Posted by:
Tevai
(
)
Date: July 29, 2015 11:40AM
During the time when my father was in the last months of his life, I was in the cashier's line at a local health food store and I saw a magazine cover article on Lisa Carlson and [the first edition of] her book: CARING FOR YOUR OWN DEAD (now in a new edition and retitled: CARING FOR THE DEAD: Your Final Act of Love).
She had lived this in the immediate aftermath of her husband's death...and after I read the article in this magazine, and then I read her book, I was totally on board. It seemed so SENSIBLE, and so wise [and, in addition, would obviously save a considerable amount of money as well].
I followed what she said to do in the book, step-by-step (a couple of steps were modified along the way because of California law, but I was alerted in advance, and guided through these by the relevant people, who were incredibly cooperative and helpful to me---some telling me that they couldn't understand why EVERYONE didn't do this).
"Caring for my own dead," in this case my father, turned out to be one of the most healing and affirmative experiences I have ever had. I am very grateful I had this extraordinary---for me---experience.
Google: Lisa Carlson, CARING FOR THE DEAD. (And, again, there is a prior edition of this book titled "Caring For Your Own Dead," but the newer edition has been updated to conform to newer state (and possibly provincial, I don't know if this works for Canada) laws.)
In my case, I come from a cremation-oriented family, so there was, and would be, no burying involved. After I had the post-death paperwork in order (Death Certificate, etc.), we took my father's body (in a required cardboard container; you get one from a local mortuary, and mine was given to me free: two very big pieces of cardboard, with pressed in lines, which make a long, human-sized box, plus a matching top) to the crematory in a van we rented for the day...the crematory employees came out with a gurney to transport my father's body inside...and we picked up my father's ashes a couple of days later.
The total cost (including all legal fees for paperwork) was under $250...
...but the experience itself was priceless.
I am a MUCH better human being for having had this experience, and for that, I credit---and thank---Lisa Carlson.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2015 03:46PM by tevai.