Posted on 06/21/2004 4:29:42 AM PDT by The Mayor
Follow Me
http://www.2marine.com
Thanks for your thoughtful post, Dubya.
In this day of scattered and thinning families, and having led a nomadic life far away from my childhood places, my plans have long ago been made.
My parents (gone many years) are in a cemetery in Orlando, Florida - a sister, in one in Hartsville, SC and the other (living) will be in Summerton, SC. Both my sons are in South Florida, and my daughter upstate in SC.
Working in and around medicine for 19 years, I long ago decided to benefit medical students by body donation to The Medical College of Georgia, 45 miles away.
I genuinely believe as Paul did - the body is merely an imperfect and convenient conveyor for the soul, and loses its importance when its last breath is drawn.
I made legal arrangements with MCG for this, and gave copies to every physician I have had. When I presented one to the Director of MCG Outpatient Endocrinology, she hugged me with tears in her eyes, saying, "You have no idea how much that touches me, spending countless hours at the morgue on Long Island as a medical student, studying the effects of aging, disease, accidents, etc., upon the human body - things that are not apparent in a still photograph in a textbook."
Next to my driver's license in my wallet is a card from MCG giving a number to call if I expire away from home or not in a hospital.
MCG will send a vehicle to transport my remains; no casket or funeral hone required.
My older son is a Physician Assistant, able to appreciate the value of this, and the other son and daughter do as well. Rather than a funeral, it is my wish they and my grandchildren gather with my husband and remember all the good times we have had, the wonderful things experienced together, and rejoice over the constancy of God in our lives.
My family shares my belief "I" need not be in a hole in the ground, and will be living with Our Father - and in their memories wherever they might be.
What good is Spell Check if it can't read your mind?!!
I won't say the weird, and possibly demented, method of 'burial' I semi-jokingly 'decided' upon.
(It's contingent upon certain factors actually, otherwise it's a normal burial.)
I will not attempt to guess!!
Its a wonderful thing you are doing. God bless you.
FReepmail explanation.
(I don't want to owe anyone keyboards.)
Thank you, Dubya.
To my thinking, I would be far more honored if my children plant flowers, or give fresh cut ones to their spouse, in my name, rather than putting them on a spot on the ground where few will ever see or appreciate them - certainly not me, not really 'there.'
I prefer to think they will honor me by viewing a sunrise or sunset, or when they feel a soft wind whisper through trees, and think of me - - when they acknowledge the loving God who gave them to me, and follow Him.
Maggie, that is a very noble and wonderful thing you have chosen to do with your remains, and it will provide a blessing for many people.
My daughter, Faith, has chosen the same path.
I have decided to go a different route than a military burial or the donation of my remains:
When I bought my place in the country I checked into the legal ramifications of establishing a family burial plot.
It's permissible with the proper legal forms filled out.
I am the patriarch of our family; not necessarily loved all the time, but always respected and admired for the qualities I've tried to instill in my children and grandchildren, with varying degrees of success.
Like Abraham, I want my family to have a place to be buried with the rest of us should they choose to do so.
I've already picked the spot in a remote grove of trees which will be unobtrusive to the activities of the children.
On the subject of military funerals, there is probably some difference in the procedure for various military burial grounds.
My brother-in-law, retired Air Force, was buried in Sam Houston in San Antonio with full rifle salute.
I had to hold my sis tight every time they fired.
Both she and her husband chose to be cremated, but since her husband went first, his ashes were contained in a military urn which was too small for her's when she died.
It was quite an ordeal to remove his ashes from Sam Houston so that they could both be placed in a common urn.
I agree fully with Neil Duane. If you truly love your family, make these arrangements now to save them the heartache of making them after you're gone.
those are the kind of scenes I Love to see!
Thankyou!
That is just tooooo!!!funny!!!!
hehe! He loves the attention, too ! :^D
In my case, I asked my Nephrologist how to go about it, and she contacted the person at MCG (Augusta, Georgia). He sent right away the forms to complete, and sent a Letter of Acceptance (I give every physician I have copies, and have copies at home) and the card I carry with "the number to call."
Just ask your physician for the hospital nearest to you that accepts body donation.
There should be some in Alabama, and over in Georgia from you - Emory University, perhaps? Don't they have a Medical School?
The rules vary. At Bowman Gray in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, you had to have a funeral home deliver the deceased to them.
The Department on my card says "Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy," but probably will differ at others.
I really do love the thought of my remains - "occupant gone" - being of use!
Most physicians throw away the textbook treating me, not often going according to 'The Almighty 'Norm'..:))
Thank you for that Dubya
I will mail him and extend my thanks.
May God give our Military protection and the ability to cope with the tense situation in Iraq as power is turned over to the new Iraqi government in a few days.
Yes it is, Thanks !
G'Night all.
God Bless Our Troops and Our Leaders.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.