So lately, I’ve had an influx of doctor appointments. Pretty typical once you reach a certain age, right? I’ve got a rotating list of specialists to see! There’s the audiologist, cardiologist, urologist, rheumatologist, ophthalmologist, gastroenterologist, dermatologist, neurologist, and let’s not forget the dentist! Whew—it takes a whole village of “ologists” to keep an aging body in check!

Just last week, I was off to see one of my many “ologists.” I punched the office address into my GPS and hit the road. But when I arrived, I had that sneaking feeling something was off—because I was standing outside a train station. I kid you not! Apparently, I’d entered the wrong address entirely.

Of course, being me, I immediately panicked. How in the world was I going to find the right address now? I was so flustered I couldn’t even remember my doctor’s name! Finally, after a few deep breaths, I found the correct address in my confirmation text. Crisis averted—back on track!

So, I finally pull up to the right office, get out of my Jeep, and notice…something doesn’t feel quite right. Then it hits me: I’m still wearing my ratty T-shirt from earlier—the one I wear to blow-dry my hair and put on makeup. Another “I kid you not” moment! I zip my jacket all the way up, take a deep breath, and walk in, hoping my fashion faux pas will go unnoticed.

Then, as if the day couldn’t get any better, the nurse takes my blood pressure and it’s sky-high! She looks at me like she’s ready to call an ambulance. I assure her it’s an anomaly and explain that my blood pressure is usually rock-bottom. She raises an eyebrow and asks if I’ve been under any stress…😂

So I tell her the whole saga. As I talk, her lips start to twitch, and before long, we’re both doubled over with laughter. A few minutes later, she takes my blood pressure again, and voilà! It’s back to normal. Guess the laughter did the trick.

After that experience, I realized I need to add one more item to my healthy-living list. Every day, besides exercising, eating right, learning something new, and socializing… I also need to laugh! You might want to try it too. Who knows? Maybe laughter can replace one of the “ologists”!     

 -Peni