Blogldeas

Are you scratching your head trying to find something to write about? Well, by all means steal one of our ideas and make it your own! These topics are meant to spark a thought, remind you of your past, or give you an excuse to vent.

What's the big idea: Have you ever seen a dead body?

Yup. Much to my dismay. All of the dead bodies I've seen have been family members' (although some might call it weird that I'd include my first dog as a family member, he was my best friend).

So, in order of occurrence:

Grandma, in her coffin, looking better than she ever looked to me in life. A bit stiff, and wearing WAAY too much makeup. But not too big a deal. Just a glimpse and then back behind the pink curtain at the funeral home where the family all sat, out of sight of the run-of-the-mill mourners. I was 10 (or maybe younger)...what did I know from death? She'd been in a nursing home for years and really a shell of herself before she died anyway.

Tippi, who was put down after biting me when I tried to pet him. He was 12 and quite arthritic, blind, mostly deaf and very cranky. I think I hurt him accidentally when I patted his back, and he turned on me. At that point I told my mom that he couldn't be around my nephew (who was just 2 at the time), and the neighbor kids (who were out of control and unsupervised little rugrats) and she agreed. So the Beast and I took him to the vet where he got a shot and slphhhht....gone. I didn't know it was so fast; he just went to sleep and died. Man, it sucked driving home with his collar to find that Mom had put away (thrown away?) his dishes and leash.

Dad. We all trouped to the funeral home because Mom wanted us to see him. I wasn't keen at all, but we all felt that we should go as a duty to Mom. So, drawing on my memories of Grandma's funeral, I stiffened my spine and went into the 'viewing room,' only to find Dad on a metal gurney with a thin blanket pulled up to his collarbone. I was horrified. Dad was so modest and yet here he was, obviously naked, with his mouth sewn closed (inside, not the lips). He never slept with his mouth closed so it was obvious. It was one of those "outside myself" moments when I mentally checked out and watched what was going on from somewhere else. Once we were out in the lobby again, I was shaking and trying not to let Mom see how upset I was...and trying not to let Sparky see how upset I was (he was about 16 months old). I made the Beast promise never to make anyone do this after I die.

Fortunately I was spared seeing my sister. And I don't think I've come across anyone else. There was a guy at the library one night we thought had died, but he turned out to be in insulin shock. So realistically, I haven't seen anything particularly gory, just emotionally wrenching. For which I guess I should be thankful.