Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Preparations for Judgement Day

...are almost complete! Went to visit Cousin Robby to make arrangements. It was a pleasant visit.

The funeral home hasn't changed much since the last time we visited, as opposed to the last time we had to be there for an official function. They visited with us at the wedding, so we see each other enough.

We are set with them. They will facilitate the trip to the Upstate Medical Center, direct the memorial service and handle the caterers for the after party. The same caterers that fed our party-goers.

Now I must fill out the legal paperwork for the transfer and surrender of the body. Essentially paperwork for the Medical Center. And we are all set.

Except. There always is an "except."

Except that we must contact our doctors, to be sure someone can be called in to sign the death certificate. Doctors are allowed more time to sign the papers than we are allowed to idle in refrigeration. That is to say: they could sign the certificate too late for the body to be any use, legally speaking. It is important that our doctor be on the same page as we are. If they are against cadaver donation, they might deliberately sabotage the whole operation.

This here's the Bible Belt, partner. Not everyone agrees what is good for the cooked goose, so to speak. I hope that the neurologists agree with my point of view. They are next.

I'll keep you posted.

pb
Little Pond

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My grandpa's body was donated to medical research and when they were finished (about three or four months later) they paid for burial expenses. It worked out great for my grandmother because they had no funds for such. Our family held a memorial service about a week after grandpa passed away -- over 100 people came because he was so well loved.

Grandpa was buried in a veterans Cemetery about three hours away from where my family lives, but it didn't matter because both my grandparents believed that there was nothing to visit at the cemetery since the immortal soul was taken to be with the Lord. We have never visited his grave.

pb said...

I visited my grandparents' sites when I was small.

With a funeral home in the family, we understand that coping with loss is different for each person.

My family wants my ashes, so the ashes are THEIR problem and not mine.

I don't believe we can afford to make any more cemeteries, though. The important part of me can watch from the sidelines. Looking forward to finding how it all shakes out.

Anonymous said...

My parents will be cremated at their request, and I am going to be cremated as well, although Norm is not thrilled with the idea.