Your Death and Post-Death Preferences

[Slowpurr]

There are companies that offer the service of making diamonds from the carbon in your hair or after cremation. This can be done while you are still alive or after death. A holographic picture or message can be engraved into the diamond. It can be set in the jewelry of your choice. This may be a tad morbid for some but for people that are leaving behind loved ones who are very sentimental this might be comforting.

[DapperButch]

I am an organ donor. After that I really don't care what happens. Whatever arrangements "they" want to make (mother, girlfriend), I don't care. I thought that was odd of me, but then I read HB's post and I feel better.

That is all.

[imperfect_cupcake]

Originally Posted by Slowpurr

There are companies that offer the service of making diamonds from the carbon in your hair or after cremation. This can be done while you are still alive or after death. A holographic picture or message can be engraved into the diamond. It can be set in the jewelry of your choice. This may be a tad morbid for some but for people that are leaving behind loved ones who are very sentimental this might be comforting.

I would have loved to have this from my half brother zack. he was five years younger and we only shared one parent (my biomom) but he was physically and emotionally my twin. I had heard about it later but the cost was extortionate.

I know people that get some of the ashes tattooed into a piece of tattoo art. I think it's illegal, but ash is sterile when made and if kept properly it stays that way.

[girl_dee]

donate what you can, whoever wants my ashes can have em....

[Cin]

Oh and the death part, if it comes to a terminal lingering thing, no ventilator, no feeding tube. Do not resuscitate, do not attempt resuscitation, and my favorite, allow natural death.

[Martina]

I like studying rituals, but I hate, loathe and despise taking part in them. I arranged my father's funeral this summer and somehow made it a valuable experience for others. At least they said so. I am glad about that, but for me, it was misery times ten. Maybe for people with big extended families, it's not so arduous. But I couldn't believe I had to do a 180 and deal with all of that activity and socializing when I was in such deep shock. It's cruel, but I got through it. My mom got through it. But I hate funerals. I think they serve a purpose. But because I hate them so, I do not want one.

There is a Stephen Dunn poem I'd like my friends and loved ones to read on the occasion of my death. Maybe I'll leave a stack of letters for them with it inside.

Re the disposition of my body. I don't care. Cremation.

[PoeticSilence]

The wife and I did our five wishes as someone before me posted. We also have a living will. When it comes to it, she and I are absolutely polar opposites. She wants to donate and then be buried. I too want to donate, but I want to be cremated. I haven't tried hard to change her mind, but I intend to keep trying.
I want no funeral, no party, nothing. I want my children to be able to identify me if they feel they need to see, but otherwise, that's it.
My wife will see to distribution of my estate. It's a little touchy because we've been together for going on eight years, but my children, well, three of them have been in my life a lot longer.
I also put my daughter in charge of some of my financial crap because I think she will need to deal with something important because she's insecure. She's also worried her world will fall apart if I die, so I set aside something for her to do to tidy up things, to help her work through it.
I expect the wife to keep the house and the kids to stay here if they want. Her sons (my two youngest) are included. How she divides up the household things will be up to her, I expect the kids to take what they want, what means something to them. And of course I've some money put away for the kids each too. Legally mine or not.

That's all it is.
It's really simple. And the way things are going, I can expect my wife to get my social security when I die, which is important to me.
If my wife precedes me, everything will fall to my son to do what she was to do, and the house will be left for whichever kids want to live here, or they can sell it and split the profits.
We even have directives for our pets (mostly the parrots because they live eighty years or so).

Right now I'm working on a few things that I want each of the children to have, like a hope chest, but unlike a hope chest. Most of you have parents and siblings and relatives, but I have my children and my wife, and I want to leave them something remarkable that will resonate with each of them.