EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

"A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life." William Arthur Ward


"Humor can alter any situation and help us cope at the very instant we are laughing."  
Allen Klein

What began as a relatively normal evening Saturday night erupted into something different entirely.  Ernie walked into the kitchen to get some jello I had made and removed the bowl from the refrigerator.  I was on the couch in front of the television and the next thing I heard was a loud crash and Ernie hollering.   He had either tripped or lost his balance, but he was on the floor, pieces of broken dish and globs of jello all around him.  He cut his hand in the fall and since the jello was red, it was difficult to determine if the liquid on the top of his hand was jello or blood at first.  We determined the cut wasn't deep or severe.  After Ernie caught his breath, he told me he was alright and didn't think he had broken anything, but because he was flat on the floor, I was unable to pick him up, so I called one of our neighbors who came over immediately, but he was unable to lift him from the floor either, so I called 911 and an ambulance arrived with three technicians who are trained to handle instances like this.  After a cursory exam, they lifted Ernie to his feet and onto a stool.   One of the emergency medical attendants asked him if he had any physical problems to which he replied with a smile on his face "Where do you want me to start and how much time do you have?"  Because his blood pressure was low, they wanted to take him to the hospital for observation, but since he had just been released from the hospital two days ago, he declined their offer and I understood as did they.  Several hours later after I had swept up all the broken pieces of pottery and mopped up the jello, I felt gratitude wash over me, thankful that Ernie hadn't suffered any severe injuries or broken any bones.

Today, his ribs are sore, but other than that, his humor is still intact and all seems right with the world again.  Had either of us guessed at what might have happened as the result of a simple act, we never could have guessed what did happen.  This accident might have happened to anyone, but because Ernie is a cancer and heart patient, it took on additional dimensions.  

It seems to me as he travels this journey that life just bumps into itself sometimes, causing difficulties upon difficulties and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for him.  His  wonderful sense of humor just keeps those of us who are loving him and helping him laughing.  Last night as the emergency workers were rolling the empty gurney out the back door, he asked them if they could turn the lights and siren on as they left the driveway just to give the neighbors a thrill.  Even in the midst of crisis, he helps the rest of us find the humor.