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#53871 03-03-2007 05:42 AM
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When I first became acquainted with the waiting room where my son was receiving his amifostine shot every day, I noticed "laughter therapy" sessions listed but at the time, we had missed the ones scheduled for that month. I kept looking for more laughter therapy sessions for each following month but none were listed and it was kind of depressing to think that maybe there was nothing more to laugh about. frown

I have really appreciated how other posters have made me smile and even laugh laugh at times with their wonderful comments . . . it definitely helps to relieve the anxiety and it would be nice to have them all the smile moments in one place for "quick reference" when those anxious moments come. My son made me smile recently when he told me about how he and his daughter were having fun sliding on the hardwood floor with the slippers I had knitted for them. While sliding, his 5-year-old daughter suggested: "Daddy, if you take a little jump just before sliding, you'll go further". Well, against his better judgment, :rolleyes: he did and promptly fell and bruised his arm and side. I could tell it was still painful the next when he told me about it, but he was smiling and it made me smile, too. Now it looks like I'll have to get him some knee and arm pads to go with the slippers. Anybody have a smile story/comment to add to my smile file?


Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)



#53872 03-03-2007 03:29 PM
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Anne-Marie,

When I was going through radiation, the elevator down to the nuking level was plastered with great cartoons. Someone seemed to be constantly updating them, so there was always something new to read that would make me laugh. (I occasionally hoped the elevator would break down so I'd have time to get through all of them.)

One of the reasons I tried to keep going to work as much as possible during treatment was because I worked with some people who had great senses of humor. I found it to be great therapy to try to socialize as much as possible with them, even when I felt really lousy, because it helped to take my mind off of the nasty side effects I was feeling.

Cathy


Tongue SCC (T2M0N0), poorly differentiated, diagnosed 3/89, partial glossectomy and neck dissection 4/89, radiation from early June to late August 1989
#53873 03-03-2007 04:27 PM
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Well, there was the day that John was due to be discharged after surgery #2, and things were progressing to slowly to suit him, so while I was at the nurse's station getting paperwork together, he unplugged the I.V tube, got his suitcase, walked down the hall to the elevator and pushed the down button. One of his nurses saw him about ready to step on the elevator and realized that the I.V. needle was still in his arm and ran down the hall to grab him. The aide with the wheelchair was standing there holding the elevator door open while the I.V. needle was removed. John put his bag in the wheelchair and rode down on his own two feet.The morale to that story is " There's no place like home". Amy


CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease

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#53874 03-03-2007 11:13 PM
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Cathy - Elevator cartoons - that sounds great! I've always thought that the dentist's office should have cartoons plastered on the ceiling, too. And Amy - I can just picture John setting off with his suitcase! (I hope he still didn't have his hospital open-in-the-back gown on) You and John, by what you have shared with each other have given a special meaning to "There's no place like home".


Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)



#53875 03-04-2007 02:24 AM
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Amy, I have always remembered that story about John from the first time you told it about a year ago! I sure know how he felt about wanting to get the heck out of the hospital after a surgery but what a way to show it. It definitely makes me smile.

I wanted to watch nothing but light comedy movies when I was in treatment. And I fiund the pain meds made me a little too groggy to really enjoy reading except for books by Chrisopher Moore--have you all ever read anything by him? Definitely good for some laughs.

Laugh therapy has never just been p;sychological for me either--the radiation+chmo left some scar tissue around my mouth and lips and when I smile big it sometimes hurts a little because it stretches that tissue--definitely good for me!

Sorry but I can't think of any funny stories right at the moment..I'll come here when I do!

Nelie


SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
#53876 03-10-2007 01:21 AM
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Nelie - I am definitely going to look up and get some of the Christopher Moore books. Recently, I found a section called "Healing with Humour" at the Cancer Crusade site:
http://www.thecancercrusade.com/Cancer_Survivorshealing_with_humor.asp
It has a list of the 100 of the funniest movies made. It also has jokes and cartoons. One cartoon shows a bald, very happy, smiling lady laying on a couch dreaming of weird things. The two adult genlemen standing behind her remark: The doctor calls it Ativan, but we call it "Atta girl." laugh

An then, there is a picture of a smiling doctor with a news item next to it that notes: " Doctors at a Brooklyn hospital have gone on strike. Hospital officials say they will discuss the doctors


Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)



#53877 03-10-2007 03:22 PM
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Unbelievably funny, as Maxine always is.
Life's Lessons From a Butterfly
Let go of the past.
Trust the future.
Embrace change.
Unfurl your wings.
Ride on the breezes.
Put on your brightest colors.
Savor all the flowers.

Martha [Stewart] vs Maxine

"Martha"
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
"Maxine"
Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it, anyway!
"Martha"
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
"Maxine"
Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix, keep it in the pantry for up to a year.

"Martha"
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
"Maxine"
Go to the bakery! They'll even decorate it for you.

"Martha"
If you accidentally oversalt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant "fix-me-up."

"Maxine"
If you oversalt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto: "I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes!"

"Martha"
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

"Maxine"
Celery? Never heard of it!

"Martha"
Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

"Maxine"
The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust so I don't.

"Martha"
Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

"Maxine"
Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink!

"Martha"
If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.

"Maxine"
Go ask that very cute neighbor if he can open it for you.

"Martha"
Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

"Maxine"
Leftover wine???????????
HELLO !!!!!!!


CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease

:
#53878 03-10-2007 10:33 PM
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Amy - thanks - I love this! Couldn't sleep (4am) and just what I needed! I have been more of the "Martha" type and my daughter is the "Maxine" type. After reading the above post I looked at the clock and realized it is not really 4am because of daylight saving time - it's 5am so I guess I'm not really sleepless in TN anymore - it's close to the start of the day. Guess I will go unfurl my wings and savor all the flowers (maybe reorganize my cabinets).


Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)



#53879 03-11-2007 04:25 PM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,676
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This might not come as a surprise, but a long time ago, I was a "Martha" type of personality. However,, over the past few years, "Maxine" is definitely making a whole lot of sense!!Amy


CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease

:
#53880 03-13-2007 01:56 AM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,019
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I love Martha vs. Maxine.

OK--this joke is just a *little* off color but still funny I hope....

A guy goes to the supermarket and notices an
attractive woman waving at him. She says hello.

He's rather taken aback because he can't place where he knows her from. So he says,"Do you know me?"

To which she replies, "I think you're the father of one of my kids."

Now his mind travels back to the only time he has
ever been unfaithful to his wife and says,
"My God, are you the stripper from my bachelor party that I made love to on the pool table?"

She looks into his eyes and says calmly,"No, I'm
your son's teacher."


SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
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