Jocularity = Gallows Humor

Yesterday was treatment #1 of 45. 1pm EDT today is round two.

The staff at Dr. Sang Simm's office at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ proved to be the epitome of professionalism.

On the other hand, I am the textbook ballbre***r. All in good, clean fun. All "gallows humor". My jokes laid more eggs than a Perdue Chicken.

I am a stickler for on-time performance; anybody who ever worked on my staff will affirm that. Of course, I realize at a medical facility there are a multitude of reasons schedules can run behind. Yesterday, there was zero delay - - just miles of smiles that filtered through those ruddy masks we all must continue to wear.

Many of you know the drill. Laying on the "slab" and being transported a bit of the way into the MRI-resembling tube. Thankfully, unlike an MRI, the sound of a "flushing toilet" was blissfully absent.

I was flabbergasted that my "nuking" took but a scant six minutes (yes, I timed it). Not complaining, mind you. Just pleasantly surprised.

My drive from home to Dr. Simm and back is a total of 95.2 miles. The lovely Garden State Parkway sees me funding several tolls at $1.50/each. To me, every mile was as peaceful as being aboard one of those luxury cruise ships the Missus and I fancy. The tolls? The cost of living in New Jersey. A small price to pay in the no holds barred fight against PCa.

My "take it home" (finale) joke to the two elegant ladies when they helped me off the "slab" as my svelte carcass emerged from the magical, mystical tunnel was:

"You know this is how Frankenstein got started!"

Thanks for all the support, my Brothers. Prostate cancer sucks.

So do my jokes.

Fred

Post Edited (NJFred) : 6/16/2020 7:01:27 AM (GMT-6)

<< helped me off the "slab" >>

I used to refer to it as the "rack." The techs seemed to get a chuckle out of it.

As an RT veteran myself (IMRT, 2012) I remember the easing of tension that a little good-natured humor could provide, whether it was coming from the patient or from the techs, during the process.

Helpful banter, I thought while I was early in the process. But after a while it occurred to me that there just might be a little bit more going on here than first meets the eye, regarding all that light banter.

Namely, the doctors and techs see all kinds of people come through, with all levels of courage and fear in face of their upcoming treatments. It helps the docs and techs to know ahead of time if Mr. Smith is going to be comfortable on the slab, and cooperative, or if he'll be totally nervous about the whole thing.

So it wouldn't surprise me if it turns out that the light banter of the docs and techs is a sort of "feeling out," or testing, on their part, to see just what state of mind the patient is in now, faced with upcoming treatment.

If the tech makes a small joke, and the patient laughs, that's a good sign. But if he just stares at her with a numb look on his face, not so good.

In fact, the RO may even have a pre-treatment checklist somewhere that asks

Is patient feeling secure about treatment?
Is patient nervous about treatment?
Will patient's uneasiness interfere with treatment?

And if the patient himself initiates the humor, perhaps he is doing himself a favor, showing right away that he is okay with what's going on, and can be counted on to be relaxed and cooperative when treatment begins.

So maybe all that light humor is more of a test of how we are handling the situation than we realize.

I remember Gipper's quip as he was wheeled into the operating room after assassination attempt " I hope you're all republicans"...

I noticed a plastic piece - sort of like a small tank or bulldozer tread dangling while I was being nuked one day. The techs thanked me because it was only visible to someone laying on their back with nothing better to do.

A man walks into a bar, sits, and orders a double whisky. The bartender says to him, "I've seen a lot of sad looking fellows, but you, sir, look miserable. What, may I ask, is the problem? The customer reaches into his pocket and takes out a tiny toy piano and sets it on the bar. He reaches in again and pulls out a man, about one foot tall. The little guy sits at the toy piano and plays brilliantly. The bartender, shocked, stammers "That's a real human! That's incredible! Why aren't you happy and amazed, sir?

The man explains. "I was walking in the woods and came across a fairy whose wings were caught in the branches of a shrub. After I untangled her, she was extremely appreciative and said I could have anything in the world I wanted as a reward. She thought I said a 12 inch pianist."

Djin

any one know the genesis of "whozits and /or whatzits walking into a bar???...was there ever a time when these "jolks" did not exist

Now that is interesting...thanks 81gy...bet the real first bar joke could be in the bible code...but in the last book...whatever happened to that schtick...code crack was/is available in any book as I remember...another pro of of a multi-dimensional universe...Poof....ummm...poof proof....whats it all about Alfi e...New men of coarse...what me worry/?? Blame Lewis Carrol...or was it CS Lewis??? staap me...je'te adore...Joy