Looking Back and Laughing

The other day I was checking in on my Dad. I had been phoning my parents regularly to check on them after mom's surgery. A part of our conversation often rested on mom getting better and coming home. This is after all, a very difficult time for them. Ever a cheerleader I reminded Dad of how rough some of the past years had been, shingles, back pain, back shots, back surgery and heart surgery. I said,"You got through it and you will get through this. We will look back and laugh."

"I guess so." says Dad. I reply,"You know Dad, like, remember that time mom came home with an open gaping wound in her abdomen?, that was just the funniest thing."

Then we both laughed. We WILL be able to look back and sigh with relief, chuckle at mom sleeping in her new recliner, and the horror of surgery, hospitals, and conquering diabetes will be distant memory.

I thought of other horrors in my life that involve injuries and tried to find the humor. There was the time my eldest daughter was admitted to the hospital as an infant for dehydration. The nurse asked, "Has she projectile vomited?" We were not sure. She replied, "Believe me if it happened, you would know." She was right when we got home she threw up and vomit shot like a cannon from the center of the pack n play and hit the edge. I got to stay up all night long and give her a 1/2 tsp. of liquid every 15 min. and make sure she kept it down.

There was the one Christmas Eve my younger daughter needed stitches and we ended up in the ER. She was only about 3 or so at the time. As we left the hospital, tired and bedraggled my daughter said,"mom, the next time we come here" I cut her off, "I want this loud and clear, Mom NEVER wants to come back here again."

Needless to say that was not the last visit to the ER with HER or the other one.

Currently I am in Tennessee, we drove here yesterday. The travel was easy, the roads uncrowded, the views spectacular with rolling hills and lush greens. OK, now I am going overboard. It was a good trip, all 10 1/2 hours of it! We arrived threw our stuff into the apartment and went to eat.

While enjoying our meal, I laugh at something. My younger daughter is snuggled up next to her dad in the opposite side of the booth. She looks at me and says, "It is good to hear you laugh mom." The other daughter chimes in,"yeah, you don't laugh a lot when dad is not around." I look at Jack, who smiles and without missing a beat says,"that's because I am so funny." (I want to respond,you mean funny looking, and stick my tongue out, but refrain)

No, No, the girls protest, when dad is not home you work to hard. Dad gets you to take breaks they say. I say dad helps me so I have time for breaks. We continue our meal, stuff ourselves on good food, and even treat ourselves to dessert. I even laugh more, except now apparently, I am laughing to loud. My 11 year old, scolds me. "mom people are looking." I tell her loud laughing is a Strommen trait she needs to get over it. Jack says it is really his job to embarrass her not mine. I tell him he can have that job along with mowing grass and use of the power drill. There is more laughter.

This has been a challenging year. Jobs gained, jobs lost, other jobs gained, purging, cleaning, packing, surgery, and moving. I do know this. No matter what, as long as we are together we can look back on it and laugh.