Ask a mortician

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Replies

  • Jimb376mfp
    Jimb376mfp Posts: 6,236 Member
    @LittleHearseDriver
    1. What is your first name?
    2. I thought of you today. I was listening to NPR and a lady was talking about having family members and friends perform some of the preparation of their deceased loved ones. She sounded like she may have been a funeral director. She discussed how people don't realize how difficult it is to dress a corpse.

    Have you had requests from family to get involved in the process? Such as dressing , make up etc!
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    Have you ever been tempted to snort the ashes of someone with a rolled up fifty dollar bill?

    I had to ask for the group; I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering this same exact thing.
  • LittleHearseDriver
    LittleHearseDriver Posts: 2,677 Member
    edited March 2017
    Jimb376mfp wrote: »
    @LittleHearseDriver
    1. What is your first name?
    2. I thought of you today. I was listening to NPR and a lady was talking about having family members and friends perform some of the preparation of their deceased loved ones. She sounded like she may have been a funeral director. She discussed how people don't realize how difficult it is to dress a corpse.

    Have you had requests from family to get involved in the process? Such as dressing , make up etc!

    Dressing a body by myself is a challenge unless they are really small. If I have help it only take 5 minutes. Once in a blue moon a relative will ask to help dress their loved one, but most would rather do make-up than see them naked.

    Sorry, I don't like giving out my name. There are too many psychos on-line.
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    Have you ever been tempted to snort the ashes of someone with a rolled up fifty dollar bill?

    Nope, nope, and nope.
  • JukeboxHeroine
    JukeboxHeroine Posts: 348 Member
    @LittleHearseDriver

    I love that you don't sugar coat stuff. " load of crap"! I work as an ICU nurse and we unfortunately see funeral directors a few times a week. Bless you for your hard work and dedication.
  • Jimb376mfp
    Jimb376mfp Posts: 6,236 Member
    Sorry, I don't like giving out my name. There are too many psychos on-line.
    ****************************************

    Not a psycho, just wondered aloud.

    I find this thread educational and "entertaining" in a macabre sense.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    Have you ever been tempted to snort the ashes of someone with a rolled up fifty dollar bill?

    I had to ask for the group; I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering this same exact thing.

    Nope. You're the only one.
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
    dc8066 wrote: »
    PlaydohPants wrote: »
    Heartisalonelyhunter wrote: »
    Do you think the whole 'everyone loses 7lb at the point of death' thing is true? I.e. The human soul weighs 7lbs?

    I though it was something in grams? 21? 25?

    The weight of a human soul is 7 grams (1 oz is about 30 grams)
    I googled it... a soul is "alleged" to weigh 21 grams.

  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
    What's the oldest coin you've placed on someone's eyes?
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    have you ever poured liquor on a gravesite?

    pouring-out-liquor.gif
  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
    Anyone ever mic drop over a casket?

  • Jimb376mfp
    Jimb376mfp Posts: 6,236 Member
    RavenLibra wrote: »
    dc8066 wrote: »
    PlaydohPants wrote: »
    Heartisalonelyhunter wrote: »
    Do you think the whole 'everyone loses 7lb at the point of death' thing is true? I.e. The human soul weighs 7lbs?

    I though it was something in grams? 21? 25?

    The weight of a human soul is 7 grams (1 oz is about 30 grams)
    I googled it... a soul is "alleged" to weigh 21 grams.

    I'm happy to see someone awaken this "dead" thread LoL. Always interesting stuff here.
  • Sloth2016
    Sloth2016 Posts: 838 Member
    Jimb376mfp wrote: »
    RavenLibra wrote: »
    dc8066 wrote: »
    PlaydohPants wrote: »
    Heartisalonelyhunter wrote: »
    Do you think the whole 'everyone loses 7lb at the point of death' thing is true? I.e. The human soul weighs 7lbs?

    I though it was something in grams? 21? 25?

    The weight of a human soul is 7 grams (1 oz is about 30 grams)
    I googled it... a soul is "alleged" to weigh 21 grams.

    I'm happy to see someone awaken this "dead" thread LoL. Always interesting stuff here.

    I agree. Glad to see this one resurrected.
  • SomebodyWakeUpHIcks
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks Posts: 3,836 Member
    Has anyone ever resurrected while you were working on them?
  • LittleHearseDriver
    LittleHearseDriver Posts: 2,677 Member
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »
    What's the oldest coin you've placed on someone's eyes?
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    have you ever poured liquor on a gravesite?

    pouring-out-liquor.gif

    Can't say I've done either one of those. I had a a few families put coins over the eyes and pour liqour or beer on a grave. They usually offer me a drink and I tell them "No thanks, I'm driving. "
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »
    Anyone ever mic drop over a casket?

    Not yet. Would you like for me to make sure this happens at your funeral?
    SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »
    Has anyone ever resurrected while you were working on them?

    Nah, I'm not like the guy from the show Pushing Daises.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    LittleHearseDriver wrote: »
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    LittleHearseDriver wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Seeing it all the time, are you now numb to death even it were to happen to someone close to you? And if it was a family member, could you do the service yourself or pass it over?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    No, I'm not numb to it at all. Actually, it hits me like a ton of bricks when I lose someone I love because I'm used to seeing it happen to everyone else. It will be extremely hard, but I want to take care of my family when the time comes. If I was a plumber I wouldn't call someone else to fix a busted pipe, I'd take care of it myself.

    So I'm gonna ask - how do you reconcile this with your earlier statement about who wants to see their grandmother naked and handle the preparation of their own family? Is the difference that you're already skilled in the task and would therefore be mentally able to handle it?

    I'm used to it, I've seen so many people naked it wouldn't phase me. It would bother me to see a family member who has been autopsied. It would be very hard, but I would regret not taking care of them myself.

    I worked in an ER for three years and naked people are just like "meh" now.
  • klkarlen
    klkarlen Posts: 4,366 Member
    I've recently become aware of a company that offers composting of human remains. They bought a plot of land, and bury the remains under existing trees, but they still can only accomodate a small percentage of people. I have not really looked into it yet, but it seems like an interesting idea.

    Another was an article about liquid cremation, I think the places that offer that are here in Florida. . . I guess it follows the supply and demand economic model, we have so many people in need of these services here.

    Have you heard of either of these?
  • LittleHearseDriver
    LittleHearseDriver Posts: 2,677 Member
    Hydrolysis is basically boiling the body instead of burning it. It isnt legal in my state. I don't know anything about human composting.
  • klkarlen
    klkarlen Posts: 4,366 Member
    LittleHearseDriver wrote: »
    Hydrolysis is basically boiling the body instead of burning it. It isnt legal in my state. I don't know anything about human composting.

    I used the wrong term, it's called conservation burial.

    From the website: "What is Conservation Burial?

    Natural (or “green”) burial is a safe and legal burial practice that uses biodegradable containers and avoids embalming fluids and vaults. Conservation burial goes a step further to commit burial fees to pay for land acquisition, protection, restoration, and management.

    Not only does conservation burial help protect land, but the burial area becomes hallowed ground, restored to its natural condition and protected forever with a conservation easement. Native plants beautify the burial sites. Citizens who support conservation are offered a more meaningful burial option with the certainty that protected land is the ultimate legacy to leave for future generations. Families and friends are brought closer to nature in the commemoration of their loved one’s life."
  • SoulRadiation
    SoulRadiation Posts: 1,060 Member
    Has your work as a mortician affected your philosophical outlook on life?

    I have previously struggled with the though of death for myself and those that I love. I feel like I have come to a certain peace with the way things are, although I still find the nature of life somewhat malevolent...I can accept my own place as part of it as I myself can be malevolent and not entirely peaceful.

    Do you think much about existentialism? I was a philosophy major in school...I'm now a programmer, although it's a topic I often revisit mentally...often forced or prompted through the death of a loved one. I have been a lifelong reader of philosophical and religious works, and the topic of death is fairly described as universal to the human experience.

    I don't mean to ramble...but the topic of existentialism isn't particularly well defined. I suppose I would ask, has working with the dead changed your idea about the nature of what you are as a 'self'...and if so, how?

    In any case, I hope you have a wonderful afternoon.

    :D

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