House Calls: Story 12

The Best Medicine

Len and his dog, Sampson

I have always used humor in my own life. I was always considered to be funny by my friends and family. Humor comes easy to me and I love making people laugh. I think it is this characteristic that puts people at ease around me. As I began my nursing degree I realized, through clinical experiences, that laughter was the key to a successful nurse-client relationship. I never encountered a problem communicating with clients. My classmates would share their experiences about difficulties in communication, and I secretly wondered if laughter was the reason why I found communication to be easy.

As time rolled by and I participated in more clinical experiences, I realized the importance of humor and I can say with confidence that humor has made all the difference in my practice. I always make my assigned clients laugh and try to make other patients, co-workers, and students laugh, too.

Just this past month my belief in humor in healing was solidified. I was spending the clinical day with my assigned client. He was a very ill man and was bed ridden. I chatted with him and throughout the day I was making him laugh. On a few occasions his chuckles turned to belly laughs. I found it easy to chat with him and laughter paved the way. I learned a lot about Mr. C. that day through chatting and laughing. His family, who were present that day, also took part in the laughter. As I was preparing to leave, his daughter came to me and thanked me for making him laugh. Fighting back tears, she said it was the first time she saw her father laugh since being admitted to the hospital a month ago. She went on to say that she wanted to cry when her dad was laughing and forgetting his cares. I was lost for words, a rare occurrence, and I just shrugged it off and said it was my pleasure; I enjoyed it just as much as her dad did.

I left St. Claire's with a spring in my step; I made a difference that day. Two hours later Mr. C. died. I was shocked to see his obituary in the paper the next day. I thought about his daughter's words and I knew that his final day with his family was a good one. Laughter and happiness had filled both the room and Mr. C. just hours before his death. Laughter did not heal Mr. C., but it made his final day on earth a little better and I am proud to have been part of that. I am sure that I will carry this experience with me forever and reflect upon it when anyone questions the efficacy of humor. My personal experiences have prompted me to become more proactive in providing laughter and caring to those in need.

Leonard Phair
St. Claires Hospital
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada