Humor from a cup
I have always felt that in every situation of my life there are moments that when I look back on certain times I will find the humor in a particular event somewhere. I believe this to be true with the most horrific of scenarios. It always seems to be the situations that are the most burdensome that wind up being, for me, the most note worthy later on. They are the moments that I time and time again journal about and reflect on later. One such example is the night my family all gathered to be at the hospital where my mother was going to be removed from the ventilator and inevitably would take her last breath. It was not a fun moment in the slightest. Yet, in route to the hospital that afternoon I, along with my Dad and Siblings stopped at the bank to secure some finances. It was a seemingly simple task. I was driving. As I pulled up into the bank parking I somehow hit the gas rather than the brake and almost plowed through the front door of the bank. Literally, I came with in an inch of hitting the glass door. I remember saying, “Well, you said pull up to the front door!” The commotion and comments from my Siblings, as well as, my Dad were not one of understanding but more of concern as to whether I should be driving. Somehow that moment has gone down in history as an infused moment of humor in a time we all state as one of the saddest moments of our lives. My family has always remembered that moment I almost drove through the bank. The comment is made that I tried to create a new drive through. We laugh about it every time. With that being said I have a story to tell that brought me much laughter today but at the time when my husband was in the midst of his worst nightmare it was in no way near funny.
On the infamous night that my husband had his stroke. The night long before we knew he in fact did not have food poisoning we had a moment that could be described as awkward. Rather than dwell on the possibility that it could cause embarrassment I have chosen to reflect on the humor surrounding the scene. My intention is to show the humor once again in a not so humorous situation.
After a very long evening of continued vomiting my husband laid down to sleep. Upon waking in the wee hours of the morning with the need to go to the restroom he discovered he couldn’t move his leg. As I attempted to assist him up I soon learned that it was something far worse than his leg feeling a little tingle from going to sleep. My husband landed on the bedroom floor as quick as I could say it. As he lay there he requested I get him something to urinate in. Hurriedly, I grabbed a plastic cup and handed it to him. He declared it the Pee cup. While all this was transpiring I indicated that we need to call an ambulance. That is another story in itself. During the wait for the ambulance to arrive I believe I emptied that cup a few times more only for him to fill it just as fast. The “P” cup became the only normal activity and/or discussion while we waited those moments of time. Somehow, it kept my mind off of the emergent situation or at least kept me calm.
Days after my husband was admitted to the hospital and adorned with a catheter he would unconsciously call out my name and say, “I need the “P” cup.” Each time I would respond, “Go ahead and pee, you don’t need the cup because you have a catheter.” Imagine his reaction two weeks later when he finally discovered he had a catheter! All this time in the hospital he would shout out my name and beacon for the cup. I always was a little embarrassed but said I know I will one day look back at this and see the humor. Now, I realize this might be a sensitive subject for him, as well as, my readers but I once again, like the day I almost drove through the bank, found humor when looking back.
The plastic cup that I gave to my husband was from a local barbecue place. It is yellow in color. Along with the restaurant name on the cup it reads… “The Big Yellow Cup!” On the opposite side there is a statement… “I really love adventures. I’m a super great travel buddy! Let’s face it. You can always pick me out of a crowd. So, where are we going?”
Perhaps, it is just I but when I became aware of what the cup said and now knowing what we had used the cup for; I laughed a good long belly laugh today. I just kept thinking, “I have an adventure for you!” I should write in to their web site and post the adventure we had with their big yellow cup. None-the-less, while still learning to be the best caregiver I can be I am thankful for the simple things like a plastic yellow cup with funny advertisement on the side of it. My stroke survivor no longer calls out my name for the “P” cup but still calls my name and I simply respond and wait to hear what the new adventure he has in store for today…
May you find humor in your day today!
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