Respiratory Humor - Jokes and Memes Only RT’S Will Understand
Today, we're taking a lighter approach with some respiratory humor. They say laughter is the best medicine (though your albuterol might disagree). Let's explore the jokes, puns, and situations that have respiratory professionals and patients alike breathing a little harder—from laughter, that is!
Why Humor Matters in Respiratory Care
Before we dive into the jokes, let's acknowledge why humor is more than just fun—it's therapeutic:
Laughter can actually improve oxygen consumption
Humor helps cope with difficult medical situations
Shared jokes build camaraderie among patients and caregivers
Comic relief reduces stress, which can trigger respiratory symptoms
Laughing exercises respiratory muscles (in a good way!)
Did You Know? A good laugh involves contracting and relaxing over 15 facial muscles and stimulates your diaphragm—it's literally a breathing exercise!
Respiratory Professional Inside Jokes
Classic RT (Respiratory Therapist) One-Liners
"I'm not saying I'm Batman, but have you ever seen me and a respiratory therapist who saves lives by helping people breathe in the same room?"
"Respiratory therapists are like bartenders, but instead of asking 'What are you having?' we ask 'How many liters would you like?'"
"How many respiratory therapists does it take to change a light bulb? None. They'll just adjust the flow until you think it's brighter."
"You know you're a respiratory therapist when you hear someone cough in the grocery store and you can identify their condition before reaching the produce section."
"What did the respiratory therapist say to the patient who wouldn't stop talking during a breathing treatment? 'I said DEEP breaths, not DEEP thoughts!'"
COPD Quips
"COPD patients know the true meaning of 'limited air time.'"
"COPD is when your lungs decide to retire early, but you still need them to work."
"What's a COPD patient's favorite day of the week? One with low pollen counts."
"COPD: Where climbing a flight of stairs qualifies as an extreme sport."
Asthma Humor
"Asthma: When your bronchioles are drama queens that overreact to everything."
"Having asthma means being in a long-term relationship with your inhaler. Sometimes it's the only relationship that doesn't leave you breathless in a bad way."
"Asthma medication side effects include: shakiness, rapid heart rate, and the ability to write your name perfectly in cursive by just holding a pen and shivering."
Sleep Apnea Chuckles
"My CPAP machine and I have a love-hate relationship. It loves to make sure I breathe; I hate to look like Bane from Batman while sleeping."
"Sleep apnea partners deserve an award for pretending they don't hear the Darth Vader soundtrack all night long."
"Sleep apnea is nature's way of making sure you appreciate being awake."
"CPAP users understand the true meaning of 'mask anxiety' long before the pandemic made it trendy."
The Pulmonary Function Lab: Where Breathing Gets Competitive
"The spirometry coach's favorite phrase: 'No, no, BIGGER breath. Like you're trying to blow out the candles on your 100th birthday cake!'"
"You know you've given it your all in a PFT when the technician offers you a chair, a tissue, and a moment of silence."
"Pulmonary function testing: The only time medical professionals will enthusiastically cheer for you to blow harder."
"Technician: 'Now blow out FAST!' Patient: 'I've been smoking for 40 years, nothing about my exhalation is fast anymore.'"
Hospital Humor: Tales from the Front Lines
The Ventilator Chronicles
"Ventilator alarms have two volume settings: 'Can't Hear It' and 'Cardiac Arrest for Everyone in the Vicinity.'"
"Ventilator weaning is like teaching a teenager to drive. Lots of stopping and starting, occasional panic, and everyone's relieved when independence is achieved."
"You might be a respiratory therapist if you've ever had a full conversation with an intubated patient using only your eyebrows."
"RT Documentation: Patient was found tachypneic after attempting to use their incentive spirometer as a water gun."
Nebulizer Narratives
"Patient education: 'No, sir, the nebulizer is not a bong. And no, we cannot put your 'special herbs' in it.'"
"Things overheard during nebulizer treatments: 'So this fog machine...do you rent these out for parties?'"
"You know your nebulizer technique needs work when the respiratory therapist walks in, sighs heavily, and says, 'Oh honey, no...'"
"Nebulizer treatments: The only time fogging up the room is medically approved."
Respiratory Memes That Hit Too Close to Home
The "What People Think I Do" Meme: Respiratory Therapist Edition
What my mom thinks I do: Give people oxygen and occasionally CPR
What doctors think I do: Show up with oxygen when they call
What nurses think I do: Nebulizer treatments and disappear
What patients think I do: Torture them with breathing exercises
What I think I do: Save lives with my respiratory expertise
What I actually do: Explain 50 times a day that the nasal cannula goes in your nose, not your mouth
The Evolution of a Respiratory Therapist
Year 1: Checks ventilator settings three times before making any change
Year 5: Adjusts settings while answering three other calls
Year 10: Can tell the ventilator is alarming in another room and knows exactly why
Year 20: Can diagnose respiratory issues by the sound of a cough from the hallway
The Stages of Accepting Your CPAP Machine
Denial: "I don't snore that badly; the sleep study must be wrong."
Anger: "This mask makes me look like a fighter pilot with a weight problem!"
Bargaining: "What if I just use it every other night?"
Depression: "I'm going to be alone forever because no one will want to sleep next to Darth Vader."
Acceptance: "I've named my CPAP machine 'Breath Bae' and we're very happy together."
Patient-Provider Humor: Bridging the Gap
Things Patients Say That Make Respiratory Therapists Laugh (Internally)
"Do I really need this breathing treatment? I feel fine!" (Says the patient between gasps)
"I brought my own oxygen tank from home. It's lavender-scented!" (It's not oxygen, it's aromatherapy)
"I've been doing my incentive spirometer exercises regularly." (The still-sealed device determined that was a lie)
"I don't need that CPAP; I'll just stop sleeping on my back." (Six months and three positional devices later...)
"I quit smoking." (The nicotine-stained fingers and eau de ashtray cologne suggest otherwise)
Things Respiratory Professionals Say That Confuse Patients
"Your ABGs show respiratory alkalosis." (Patient thinks: "My lungs are doing algebra?")
"I need you to do pursed-lip breathing." (Patient proceeds to make a kissing face)
"You have good lung sounds but decreased at the bases." (Patient wonders if their lungs have suddenly become musical instruments)
"Your FEV1 is at 60% of predicted." (Patient: "Is that like a school grade? Did I fail?")
DIY Respiratory Equipment: When Patients Get Creative
Respiratory professionals have seen it all when it comes to makeshift solutions:
The man who "fixed" his broken CPAP hose with duct tape and a paper towel tube
The woman who created a "portable nebulizer" using a water bottle, a straw, and her inhaler
The teenager who turned his incentive spirometer into a musical instrument (surprisingly effective for compliance!)
The creative husband who built a "warming rack" for his wife's oxygen tubing using Christmas lights (fire hazard alert!)
The patient who fashioned a "filter mask" using coffee filters and headbands (pre-COVID innovation)
"I had a patient who was so proud of his homemade oxygen tubing organizational system made from toilet paper rolls and clothespins. It actually worked brilliantly, and I've recommended a version of it to other patients!" - Respiratory Home Care Specialist
Respiratory Holiday Traditions
Pulmonologists putting stethoscope "wreaths" on exam room doors
Hospital respiratory departments decorating ventilators for the holidays (tastefully, of course)
The annual "pulse ox reading contest" where staff compete for the highest number (oxygen athletes!)
Wrapping nebulizers to look like gifts for the pediatric floor
PFT lab technicians asking patients to "blow out the holiday candles" during spirometry tests in December
When Respiratory Patients Find Their Tribe
There's something special about the humor shared among those with respiratory conditions:
"You know you have a chronic lung condition when your emergency contact is your respiratory therapist, not your spouse."
"Pulmonary rehab reunion: Where everyone understands why you're celebrating being able to carry groceries AND talk at the same time."
"Things you'll only hear at a COPD support group: 'I walked up a whole flight of stairs yesterday!' followed by a standing ovation."
"Respiratory patient achievement unlocked: Completing a sentence without taking a breath in the middle."
"We don't wear fitness trackers to count steps; we wear them to brag about our improving oxygen saturation."
A Final Note on Humor as Medicine
While we've had some fun today, it's worth remembering that humor serves an important purpose in respiratory care:
It normalizes the experiences of those with breathing challenges
It creates moments of connection between patients and caregivers
It provides emotional relief in difficult circumstances
It reframes challenges in ways that make them more manageable
Sometimes, a good laugh is exactly what the respiratory system needs
Research Note: Studies have shown that humor therapy can reduce anxiety and stress, promote relaxation, and even temporarily increase pain tolerance—all valuable benefits for those with respiratory conditions.
Wrap-Up Challenge
This week, try finding some humor in your respiratory journey:
Share a respiratory joke or funny observation with your healthcare team
Find a respiratory meme that makes you laugh and save it for tough days
Join an online community where others with your condition share their humorous experiences
Create a funny name for a piece of respiratory equipment you use regularly
Coming up tomorrow in our respiratory series: "COVID's Respiratory Legacy" - what we've learned and how care has evolved!
*Disclaimer: This blog post is meant to bring joy and connection through shared experiences. While we believe humor can be healing, we also acknowledge the serious nature of respiratory conditions. None of these jokes are meant to minimize the challenges faced by those with breathing difficulties.