A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22, New International Version
Even thousands of years ago, wise men recognized the value of a cheerful heart. Today, studies have been done trying to prove the value of laughter in healing the whole person. While a good joke won't cure clinical depression, it can open windows of the soul just long enough to catch a glimpse of light and with light comes hope.
Singer, Megan Stendebach found the gift of humor during yet another RAI treatment for thyroid cancer (thyCa). She began to describe her symptoms and feelings in song lyrics. The lyrics were written to well known songs. Below are excerpts from a few. You can find more of her lyrics and her personal story on The Thyroid Cancer Songbook. Exercise your vocal cords and get ready for a few laughs!
The Twelve Days of Hypo-Hell
to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas
In the twelfth week of hypo hell
my symptoms gave to me
twelve temper tantrums,
eleven memory lapses,
ten frozen fingers,
nine aching muscles,
eight constipations,
seven days of dry skin,
six pounds of weight gain,
FIVE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS!
Four bouts of weeping,
three seafood cravings,
two migraine headaches,
and THE NEED FOR A REALLY GREAT NAP!!!
My God, I'm a Hypo Boy!
to John Denver's Thank God I'm a Country Boy
Well life on the couch is kinda laid back
Ain't much an old hypo boy like me can't hack
It's late to rise and early in the sack
My God, I'm a hypo boy!
Well a sluggish kinda life never did me no harm
Dozin' on my family and missin' the alarm
My days are all filled with a lazy hypo charm
My God, I'm a hypo boy!
Oh Babe, I Hate To Glow
to the beautiful ballad of Peter, Paul and Mary
All my bags are packed
I'm ready to glow
I'm standing here
Outside the door
With "Danger: Radiation!" on the sign
But the floor is covered
And so's the phone
The doctors hover
They're ready to go
Already I'm so scared
'Bout R A I
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll call for me
Close the door, let's start this nuking show
'Cuz I'm stayin' in I-so-la-tion
Don't know when I'll be home again
Oh babe, I hate to glow
A cheerful heart does lift the spirit.
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