Humour.. Unlimited Medication!

Ok so let me take you back a bit.. me before becoming disabled and really poorly, I had my funny side, I liked a good joke and me and the hubby was always playing pranks and tricks on each other. The house was always filled with giggles, laughter and funniness. My seizures caused a lot of distress and anxiety, from the looks to the comments.. and not just the nasty ones but even the nice caring comments. Not because I was rude or unappreciative of people caring, but because I wasn't used to it and I didn't know how to explain anything. Then Chris showed me how laughter could help. He laughed with me instead of at me. He taught me and showed me that if people wanted to treat me differently because of my health, fine, that's on them, but I wasn't to stop enjoying my life and living the best life possible. 

So every day you could guarantee that you'd hear one of us absolutely laughing the house down from a prank or joke or some kind of funny moment. Even on my day days.. when my seizures hit hard.. there would be some kind of joke being made and my face would have some sort of grin or smirk on it! And even now.. even though I've had to calm down with the physical pranks.. there is still so much laughter echoing around the house. And the memories of those pranks forever live on in my head hahaa..

Which brings me to two stories of me and the hubby fully letting humour take over and have its funny five minutes haha!! 

Both of which I hope makes you absolutely piss yourself laughing.. 

So back in the day.. (I say this as if I'm in my 80s haha.. this actually happened 5/6 years ago..) myself and chros absolutely loved scaring each other. We went through a stage of hiding and jumping out whenever we could. One day I went to the toilet as normal. At this point my bowels was really bad and was on a few different meds to see what helped. So there was me sat on the loo, music playing.. singing of course as loud as possible. Unbeknownst to me.. Chris was hiding in bathroom room filming away, waiting for me to finally unstick my butt from the plastic seat and vacate the toilet.. 

Well I did eventually vacate the toilet and I can safely say he gave me such a scare I have never ever screamed such a crude word in my life! I laughed so hard after whilst he's stood there in absolute hysterics.. I then proceeded to shout at him "well you can't put that on social media" also in absolute hysterics.. hahahahaah.. for anyone wondering.. I said the see you next Tuesday word. Yes.. I know.. it's not a nice word at all.. and it's the first time I ever said that word.. but the giggles it still gives me and Chris now is brilliant. I can safely say he never did put that video on his socials either! 

Then there's my payback.. ha!

Ok so with our height difference me being a tiny 5"1 and Chris being a giant 6"4 (compared to me that is) I have a huuuuuge advantage when it comes to hiding. I could honestly say.. I could quite easily hide in a card box.. he's got no chance not unless it's a big ass box lol! So I came up with a plan. 

I waited for bedtime.. it was his turn to put the kids to bed.. so I took full advantage. And I put that much effort into it I forgot to film! Literally.. it's the one thing I would of sacredily cherished for the rest of my life..haha. Our staircase finished right in front of our front door. And I am one of those who like having a curtain over the front door during the winter months to help keep any drafts out and the warmth in. It was quite a heavy and bulky curtain and the kids always hid there when they played hide and seek. Yup you guessed it.. I hid behind the curtain.. 

You should have heard the squeal.. oh my days it was absolutely epic! Me, the quiet and diddy wifey making her 6ft4 grown ass hubby jump and scream like a little kid! 

He hasn't lived it down since.. 

But the funniness doesn't just start and end with Chris.. 

Over the years I've learnt that humour has become one of my top mechanisms to get me through the really shitty storms. 

It's too the point I will always find the funny side of the shit storms even if the joke as such is on me.. I have no issues in taking the piss out of myself. I know my limits. I know what's funny and what could possible offend others. But whenever possible.. I'll always post something funny on my socials. Finding the positive from a negative is a massive help for me so I'll do all I can to have a laugh. 

Things like my sleep, my bowel habits, even my tics. I will fully laugh at me. Making posts about how me and the weekend lie ins aren't friends.. how after 5 hours sleep and my body thinks it's fully charged.. I make a point about my bowels having no time awareness as they always flare when I want to sleep or do something. Even my broken foot.. but that's another blog in itself haha!

I will happily choose having a right laugh over the tears. And yes sometimes you do need a good cry and you need to break and let all the negative crap and energy out.. but sometimes.. just sometimes you need a good bloody laugh! One of those side hurting, underwear wetting, proper belly laughing moments. 

And those moments are even more magic when others around you have the same level of humour.

Friends who I've met through Facebook groups, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and other social media platforms.. people who are living life like me, one day at a time battling through chronic illnesses and disabilities, who also see humour as a source of help. I can guarantee my messages on each platform are filled with memes and funny posts on being ill and disabled. Because of this connection with our humour and how we look at life, it's made our friendships better and stronger, we understand each other. And of course we know the limits when something isn't funny. 

My bro Jake, we are forever taking the mickey out of ourselves over our health. Both living with seizures and the joys of FND.. our level of banter helps both of us through some days when we're really struggling. It's not just the good days we laugh together but the shitty ones too. 

Ive joined several support groups on Facebook too. Mainly all disability focused ones, friendship groups, and my own groups. But one in particular, set up by an absolutely awesome friend, stands out for the support, advice and of course the humour. A very, very supportive group but oh my days, the laughs are epic! I can be having such a bad day, one where the tears just feel like someone's jammed the tear button to on and no matter what you do.. you just can't stop them falling.. I can start doom scrolling Facebook and I will literally come across a post from Mr B or another member and my face just acquires this almighty grin! But it is absolutely brilliant when group members have the same level of silliness as you! So I took to the group one day to ask what replies they give to people who make a comment about the chair or ask personal questions.. 

The replies I got are absolutely brilliant.. 

But do you remember this, from my first paragraph.. "So, whether it’s cracking a joke in A&E or laughing about my latest attempt to “walk it off” (don’t try this at home)".. ha.. yerrr..

Well me being me, Friday 22nd of November.. I tried to walk without my walking stick when I needed it.. guess who ended up with a broken foot and toe!? 

Me! 

Yep me! I've never laughed and cried together so much in life!! It was one of the most excruciatingly funny moments I've ever felt.. one that I will never live down at breaking my own body. Haha.
But one stubborn and funny moment that I will forever be grateful for.

Anyone that's broke a bone knows how painful it is and that you have to rest it so it heals. So me having to constantly keep my foot up, one to rest it and let it heal, but the other because I physically can not put weight on it and the pressure feeling I have when it's down from the swelling. Which means my butt has been parked on the sofa or in bed to keep it raised. And in turn, I've got things done I've been putting off for whatever reason. 

But there's now way I would have gotten through the last nearly 2 weeks without laughter, giggling, taking the piss out of myself and joking around. My mental health took a hit due to being restricted and the pain. I started getting really angry at me from being silly.. but then I started giggling because it is typically me. 

I am a clumsy sod if I'm honest. And stubborn too. Ha! I was always hurting myself.. but I always and still do now laugh about me hurting myself. As a teen I did so many silly things, I've sneezed whilst playing snooker and head butted the table. Most would cry and get help to make sure your ok.. nope.. I stood there and laughed with tears streaming down my face. Another i walked into a lamppost on the way to school. Ended up concussion. It gave me and my best mate the best laughs the rest of the way to school and a few hours out of lessons while the teachers got me sorted and sent home. Even to the point, I had to sit in reception and wait to be collected by family, my best friend was sat with me to keep an eye on me. Every teacher that stopped to ask what happened and why we wasn't in lesson, got the same answer. I walked into a lamppost. I hope they laughed as much as me. Haha.

Now.. I'm all for having a good laugh, joke and a full on giggle.. I know there's a time and place, situation etc.. and that, laughter and humour can't fix everything. 

But I also know this. If there wasn't laughter, smiles, giggling, wetting yourself laughing, hurting your sides laughing, jokes, pranks and other absolutely funny stuff.. this world, humanity.. would be dull, boring and sad. It would be a world of negativity and hopelessness. I can honestly say, if I didn't have humour getting me through some of my worst and shittiest days.. I'd still struggling now.. 

I know humour isn't for everyone, and everyone has their own level of humour, but we're all human. And we all need to let our emotions out.. laughter, humour, sarcasm and jokes all being outlets. Not just the tears, anger, sadness, frustration, and all the other emotions we're given! And I will be the first to say sometimes laughter and jokes and even some comments may seem inappropriate at times.. but this how some people deal with other emotions. Through funniness and humour. 

We all need to remember we're human and we're all unique and on differnt journies! Be kind and share a smile where possible.. you don't know who needs it!