Grace under fire

“Humour is mankind’s greatest blessing”
-Mark Twain


It’s a fact that when people are under stress they will sometimes use humour as a coping mechanism. I’ve seen it more times than I can count in emergency patients. It’s an understandable response to things to say the least.

I do have to admit that I sometimes think the jokes are not only a little strained, but totally inappropriate; but truthfully there are also times when some people manage to be dam funny despite what is happening to them.

Two of my favourites are as follows:

1)An elderly man with renal failure and chest pain at 0300 in the morning. When I asked if he was allergic to anything quietly responded “Not to worry she’s at home asleep right now”.


2)Another Elderly man who despite obvious abdominal pain in response to the under the circumstances asinine possibility of family violence question politely assured me that no one was trying to hurt him. But when I followed up with the equally asinine second question of “Do you feel safe right now” he sat up, looked quickly around and smiling said in response “I’m not sure, does my wife have my wallet”? Oblivious to what he was actually saying I assured him his wallet was safe with his clothing he again smiled and said “Well I guess as long as she hasn’t got it, I’m fine”.

One can only hope that when it’s their time to be a patient on a stretcher they can manage a decent joke or two not to mention still find the strength and patience to gently explain it to the dumb ass nurse (i.e. me) who didn't get it the first time.