Performers sometimes must change their tune! On rounds, often -- if not always, patients inspire!

On rounds, often — if not always, patients inspire! They inspire the perfect joke, schtick or new thought. Coming from the audience’s perspective, this precious insight helps the hospital or caring clown, and healthcare family entertainer do their important work. You know – the ‘work’ that looks like ‘play,’ — as in Applied Humor Therapy.

Longtime entertainers in the hospital or healthcare setting have many memorable moments resulting from captivating folk they meet throughout their meandering journey. These stories and experiences leave indelible heartprints. After the chance encounter, we are never the same, and are immeasurably blessed…

We entered his room gently. He welcomed us in with warm resolution to enjoy this most unexpected visit. He propped himself up for a better view of the spectacle about to take place — that being our meager offering of a performance we tailor to our perceived patient’s receptivity and condition.

After introducing our clown-selves and chatting on a bit, we offered some random fun, as an interlude to the dull sameness surrounding him in his hospital room. My clown partner-not-in-mime plays song requests on her handcrafted kazoo instrument. Upon finishing her piece, he was visibly touched.

The patient shared with us that he couldn’t see so well out of one eye and was blind in the other. He concentrated hard on seeing us, and he heard us just fine! While he didn’t fill us in on what brought him into the hospital, he shared that the experience had led him to see things differently, now. In fact so differently, he knew major life changes were about to take place. He expressed his openess to these changes, embracing them as what he will do for the rest of his life. He shared with us that he did not know where this would take him in this world, but he would go and serve, and do whatever it was to be.

This really touched our hearts, because when we visit patients, they are usually in a dark place, facing test results, surgery, or scary medical procedures. What struck us was that no matter what this gentleman had been through, he was facing a Great Unknown once out of the hospital — and welcoming it! We had a wonderful conversation, and he shared with us his heart-thoughts and thanked us for what we do. He said it means more to others than we would ever know.

Words of patients stay in our hearts and minds a long time — they mean so much. To see a patient so bravely face a totally new life once discharged from the hospital after an obvious life-changing experience, is awe-inspiring!

Do you have a Most memorable Caring Clown Story to share? We would love to hear and share your experience here on AHeart4Clowning.com! Wanta share your story? For submission details, click this link (here)