**Four months after being paralyzed, my wife taught me the principle of laughing and humor in a way I will never forget. I was living at home again and it had been a long day of therapies, doctors and tremendous pain, so I was ready to go to sleep. My wife was putting some clothes away in our room as I sat in my wheelchair next to the bed. I looked over at my wife and impatiently said, “Could you hurry up? I need to lay down now.” (I know, smooth move, huh?)
In a very nice way she walked up next to me, put me in a tight headlock and told me to apologize. Keep in mind I just broke my neck four months ago. Not to be outdone, I quickly flung my arm up around her neck and said, “Not till you let go first.” We both smiled as we were squeezing and yelling. “Apologize!” “You let go first!” “Not till you apologize.” Then I tightened my grip just a little more when boom! Her limp body collapsed across my legs and onto the carpet in front of me. She didn’t move at all. I was stunned.
“Honey — are you okay?” I cautiously rolled forward and gently bumped her with the front of my wheelchair to see if she would move. “Time to get up, I need to get in bed.” Nothing. I looked at her ribs to see if she was breathing. “You got me, joke’s over.” Then it hit me, I made my wife pass out and she could be hurt. What was I going to do? The phone was on the other side of the room and her body was blocking my path. She needs me! She needs my help and I feel trapped. I was scared for two reasons. First, she was hurt. Secondly, she was going to hurt me when she woke up.
After a few minutes, she slowly opened her eyes and delicately crawled onto the edge of the bed. “Uhhh. Are you okay? You passed out and fell to the floor.” (I have no idea how that could have happened.) As I reached out to touch her shoulder, she sprang to her feet and yelled, pointing her finger at me, “Gotcha! You should have apologized!” She faked the whole thing!** UNFROZEN- CHAPTER 4 Melting Depression
