Laughter is really is the best medicine

Yesterday started pretty much as any other. It was the usual mix of frustration, food, and failed attempts to get any information out of any of the medical staff. Oh well. Still the day livened up no end when visitors crossed the threshold of Ward 27.

It started on a good note, Vicki thought just her mum and Andy had come to visit, when Philippa literally sprang through the curtain to bring a look of happy surprise across Vicki's face. Tracey and I then retired to the canteen for some caffeine and nicotine and left the teenagers to get on with the fun. When we returned to the ward some time later, we decided to go and sit in the old classroom to give the kids some quality teen time minus the grown ups. We entered the room, and the lights were off, as we would have expected, so we turned the lights on, turned the TV on, and then were met by raucous laughter coming from the corner of the room. The three of them were hiding there, and we'd accidentally sprung them!

Tracey and I retired to the day room, and the kids said they wanted some sweets and cookies. As we entered the room, still dark, we tentatively made our way to the corner. As we furtively passed on the food in the dark, I could see a human shape on the lower part of a TV trolley. So pretending that I hadn't seen this I announced "Ah, I wondered where that trolley was, I'll just take it back to the ward..." Philippa had contorted herself into a ball and was wedged into the trolley and to her credit, stayed silent as I wheeled the trolley out, and into the corridor. I went all the way to the other end of the main corridor and back, and the looks that we got of the staff, parents and other patients was hysterical. They just didn't know what to make of it. As I got back into the room, I span the trolley around a few times, and Vicki and Andy laughed out loud. Philippa however just felt sick for some reason!

As Tracey and I returned back to the day room to watch TV and chat, a little while later, Philippa came passed the window this time with Andy on the trolley! Quite some feat as he's a tall chap. I came out, took over, did a circuit of the nurses station, much to their bewilderment and back to the 'hideout'.

As ever, the long drive home was considerably shorted as the laughter spilled over into the journey through the snow and ice. Plans are afoot to fill the local swimming pool with custard... and ice cream... and hundreds and thousands... and... cheese. Yes cheese. So look out Dane's Camp, the pudding to end all puddings is coming!

As I type this entry, I have news of Vicki's home leave, she's on her way! Yay! Tomorrow, I will publish a few pictures of recent goings on, so look out Andy, Philippa and Jaz, you're gonna be the stars of this blog tomorrow.