Finding Humor During Illness
Finding Humor During Illness
As many of you may recall, I was the FBC (f-bomb breast cancer) patient for whom everything that could go wrong seemingly did. My oh my. From my colitis (i.e., spewing from both ends) to extraordinary pain because someone forgot to turn on the pain medicine after surgery to being stranded on Isolation Island, I was a bit of a cancer mess (understatement of the decade!).
One of my great Silver Linings during this period was the ability to find humor in the absurd. I know that it may sound whacky – to laugh when throwing up on the side of the freeway, for example or to absolutely completely and totally relate to the bathroom scene in Bridesmaids – but the HOTY and I laughed – a LOT. Sometimes it was that nervous, screechy, ridiculously high pitched laughing, but it was indeed laughter. There were situations in which things were just so ridiculous that they were funny!
According to the American Cancer Society, Humor therapy is the use of humor for the relief of physical or emotional pain and stress. It is used as a complementary method to promote health and cope with illness. Although available scientific evidence does not support claims that laughter can cure cancer or any other disease, it can reduce stress and enhance a person’s quality of life. Humor has physical effects because it can stimulate the circulatory system, immune system, and other systems in the body. These are some pretty wonderful and worthwhile Silver Linings of laughter!
Over a year ago, a dear family friend of ours, 30 year-old Danny Zollars, was diagnosed with rectal AND liver cancer. Uh huh. Sit with that for a second. Or don’t. It was as stunning to learn about Danny’s diagnosis as it was for people to hear about mine.
Shortly after Danny’s diagnosis, he started a blog called “Rectal Talk.” In it he chronicles his experiences and includes a great deal of humor….and potty talk. When it comes to incorporating humor during cancer treatment Danny says, “I think it’s the only way to attack this horrible condition. Cancer can really knock you down to your core and I believe a positive a attitude and a bright outlook truly help one heal.”
Part of Danny’s treatment included having an ileostomy bag. In case you are unfamiliar (and I hope that you are!), an ileostomy is performed when the large intestine is no longer capable of performing its normal functions. In an ileostomy, an opening called a stoma is constructed to connect the small intestine to the skin allowing fecal material to be expelled from the body without the large intestine’s help. As Danny describes it, “Having feces poor out of your stomach while you are chatting with friends is a great feeling. Sitting at restaurants and feeling it come out while eating is another great way to feel good about yourself! I will miss emptying it in every public bathroom in West LA. If you are in West LA and need to know where the best restrooms are, hit me up and i will guide you to a great experience.”
I’ve been reading Danny’s blog daily for the past year. I don’t think that I laughed as hard as when I read his post last week when he said, “I have been through a lot of tough situations in the last year but going to Costco in Van Nuys on a Sunday afternoon was one of the toughest. The only thing that got me through it was that it was sample Sunday.”
Reading Danny’s blog gives me great perspective and helps remind me to not only appreciate the health that I have today, but to find humor daily. The Silver Lining is that it appears as though Danny is nearing the end of his ordeal (at least we are ALL hoping!) and that he is engaged to an incredible woman AND he is moving into their new home. These are the things that Danny chooses to focus on, which is one of the many reasons that I admire and respect him.
Here is the scene from Bridesmaids. I watched it twice before uploading it and had tears pouring down my face the entire time.
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