As many of you know, and some of you are soon to discover, Marcus has kidneys that are currently...asleep or something. Though the doctors can't explain him completely, the medical term for what he has is end-stage renal disease. Most people with this condition are depressed, cranky, low-energy, and a little crazy (due to higher acid levels in the blood - eventually it causes something called uric psychosis - no bueno). Marcus is doing remarkably well considering he hooks up to a machine every night like some bionic man, and does something called peritoneal dialysis. (You can look it up if you want to know more.) If you want to know more details about Marcus' story, check out his blog Unreasonable Happiness. We know he has some kidney function, because his blood levels (with the help of a raw, primal diet- especially the raw, organic, unrefrigerated eggs) are relatively normal. But his blood pressure is a little more sketchy. He's currently unavailable for consultation (i.e. sleeping), so maybe I'll add more detail later, but one of the side effects of his kidneys being asleep is that he often gets woozy or light headed. You know that feeling you get when you stand up too quickly? Well, he gets that feeling all the time even if he stands up slowly. He even gets that feeling when he laughs too hard. Seems to me his blood doesn't make it properly to his brain.
But here's the best part.
Apparently, I'm funny. (I always hoped that I was funny. Things I think in my head are funny and sometimes when I say them, people laugh, but sometimes they just go straight over their heads and under their radar. Nothing worse than the silence of an unlaughed joke.) Anyway. Here's how I know I'm actually funny. I make Marcus laugh so hard he either almost or sometimes fully loses consciousness.
Now the losing consciousness part isn't great. It doesn't happen 100% of the time. Usually while laughing, he'll sputter, "Oh...I'm losing consciousness..." and we take preventative measures to make sure he won't hurt himself if he does fall over, and I usually loudly tell him to breathe. Breathe!
One time he was sitting at the table and I was doing something goofy and he actually did pass out, but it was early in our relationship so I didn't know he was going to pass out (or I wouldn't held him up), and he actually fell forward and hit his face on the table! I was so freaked out I picked him up off the table, but he had hit the computer keyboard squarely with his front teeth and one of them was cracked, though still intact. I was glad it wasn't worse (concussion, broken nose, tooth broken irreparably or bleeding profusely), but I didn't like that it cracked his tooth. He didn't mind so much. He said he'd healed cracked teeth before and knew in time it would mend (with a good, healing diet, of course).
Anyway, the best and most ridiculous thing that has come from Marcus' physiological quirk is that I've taken to holding him when we laugh, especially when we're out in the world and not near a soft bed or sofa where he can sit down, breathe, and wait for his blood to circulate.
Basically, it looks like this.
We're bantering back and forth about something. I make some crude, clever (I hope), or otherwise unexpected and funny comment, I'm laughing and Marcus is laughing, and Marcus gets that look in his eyes...I know that look now. Then he sputters, "I'm losing consciousness," and I quickly run over and put my arms around him (under his arms - it's hard to hold a passed-out-body up if you're holding them from above their shoulders). He puts his arms around my shoulders and basically we look like two drunks holding each other up while laughing hysterically.
If you're driving by and you see this, you should probably pull over for the show.
It's good times for everyone.
So, I'm proposing a new social edict.
Hold each other when you laugh.
Check it out. When you hold someone who's laughing, it's virtually impossible not to laugh yourself. Also, it's virtually impossible to tell who's holding whom. It becomes a hugging, laughing, happy mess.
Try it out. I think you'll like it.
As always, let me know how it goes.
More Interesting Katie Strand World Posts
- The HPV vaccination could be more dangerous than what it "prevents"
- Is Jake Pavelka a douche bag?
- It's all about interpretation
- Have you forgotten how glorious you are?
- The best reason for DONUTS
- Dr. Mercola recommends raw milk!
- We'd all be pillars of salt
- James Cameron was robbed!
- What do you want?
- The Real British Invasion or...Hey there Brit, how's your American accent?
- Andre Agassi is now Open
- Farts
- Love & Hate. Drugs & Rebellion.
- Occam's Razor - It's a Life & Faith Principle
- If Richard Pryor had a period...
- If you're prone to nudeness...
- Hello, my name is Temple Grandin.
- Blog tease, yelling to no one & the secret to long...
- My Addendum to "Choose a Job You Love...
- The Primal Diet & Running
- Chop Wood, Carry Water, Do Taxes
- The male member revealed
- Play with the Girls
- How to tame the psycho hose beast
- Oh boy, that's a good question! or How to Deal with the Census
- These boots were made for walking
- If I were a Ninja, I'd wear these shoes
- How my friend Sally became the new First Lady
- My Boyfriend has Autism...Maybe
- Raw Primal Papaya Custard - The Nectar of the Gods
- And All the Cows Said Moo!
- If you were John Mayer, you would too
- Tiredness - Varieties of and unforeseen side-effects
- Foreplay is overrated
- Food should be As God Intended or Why isn't everything we eat organic?
- Yelling - One of the Highest Forms of Compassion
- The Cove - Louie Psihoyos' Oscar speech & a guide on how to create change...
- My Favorite Things...Arrabiata Recipe - Fresh, Organic, Vegan or Primal
- My Favorite Shows on Television...or how David Duchovney & Jesus are likely Good in Bed
- The Hawaiian Islands and Washington D.C.’s sand-paper circle-jerk about Health Care
- My Buddha has Termites...A Lesson in Infinite Joy
- The One-Date-Wonders!
- I had to learn SIGN LANGUAGE when I moved to Los Angeles
- Guys can make a game out of anything
- Hello? The power of CONNECTING and how technology has changed things
- Popping the question is better than porn!
- Bravo, Stephen Colbert & Co! and your Olympic Vancouverage
- Songwriting is like SEX
- Born To Run by Christopher McDougall - Inspiring a inspiring all of us to be more in the FLOW
- A moment of silence for all the plastic surgery casualties
- Ricky Gervais should be the new Simon on American Idol
- Muscle SURPRISE! The key to physical, mental & emotional fitness
- I think my boyfriend's a snake...
- Release... Sweat & Power
- MY FAVORITE THINGS! - Vibram's Five Fingers
- Dick Morris... How do you sleep at night?
- Rusty DePass, Gorillas, and Obama, oh my!
- Michael Jackson - Troubled Genius
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!.....I'm loosing consciousnkjhg jk hi liujhv kg................................
ReplyDelete