Dear Raven:
I am struck by your strong sense of humor in facing unfortunate circumstances in the context of your marriage and in the context of your husband’s family. Two connected and yet separate issues. But your question is not about either. It is about the event. I like the dental schtick when suggested but your answer put that to rest. I also like the jail pretense and the insane assylum, including the diagnosing people with mental illnesses. Here is an idea: practice radical acceptance in the party- do not resist the pain, see how much of it you can endure without dissociating (right brain dissociation such as numbing or left brain dissociation such as obsessing/ thinking). Just BE there.
Take care:
anita