Team Collaboration to Build Community
Patty and Carla went on to establish a laughter club and in all their efforts did not have any help from all they initially set up to bring about growing their club and more for their community. Still they forged on asking questions and sharing the laughter within the large medical communities of Lubbock and beyond. Patty is tireless in the campaign to share laughter with the many groups and organizations she speaks with regularly about heart health and pain mangagement, what better to use that laughter!

Patty and Carla roused up a second training hoping to understand the depths of laughter more and how it applied to the therapeutic nature as well as the leadership they were hoping to create. In bringing down Lynda from Chicago they were amazed at the depth of understanding they now had to move forward with as the Leadership portion was easier to apply and new directions for growth began.

She recently shared two stories though has many more as she is making life changes all over Texas with her big hearted laughter. She had a great day of break out sessions with the Go Red for Women luncheon raising $2,000 for their "Purse -onality" themed event adding laughter to the lives of hundreds of women. She created a special purse prize donation as well and claimed the day a wonderful success. She also is sharing laughter with the Alzheimers Summit with back to back sessions regarding caregivers stress.

Laughter on the Home Front
Throughout all, Patty has been a caregiver for both parents, so while she wanted to expand in many directions, an important part of where and how she shared laughter was also building at home. Mom was moving less and Dad was beginning to show the signs of Alzheimers, so there was a call for attention and a demand of the heart to practice patience and love. Throughout all she continued to share and learn more about laughter from not only the physical aspect, but of the mental, emotional and spiritual ways in which it can collaborate and connect individuals.

She practices laughter with both parents regularly and shares that they do enjoy the laughter she shares. She is such a loving individual I bet she knows just how to communicate to each with laughter in a way that reaches them individually. Patty tells a fun story about one day while she ran errands with her Mom for about half an hour, Dad put the coffee in a pot and heated it up on the stove and walked away. The pan was burnt and Mom was considerably upset at the thought of a burning house when they came back to a smoky kitchen. In all of the scolding that could have come, Dad intervened with gibberish. Patty isn't sure how much he actually remembered from their laughing time, though it is clear that when he didn't know what to do, he truly did. Moments like these to a caregiver, especially a family member are so helpful in bringing the lightheartedness into the serious situations. Many blessings to Patty for what she shares so lovingly and her Mom and Dad who receive with dignity the laughing lessons. May they all be blessed with years of light hearted loving ts!

On the next Horizon
I periodically will ask leaders on their anniversaries to share what their next step might be and where they can offer wisdom and where they might enjoy collaboration or assistance. Patty shares that while they have given a boost to getting the word out in the community and the larger medical community through sharing laughter presentations to medical groups, cardiac care centers, patients, wellness organizations, community groups and many more. Patty looks forward to sharing a session with the largest Lion's club organization in the world, right in Lubbock, TX.

In the next year she plans to focus on the other aspects of wellness that laughter brings in self exploration and sharing the benefits to a more wholistic experience. It is time to explore the many other ways in which laughter creates benefits.