Saturday 11 April 2015

#AtoZChallenge: J is for Joking Around

This is the tenth of a series of posts that I’m posting during the A to Z Challenge; that’s a blogging challenge where you aim to post a blog post for each letter of the alphabet throughout the month of April (with Sundays off for good behaviour). During my first A to Z Challenge I wrote about infertility, which I’m sort of revisiting during A to Z Challenge 2015.

My theme this year is IVF/ICSI, a process we’re starting at the moment and today it’s J is for Joking Around.


You know that saying ‘if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry’. A lot of the time going through assisted conception treatments can feel like that. It can be such a heavy-going, stressful process with so many appointments as well as drugs which do crazy things to your hormones, that you need to be able to relax and unwind occasionally.

This is especially important because chances are your partner is just going to be able to sit back and watch as you go through all the unpleasantness of the injections, egg retrieval and embryo transfer. It’s really important that you’re able to see the funny side of treatment and share a laugh, even during the difficult bits.

Some things that make me smile:
  • The fact that when I write ‘I’ve’ my phone automatically autocorrects it to IVF.
  • Likewise, occasionally, I write the word ‘in’ and my phone autocorrects it to ‘infertile’. I think it does that to boost my self-esteem.
  • The effect of the hormones on me, making me cry at the slightest thing… like Mr Click bringing me a glass of water, prompting me to noisily sob that ‘you’re just too good to me’.
  • The other effect of the hormones which may or may not turn you into a raging nympho, when there’s nothing you can do about it!
  • Openly admitting your partner is having an affair. With a plastic cup.
  • The fact that you become so conditioned to walking into a room, stripping from the waist down, and hopping into the stirrups that you expect to do that at every medical appointment, even when you don’t need to take your clothes off.
  • Referring to the vaginal ultrasound as a ‘dildo cam’. Then using the phrase dildo cam in conversation with your family.
Be aware that due to the cocktail of drugs involved during IVF treatment things that seem to be funny one day, or hour, or minute, may cease to be so shortly afterwards. This is something to remember if you’re thinking of playing a prank on someone going through it.

If you’ve got a friend or family member going through treatment, don’t be alarmed if they say something which doesn’t sound particularly funny and seem to think it is. They’ve not cracked, it’s Infertility Humour and you just might not get it.

Remember that it’s okay to laugh about things. It’s a big thing to go through and sometimes it’s good to relieve some of the stress with a giggle.

23 comments:

  1. Glad you can keep your sense of humour. The NHS should collate your pieces and hand them out to those starting an IVF programme!
    Anabel's Travel Blog

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    1. Hehe, thanks. I think it's good to see the funny side of things, especially as you go through so many indignities during the process. :-)

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  2. I like the one about you praising Mr Click to the rafters for getting that glass of water for you - I can see that for Mr. Click every cloud may have a silver lining :) They do say laughter is the best medicine (although I'm not sure this is prescribed by the NHS?) Have a restful weekend :)

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    1. Thank you. I'm sure Mr Click was more pleased about the time I cried at him for getting me water than the time I randomly burst into tears and when he asked me why I was crying I sobbed louder and said 'I just don't know!' hehe.

      The NHS should definitely prescribe stand up comedians or the comedy channel to help you get through your appointments. I'd rather they put that on in the waiting room of the hospital than Bargain Hunt. ;-)

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  3. This is so true! Our daughter, conceived via IVF/ICSI just turned a year old, but I remember very vividly the sort of twisted humor we had to use to get through it. It's tough, but I wish you the best of luck with your current cycle!

    Daryl

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    1. Hehe, I'm glad to see that other people out there get these moments. When you lose all dignity in other areas of the conception process, you just have to be able to see the funny side.

      Congratulations on your daughter and her first birthday. :-)

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  4. All those different medications, hormones ect. I can imagine it would play havoc on ones emotions.

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    1. They really can. There were several days when I would randomly want to burst into tears. Usually when someone said something nice to me, but occasionally for no reason at all. It is kind of funny when you look back on it afterwards. ;-)

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  5. Cell phones can be way too clever. Or way too stupid. (Sometimes I really mean "ill" not "I'll", autocorrect.)

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    1. They really can. I have to carefully proof read everything I write on mine because I'm convinced it's trying to send subversive messages! ;-)

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  6. This are such personal and genuine posts about your life and it's obstacles. They're beautifully written. Thank you for sharing your story.

    http://thecapillary.blogspot.co.uk/
    Stopping by from the A to Z Challenge

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    1. Thank you for visiting and I'm glad you've enjoyed the posts. :-)

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  7. Being able to laugh through the hard times is a sign of strength. I wish you health for you and any children you are blessed with.
    TheCyborgMom

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    1. Thank you and thanks for stopping by. :-)

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  8. The effect of hormones, I could totally get that.
    Thank you for sharing your story and the things that make you smile. :)

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  9. I can see where that might seem funny one day but not the next. Almost like drinking too many beers!
    Funny post, thanks for sharing.
    Bushman
    2015 A to Z Challenge Ambassador
    @jwb81074

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    1. Yeah, sometimes it just has to be the right moment to see the funny bits. ;-)

      Thanks for visiting.

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  10. Funny, the phone changing the I've to IVF. I so agree about keeping our humor intact -- may be the only thing standing between us and a breakdown, sometimes.

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    1. You're very right. :-)

      Thanks for stopping by.

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  11. Yes, it definitely helps. :-)

    Thanks for visiting.

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  12. Humor helps a lot... Somehow the idea of the phone correcting me would be more annoying than funny, but then I don't like auto correct. But the dildo cam just cracks me up!
    Cat

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    1. It depends who you're texting at the the time it corrects it whether it's funny or annoying. ;-)

      And yes, calling it a dildo cam is about the only way to make that thing funny!

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Let me know what you think. :-)