Focus on the Fun

I recently started a new medication and whenever you do that there seems to always be a few bumps along the road that need figuring out as the body adjusts to the medication. I have spent a lot of time at the hospital lately trying to get the correct testing and diagnosis to iron out these bumps for me.

I spend enough time at the hospital that it is kind of like a second home to me. I've had several surgeries, procedures, tests, and emergency room visits. One thing I have learned through all my time in this place is that you have to do things to make it fun, because the hospital is pretty much the least fun place you could be...I mean they don't even have good food!

This picture was taken the day of my first surgery. I was getting my tonsils out. Now, you can look at this and think of all the not fun things going on around me from the sterile hospital equipment all around to the fact that I'm about to wake up in a lot of pain. However, I love looking at this and all the fun I am having. I am totally wearing my clown pj's (what's more fun than that!), I get to ride to the OR in this fancy schmancy red wagon, and in a little while I get to wake up and eat as many popsicles as I want!

Last summer I was in the hospital a lot for various procedures and one particular day I was up there for a spinal tap. They had me change into some sterile hospital clothes for the procedure and afterward as I was changing back I commented to my mom about how comfortable I thought the hospital pants were. The next thing I know she opens up the closet containing the hospital clothes and starts stuffing pants into my purse. I looked at her like she was crazy and then just started laughing! She was stealing pants for me. She placed my wallet on top of the pants and zipped my purse up as much as she could so you couldn't see the pants. As we made our way out of the hospital she kept saying things like "Just act natural, no one will ever know", then we would both just laugh. To this day I find myself laughing whenever I wear a pair of my stolen hospital pants. 

Life gives us situations that are tough and sometimes we are surrounded by things that just aren't fun. It is up to us to find a way to smile through the pain. Every bad situation has the potential for joy and laughter it's all in how you approach it and whether you decide to focus on the pain or make it as fun as possible. I'm not saying it's easy and at times we can't do it on our own. We must turn to family and friends to help us find the laughter in our sorrows. I stayed at my mom's most of last summer due to the health challenges I was experiencing and recall having one day that was particularly tough. I spent most of the day lying on my mom's bed just crying because of the pain I was in and the depressing state of my health. My mom came home from work and found me like this at first she was concerned and asked what was wrong and then she decided I had spent enough time lying there crying about it so she got next to me on the bed and just started tickling me. I was upset at first...the last thing I was in the mood for was being tickled...but she was relentless and wouldn't let up until I started laughing. We all have someone in our lives that can tickle the pain our of us either literally or figuratively. So, choose now to find a way to laugh through the pain you are going through and focus on the fun. 

Luvs & Hugs