When is laughter the best medicine? John Forrest, Kansas City
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Readers respond
Recovering after surgery; because more often than not the patient is in stitches. There is no Owl
If it’s gloating. Black Crows Kindness
In large enough doses it can be an effective diuretic. Eddie Chorepost
During recovery from a broken humerus. David_T
The late journalist Norman Cousins believed he had cured himself of a serious illness watch funny movies. “I made the joyful discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughs had a numbing effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he reported. He also gave himself massive intravenous doses of vitamin C, which is definitely not recommended. eibhoor
My father has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was in the hospital this year. He couldn’t survive for over an hour without oxygen. Then there was an incident in his department – it’s a long story, but poop was found where poop shouldn’t be – and people voiced their opinions about it. It was wonderfully silly and childish in the best way, made even funnier by the lack of other entertainment. Dad laughed and laughed all day and by the end of the afternoon he didn’t need oxygen at all. He went home without it. Hummussexual