Ask a mortician
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We sew them up. It's my least favorite thing about autopsies because it takes forever and my hand cramps up. Plus it's hard to make them look good after their bodies have been through all of that.2 -
LittleHearseDriver wrote: »
We sew them up. It's my least favorite thing about autopsies because it takes forever and my hand cramps up. Plus it's hard to make them look good after their bodies have been through all of that.
I'm surprised the hospital does not let the interns do that for the practice. I guess surgical glue is not something you could use?
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Coffee, water, and beer.0
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There is a guy that works at a funeral that I've had to go to way too many times. He is known for stealing desserts that are there for the families. These aren't desserts provided by the funeral home, they are desserts given to the families by family members and friends. He doesn't just eat them he steals the whole dessert and takes it home. While at my moms funeral last week I caught him stealing cookies. Of course I snapped a pic.
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^ Maybe he considers it one of the perks of the job. Stay classy, funeral guy.
P.S. Sorry about your Mom.1 -
I don't think food is allowed in funeral parlors in NY, at least every one I've been to has a sign saying "According to state law, no food allowed"0
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There is a guy that works at a funeral that I've had to go to way too many times. He is known for stealing desserts that are there for the families. These aren't desserts provided by the funeral home, they are desserts given to the families by family members and friends. He doesn't just eat them he steals the whole dessert and takes it home. While at my moms funeral last week I caught him stealing cookies. Of course I snapped a pic.
I'm just giving you this.
Sorry to hear about your mom.
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Every funeral home has their own policy about food, most corporate funeral homes will fire an employee if they are caught eating their food. Where I work we don't eat anything unless they tell us we are welcome to help ourselves and even then I feel bad about grabbing a brownie or piece of fried chicken. We don't eat in front of them either if we do get something. It's a quick grab and run job.
Keep in mind, its hard for us to find time to eat when you're working a visitation or funeral. There have been many times I've had to go without because things have simply been too busy.2 -
Sorry if someone asked this one before.
I'm a huge investigation discovery channel junkie & was wondering if you ever had to work on a body that came into foul play & they still haven't solved the case.
Also what's the youngest & oldest person you've ever had to work with?0 -
LittleHearseDriver wrote: »Hi Hearse,
Kind of a broad question here. How much does an average (empty) coffin weigh? I have been a pallbearer many times, and always find myself wondering," how much of this is Grandpa, and how much is box?"
Metal caskets are about 150 lbs. Wood caskets are around 200-250 lbs.badgerface1k wrote: »Have you ever been just about to jab them with ur instrument and they all of the sudden wake up?
Nope. If it ever happens I will probably pee my pants.
I wonder how often that really happens that people wake up & showed no vital signs & were about to be embalmed?0 -
kellyjellybellyjelly wrote: »Sorry if someone asked this one before.
I'm a huge investigation discovery channel junkie & was wondering if you ever had to work on a body that came into foul play & they still haven't solved the case.
Also what's the youngest & oldest person you've ever had to work with?
I've only had one person who was murdered. She was killed because her son had shot a 20 year guy at a house party a few weeks before. Three people are in prison and two are dead all because a guy stepped on someone's shoes at a party.
The youngest person I've taken care of was a baby that was one month premature and the oldest was 98. My boss embalmed a lady who was 106.
It's very rare for people to wake up on the embalming table, I've never heard of it happening to any embalmers that I know.0 -
@LittleHearseDriver globally there's always, been a problem with; people being accidentally buried alive! 1 was, recently saved from; being cremated because the person putting them in, noticed a tear streaming via; an eye! Obviously a person might, not've detectable vital signs via; medical machinery (no pulse) & not everyone's autopsied! Do you take steps to ensure that the bodies you receive're in fact actually dead prior to, performing any postmortem work on them when it; might not otherwise be obvious due to rigor mortis and/or blood pooling? Such as: using a scalpel to, cut someone to; see if they bleed 1st?0
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DeficitDuchess wrote: »@LittleHearseDriver globally there's always, been a problem with; people being accidentally buried alive! 1 was, recently saved from; being cremated because the person putting them in, noticed a tear stream an eye! Obviously a person might, not've detectable vital signs via; medical machinery (no pulse) & not everyone's autopsied! Do you take steps to ensure that the bodies you receive're in fact actually dead prior to, performing any postmortem work on them when it; might not otherwise be obvious due to rigor mortis and/or blood pooling? Such as: using a scalpel to, cut someone to; see if they bleed 1st?
That story sounds like a bunch of crap.Bodies that are going to cremated are in a cardboard container, if someone did shed a tear while being pushed into the retort no one would be able to see it.
I don't make unnecessary incisions on a person to see if they are still alive. It would be obvious if the person was alive when I start embalming because they would move or make a noise when I make a one-inch incision at the base of the neck to get to the Carotid and the jugular.4 -
LittleHearseDriver wrote: »DeficitDuchess wrote: »@LittleHearseDriver globally there's always, been a problem with; people being accidentally buried alive! 1 was, recently saved from; being cremated because the person putting them in, noticed a tear stream an eye! Obviously a person might, not've detectable vital signs via; medical machinery (no pulse) & not everyone's autopsied! Do you take steps to ensure that the bodies you receive're in fact actually dead prior to, performing any postmortem work on them when it; might not otherwise be obvious due to rigor mortis and/or blood pooling? Such as: using a scalpel to, cut someone to; see if they bleed 1st?
That story sounds like a bunch of crap.Bodies that are going to cremated are in a cardboard container, if someone did shed a tear while being pushed into the retort no one would be able to see it.
I don't make unnecessary incisions on a person to see if they are still alive. It would be obvious if the person was alive when I start embalming because they would move or make a noise when I make a one-inch incision at the base of the neck to get to the Carotid and the jugular.
I tried to, find the original article to; post but the only thing that, I found was that the; undertaker realized she was alive (not exactly when, though)!
However you, don't embalm everyone right to, make that incision?0 -
I saw this movie once. And it creeped me out. Martin Sheen. The Serpent and The Rainbow.
"Don't let them bury me. I'm not dead." Eeek.
https://youtu.be/LNRnOcW5yqs0 -
LittleHearseDriver wrote: »
We sew them up. It's my least favorite thing about autopsies because it takes forever and my hand cramps up. Plus it's hard to make them look good after their bodies have been through all of that.
If where all the organs are taken out are covered with clothes, you could just use duct tape. Or would that be illegal or something?0 -
DeficitDuchess wrote: »LittleHearseDriver wrote: »DeficitDuchess wrote: »@LittleHearseDriver globally there's always, been a problem with; people being accidentally buried alive! 1 was, recently saved from; being cremated because the person putting them in, noticed a tear stream an eye! Obviously a person might, not've detectable vital signs via; medical machinery (no pulse) & not everyone's autopsied! Do you take steps to ensure that the bodies you receive're in fact actually dead prior to, performing any postmortem work on them when it; might not otherwise be obvious due to rigor mortis and/or blood pooling? Such as: using a scalpel to, cut someone to; see if they bleed 1st?
That story sounds like a bunch of crap.Bodies that are going to cremated are in a cardboard container, if someone did shed a tear while being pushed into the retort no one would be able to see it.
I don't make unnecessary incisions on a person to see if they are still alive. It would be obvious if the person was alive when I start embalming because they would move or make a noise when I make a one-inch incision at the base of the neck to get to the Carotid and the jugular.
I tried to, find the original article to; post but the only thing that, I found was that the; undertaker realized she was alive (not exactly when, though)!
However you, don't embalm everyone right to, make that incision?
You have to make an incision to get to the carotid artery and the jugular vein. There is no way to embalm without making an incision.1
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