and put lotion on me. I was in my 40's! We could laugh or cry and we chose to laugh. I had four chemo caps every night to keep my head warm but severe hot flashes made me rip them off. We laughed every morning as Mike crawled under the bed collecting them. Proverbs 15: 15, "All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast."
One day Ivey got upset that Mike and Sarah were picking on me for having not cooked in six months, thanks to friends. I told her I wanted to laugh - not be sad and she understood. After my surgery I was bald, skinny and had 11 incisions - we chose to laugh. My first trip to the plastic surgeon Sarah and I could not stop laughing. She told my plastic surgeon that I had already had a lift and we all laughed! I went in nervous and came out laughing and loving my doctor! Job 8: 21, "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."
The hospital manager asked me if I got enough rest during my five day stay because the nurses had reported laughter and "parties" in my room. She said I had not bothered anyone else but wanted to make sure I got enough rest. She also said they were shocked at the small amount of pain meds I used. I told her, "laughter is the best medicine!" Thank You, God, for laughter!