I believe, positive emotions and maintaining a sense of humour, can improve quality of life, which helps coping a little better, living with Parkinson's disease, as no doubt many fellow sufferers would firmly agree. The same principle could very well apply to any serious illness. Laughter is like a good tonic, and I attempt to only watch uplifting or funny programmes on television. I thoroughly enjoy watching an English stand-up comedian, Michael Mcintyre, and was laughing so hard the other evening, I almost fell off my chair. What struck a chord, with which I could totally relate, was Michael's hilarious take on wearing a typical hospital gown, revealingly open at the back. An old hand at having surgery, I am extremely familiar with this far from demure unflattering look; a fashion statement it most certainly is not. It's more like someone's worst attempt at a sewing class.
Talking of sewing, brings to mind another topic Michael Mcintyre put a funny spin on; why are tiny sewing kits supplied in hotel rooms? Well Michael, I have the answer for you. I stayed in a hotel recently where I was giving a speech about living with chronic disease from the patient's perspective. I suddenly found the hem of my dress I was wearing for my talk, had come undone a little. For the first time in my life, I was in need of one of those little sewing kits in a hotel room. I searched high and low, but do you think I could find one? There was no tiny sewing kit in the room, so my husband traipsed down to the reception desk and acquired one from 'housekeeping'. A quick few stitches, and I was good to go.
Living with a long term illness can be awfully hard sometimes, and we all need a good laugh now and then. Comedy takes your mind off a bad situation, even if just for a short time, which one could say is the true form of "comic relief". What a marvellous feeling it must be, to have a job where you make people happy and laugh, allowing them to escape reality for a while. Having the ability to see the funny side of a simple common situation, is most definitely a gift.
There is nothing stronger than the human spirit, for we hear time and again of incredible uplifting stories of great courage, determination and kindness. We've all heard of the saying "don't put off tomorrow what you can do today" and this is how I live my life. Don't waste precious time and energy on the small stuff. Your husband may continually leave the toilet seat up, or after working on the car, wipes his oily hands on your brand new white towels, the kids haven't cleaned their room, the dog chewed your best shoes, or someone rudely pushed in front of you at the supermarket. All these are irritating I grant you, but in the wide scope of things, they are insignificant.
Life is precious, so live in the moment, make the most of every opportunity, and enjoy being with family and friends who uplift you. Understanding what matters most, is the important key to leading a full and enriched life and laughter plays a big part. So thank you Michael McIntyre for making me laugh, and brightening my day. May you continue to entertain us with your humour for many years to come.