Bill Cosby once said, “Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.”

I recently found that to be so true. My husband Steve was to have surgery in Gadsden on Wednesday morning. Since we live in Albertville, I thought it would be easier just to spend the night with him rather than getting up so early to get back down. The nurse brought in a roll-away bed for me, which looked more comfortable than some I’ve slept on. I did notice one of the four wheels was missing. Steve slept well, and so did I until about 3 AM. I needed to turn over. When I did, the unbalanced bed folded up on me and dumped me on my head. I was in a true fix. As much as I tried to push the folded bed up off me, the more it wanted to continue collapsing on me. I was not the one with the nurse-call button, and the one who had it was asleep (or at least, pretended to be.)

After much flailing and struggling, I managed to roll out and free myself. That was just chapter one of my dilemma There I was on the hospital floor trying to get up. With arthritic knees and nothing to hold on to, it was a major challenge. When I did finally get up, I promised myself to never get on that bed again. When I told Steve the next morning, he laughed; when I told the nurses, they laughed. No sympathy from any source.

“It’s always funny until someone gets hurt. Then it’s just hilarious.”Bill Hicks

After a few days, Steve was sent to rehab to get his feet back under him (he had a difficult surgery, with some complications.) While there, I saw the strangest sight. Down the hall came a woman, her children, and a miniature LIVE horse. They went into every room so the horse could cheer up the patients. I couldn’t help but imagine a conversation between an aged patient and his/her family.

Patient – You won’t believe this, but a horse came in my room today.

Daughter – Mother, it must be the medicine they are giving you. You dreamed that or imagined it.

Daughter – Nurse, I believe my mother is hallucinating. She said a horse came in her room.

Nurse – Oh, I saw it, too.

Daughter – I’ve got to get her out of here. Everybody here is crazy.

Whether in sickness or in health, if you can find humor, your day goes better.

Matthew 9:2

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.