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How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?: Reclaim Your Health with Humor, Creativity, and Grit [Paperback]

Carla Ulbrich
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 1, 2011
Having a sense of humor is essential to health, says singer-songwriter Carla Ulbrich, who has found laughter to be a lifesaver during tough times. Under the stress of multiple illnesses and constant health ''care,'' Ulbrich one day snapped and became the Singing Patient. She channeled her hard won victories, set about reclaiming her health, and penned How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?, a collection of short, inspiring, funny essays that help people thrive and celebrate life despite illness.

As Ulbrich spins her tale (and shares some songs), she lampoons common fears and prejudices about illness and lovingly lambastes the foibles of the medical industry. She offers heartfelt and humorous advice for navigating mainstream and alternative therapies, and she guides partners, families, and friends who wish to help their loved ones. Her candid insights, wisecracking commentary, handy lists, hilarious song lyrics, and gentle camaraderie will put a smile on the face of anyone who wants to face illness with courage and humor.


Frequently Bought Together

How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?: Reclaim Your Health with Humor, Creativity, and Grit + If You Have to Wear an Ugly Dress, Learn to Accessorize: Guidance, Inspiration, and Hope for Women with Lupus, Scleroderma, and Other Autoimmune Illnesses + The First Year--Lupus: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed
Price for all three: $37.16

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Editorial Reviews

Review

''While writing a great book on how to recover from illness, Carla Ulbrich wrote an even better book on how to live a healthy and fulfilling life. No doubt, you have a good doctor if you see How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This? in their waiting room.'' --Michael Stock, WLRN Radio

''How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This? is outstanding....Carla is your guide to navigate the emotionally and technically confusing world of illness with heart, humor, and bite-size chapters. Everyone needs a patient advocate-and now you have one, with this book.'' --Robert Aubrey Davis & Mary Sue Twohy, ''The Village,'' Sirius/XM Radio

''As a doctor, Patch Adams brought to mainstream America the concept of a caring, compassionate, and fun medical staff making a profound difference in the healing of their patients. Now we've been given the gift to hear about it from the patient's perspective. Carla Ulbrich is living proof that bringing fun, play, creativity, and laughter to the healing process does wonders for the mind, body, and spirit. Carla's uncanny wit is infectious-and that's an infection we can all benefit from!'' --Danny Donuts, CPA (Comic Performance Artist) and member of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor

''I was completely taken with [Carla Ulbrich's] amazing outlook on life, her tenacity, and her passion.... Carla talks to you honestly, on every level, in her book. She also does it with a fantastic sense of humor.'' --LuckyYogini.com

About the Author

Comic singer-songwriter Carla Ulbrich has taken her music and love of wordplay all over the United States and England. She has appeared on USA TV, the BBC, Dr. Demento, The Bob and Sherrie Show, and Sirius XM Radio. She has recorded five CDs. Ulbrich grew up in Clemson, South Carolina, and now lives in New Jersey.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Tell Me Press, LLC; 1 edition (February 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0981645348
  • ISBN-13: 978-0981645346
  • Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The Singing Patient (Carla Ulbrich) is a touring comical singer-songwriter and a member of the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. And now, she is also an author.

When the humorous songwriter fell ill in 2002, she used her wit and off-center perspective to cope with the many obstacles in her path. Carla suffered two strokes and kidney failure, along with accompanying anemia, hair loss, weight loss, congestive heart failure, pleurisy, fever, migraines, and fatigue.

Because of the strokes, she had to re-learn the guitar from scratch that year. She spent her many hours in doctors' waiting rooms writing humorous song lyrics about her malady and the absurdity of the health care system. Under the stress of constant "care," Carla finally snapped and became "The Singing Patient" with her third CD, "Sick Humor."

This collection features songs such as "What If Your Butt Was Gone," "Prednisone," "Sittin' in the Waiting Room," and "On the Commode Again."

On Feb. 1, 2011, Tell Me Press is releasing a book of Carla's humorous essays about her adventures as a patient (sometimes singing, sometimes not): "How Can You Not Laugh at a Time Like This?"

The South Carolina native's whimsical songs are heard on numerous radio stations, including Sirius XM radio, the syndicated shows "Bob and Sherrie in the Morning" "Housecalls radio show" and "The Dr. Demento Show." She has released 5 CDs on Romantic Devil Records.

Carla has taught guitar at colleges, music stores and summer camps, and is also the author of "Theory for the Young Musician: Notespeller."

visit her at www.thesingingpatient.com

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
(32)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book! January 28, 2011
Format:Paperback
This little book is big on helpful advice and creative ideas. Carla Ulbrich shows us how we can all have an influence on our health and indeed, our lives. We can take charge of a lot, rather than just be reactive to what happens to us. This book is highly recommended. It focuses on the role of laughter and who can't use more laughter in their life? This book is recommended for everyone who is sick, and everyone who is well and wants to stay that way. The stories are short so can be read anytime you have a few minutes to spare.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent. February 1, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've bought her CD "Sick Humor" for all my friends who have dealt with major illnesses. This book is even better. I understand better what to say and not to say to friends dealing with major illnesses, and it's also a great insight into the medical world from a patient's point of view.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Sense of Self February 1, 2011
Format:Paperback
This is a remarkable book in part because it is written with such verve and reveals a personality that is not going to easily yield to negative news. I think it goes way beyond just having a good sense of humor -- although that helps -- but it points to a determination that makes us aware that we too need to dig in when we feel that we are likely to get bad news from the doctor. Carla Ulbrich is a model of what one ought to do in the face of bad news: fight, explore, be willing to experiment, and don't give up on one's self. I found this an inspiring book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book. I suffer from chronic illness and this has lifted my...
This is an outstanding memoir/pun on illness and all the crap we go through being ill. I hope Carla continues to churn out books like this one.
Published 1 month ago by Brooke Vale
5.0 out of 5 stars Many, Many, Thanks!
I have not even read this book yet, only the sample provided for free by Amazon. YES, YES, YES! This seems to be proof positive of a totally, HONEST AND HUMEROUS account of living... Read more
Published 1 month ago by RJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Gotta love Carla
I've met Carla a few times and even shared the stage with her once. She is a great person and the write-up of her health issues and her battle to regain health makes for very good... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bruce Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars A warm-hearted, clear-headed look at life and the current healthcare...
The author has managed to survive a frequently fatal disease by looking very clearly at the many factors influencing the body. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Lewis T. Fitch
5.0 out of 5 stars "How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?"
"How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?"
A perfect read for anyone interested in keeping healthy, with humor and wisdom.
She speaks from experience!
Published 3 months ago by Library aide
5.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable read
Even after living with chronic health issues for 34 years, I'm still learning from others who have had similar experiences. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sarah W
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book, Fantastic Person
For those not having had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Carla - well, for one thing, why haven't you(? Read more
Published 9 months ago by C. Nekritz
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT BOOK!
I was recently diagnosed with Lupus and this book completely changed my perspective! I was extremely distressed to find out about my illness, but Carla gets you to laugh about all... Read more
Published 11 months ago by AYS
5.0 out of 5 stars Every patient AND every health care provider should read this book
I believe EVERY patient AND EVERY health care provider should read this book. It is thoughtful, insightful, educational and hilarious! Read more
Published 12 months ago by Rodney E. Daly
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent-Author of Diary of A Sick Chick
Chronically Ill but in need of a laugh? Looking to find the humor in your chronic illness? This is the book for you. Read more
Published 14 months ago by sd46323
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