Laughter is the best medicine

It is good to remember that laughter is the best medicine, as is a sense of humour. As a parent carer, it can get tough.

There’s medication to worry about.

Numerous medical and therapy appointments to attend.

Countless application forms to fill out for DLA, EHCP, Blue Badge etc.

Financial hurdles to navigate.

Formula feeds to order and set up, and NG tubes and a pump to manage.

Oxygen compressor, cannulas and a Sats machine to maintain.

Add to that symptom management and providing around the clock care and things can seem bleak.

For me, LB has been teething. He then has disrupted sleeping patterns. Bowel management becomes challenging. On top of everything else, you just need some respite!

Coping mechanisms

Everyone will have their own coping mechanism. Some parent carers will throw themselves into a physical exercise routine. Others will dedicate themselves to running a tight ship at home. A universal coping mechanism that can work is to remember how to laugh!

When I was in hospital with LB, he was initially on an end of life pathway. There was no joy for me in anything. I didn’t eat or drink for enjoyment, but just to keep going. I became distant from my friends. There was a temporary break from work as I was signed off. I was completely lost and suffering depression. This left me alone with my thoughts, which became challenging as they became darker.

A laugh a day

Then one day, one of my friends came to visit. He walked into the door, as he couldn’t work the handle. We laughed so hard! It broke the tension, and provided immediate mental health relief. I was no longer stuck entirely in my head! Combined with LB also starting to laugh again, things seemed slightly less hopeless. With that in mind, I’ll try and share some joy here!

Embrace the Dad jokes

To help share some laughter, I’m going to share some Dad jokes. They’re silly. They’re immature. They’re harmless. But therein lies their magic – if they make you smile, you become slightly more positive. And life is far easier to face as a parent carer in a positive mood compared to a negative mood.

What do you call a group of crows that are stuck together? Vel-crows
Why did the chicken go to the gym? To work on his pecks…
Waiter, waiter – will my pizza be long? No sir, it will be round…
I got my daughter a handbag from Iraq. She said “thanks for the Baghdad”.
Previously, I went on a date with a blind vegan. I’d never met herbivore…
Why is dark spelled with a ‘k’ and not a ‘c’? You can’t ‘c’ in the dark.
Me – I’m looking for a book about turtles. Shop assistant – soft or hard back? Me – they’re hard back, with tiny heads.
People in Dubai don’t like the Flintstones, but those in Abu Dhabi do.
A scarecrow won an award for being outstanding in their field. I tried to take a picture, but it came out grainy…
I read a book on anti-gravity. It was impossible to put down!

Laughter is the best medicine