The other night I finally watched the PBS special “POV – A Family Undertaking”
The title was uber confusing because “POV” lead me to believe this would be about personally owned vehicles, however in a non military world I suppose it could also stand for point of view. I also had no idea what this family would be undertaking. Turns out it was about DIY funerals and at home death. Right up my alley.
I’ve got a kind of weird fascination with death.
Anyway.
If you did everything the documentary depicted, you’d leave the body in your home for up to 4 days. They explained what to expect from the corpse (such as the jaw muscles loosening, causing the mouth to open, how to keep the eyes closed, etc). Then, you’d burry them (or cremate, as one family did), much discussion surrounded burial containers.
I’m not so sure LT Fromage, if left behind, would be down with keeping me around a few extra days. I’m ok with that, but I’m in love with the idea of bypassing the formaldehyde embalming and expensive caskets, letting bodies go back to a natural state instead of preserving them as long as possible underground (why?). That part is doable.
I’ve never wanted a big deal made out of my death. If people want to gather, spend money and say nice things, I’d totally rather it be while I’m alive, thanks. I’d always wanted to donate my organs, be cremated and let everyone go on. I do totally want a headstone though, a simple one under a tree. I just love cemeteries, especially the little ones tucked off by themselves, where there are no “visiting hours” and rules about flowers.
After watching that documentary I think I’ll have my organs given away but do the natural thing after that. Minus the part about being left in the house for days. A little unconventional, yes, but it my old death plan was to donate my body to a body farm (Wikipedia that one!).
One of my many passions is my dislike for funeral homes and their racket, preying on people at their absolute most vulnerable. I absolutely forbid my husband from spending more than a couple hundred bucks to take care of my remains. I warned him that I would haunt him if he did. I mean, seriously, it should not cost that much for a funeral. I, personally, don't give a rat's behind (I know you like rats!) what happens to my body after I'm gone. It's not MY body anymore. Donate all the useful organs then donate the rest to science. Have the people I loved the most over to the house for a few hours, toast a glass of champagne to me, and remember what you loved about me.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I say all this kinda flippantly. If it were the other way round, and I lost hubby, I'd be inconsolable. I'm tearing up just typing this so I'll stop now.