Pain rating

I don't know about you, but cancer changed the way I see lots of things.

From xkcd.

Bunny makes me laugh

Summer memory on a cold day - Bunny doing what he loves to do - playing with bugs!

This morning, Bunny woke up with a sore throat and, on examination, swollen tonsils. Today was going to be his special day at kindergarten; on special days the kids get to bring something for show and tell, and be special helper. :-( No school for you, kiddo. OK that isn't funny at all. Keep reading. While my husband has the wee bairn off at the clinic, I thought I'd share a funny Bunny story from last week.

(Note: because I don't mention my children's actual names in this blog, I will be using Bunny instead and will adjust the story slightly to fit with his alias.)

To set the scene, Bunny is downstairs playing a game (non-violent, educational!) on the family computer.

What I hear: bang, bang, bang. "Uhr!" bang, bang, bang, "Aarrr!"
Me: "Bunny? What's wrong?"
Bunny: bang, bang. "Come on!" pause "Oh, come ON!"
Me: "Bunny? What's wrong?!"
Bunny: "Come on! Where is it?"
Me: "Bunny?!"
Bunny: "Mom. I'm trying to spell my name!" Long pause followed by a very exasperated voice, "Aren't there ANY 'N's in the alphabet?!"

:-)

Laughing your way through crappy days

When I was first diagnosed, my dear friends Karen and Parker gave me, amongst other thoughtful things, a classic Bill Cosby CD. I didn't even need  to listen to it for it to help me - it was a sweet reminder that humour has the power to heal and, frankly, distract. Some days distracted is the best state of mind you can hope for.

There is also a lot to be said for simply being cheered up. Recently I went through a bit of a blue spell. To help me cope, I turned to some of my favourite comedy podcasts. They certainly don't fix me, but they relax my mood and give me a bit of a break from the re-lent-less gloom.

So, in the spirit of paying it forward, I'd like to share a few of my favourite current chuckle stops:

1. The Sound of Young America. Host Jesse Thorn introduces you to much of the best new comedy, as well as people elsewhere from the world of arts. I get the podcast via iTunes and yesterday embarrassed myself by laughing out loud, too often, while waiting for my kids at the playground. Current fave - Paul F. Tompkins - "Sir, You Have Fooled Me Twice" from the Best of Comedy 2010.
2. Laugh Out Loud from CBC Radio. Every week Craig Norris and producer Tracy Rideout bring us comedy-lovin' Canadians the best in comedy from around the world. One of my favourite moments from recovery - I was walking around the pond at Minoru Park here in Richmond BC, and I had to stop, doubled over, tears streaming down my face as I laughed at the stand up set from Big Daddy Tazz. The reserved, eldery Chinese-Canadians who frequent the park for their morning constitutionals looked very puzzled by this odd, bald, white girl, convulsing against the park bench. Note to self: save comedy podcasts for home listening.
3. Doug Loves Movies Doug Benson loves movies and so do I. This is what you get when a bunch of comedians who love movies get together. Warning - explicit language.
4. Old Jews Telling Jokes. I'd tell you some of them now, but it would take me a while to sort through the ones that are NSFW (not suitable for work - for those of you over 30).

I'll keep updating - check here or in my sidebar to see what I am listening to (usually a mix of comedy, news and music). But I'd love to hear what you are listening to!

Why my kids make me laugh

Yesterday I was talking with my son, Bunny (not his real name), about the possibility of my undergoing breast reconstruction.  Don't ask how we got going on that topic! But we did and he asked what reconskrukshun meant (he's 5).

Me: "Reconstruction means the surgeon would give me a new breast."
Bunny: "Can you get a...um...girlish one?"
Me: "What do you mean by that?"
Bunny: "Well, the one you have now isn't very girlish. Maybe he could give you one that's more girlish."
Me: "What would that look like, Bunny?"
Bunny: "Well, maybe one that's blue."
Me: "A blue breast?"
Bunny: "Yeah, blue! Or pink! Or blue and pink and purple. And sparkly!"
Me: "Well, I guess I could ask." 

:-)

Why my kids make me smile

My mom thought I should share some of the funny things the kids have said over the past year. What a good idea!

One of my favourite memories is from the day before I went into the hospital to have my left breast removed. We've talked pretty openly with the boys about what is happening to me, believing that knowledge is power and they will be less frightened if they feel like we are not hiding things from them. So I was sitting on my bed in the morning, cuddling with the boys and took that moment to remind them about the surgery. We have talked a lot about other people who have had cancer and survived. One of them was the custodian at Boomer's school, who lost one of his arms to the disease and had been given a prosthetic arm with a hook. Kind of like a pirate. I think that is what inspired the following exchange:

Me: So tomorrow, remember that I'm going to the hospital in the morning and the doctor is going to remove the breast that has cancer in it.
Boomer: I know that.
Bunny: I know that!
Me: And that is going to help me get better. 
Boomer: Ok.
Bunny: (saying nothing but poking me in the left breast with his finger)
Me: Do either of you have any questions?
Boomer: (with an expression of great hope and insight on his face) Yeah - are they going to give you a wooden one?
Bunny: (still saying nothing but now with a look of sheer delight on his face).

:-)