see where you are coming from regarding jokes about close family members. a lots to do with timeing of them. the same quick off the cuff joke when someone is ready to go for an operation could be taken differently than if they were recovering.remember years ago when my mum had a bad accident. i was still at school and my sister wrung the school up. she told me that our mam was in hospital but not to worry as she,s prepared out tea first.