Parents decided to leave their bodies to science

angie_baby

I read a book once on thois - Stiff by Mary Roach. It was very interesting.

wendym

Exactly, snowmaid.

This was about fifteen years ago, and she said it was possible she didn't check the small print, but assumed that the body was 'given' to science, rather than 'lent'. So she had to make burial arrangements that felt really odd, and then discovered that the body had not been used, which somehow made it all worse.

TheWaltons_3

With all due respect, you say you're a child - I am assuming there's loads of life left in your parents and when you get older, your views and assumptions will change tremendously.

Enjoy your Mum and Dad now, don't dwell on this at all. It's not important and certainly not relevant to you now, in my opinion.

Death is scary enough when young.. gruesome details about the corpse are just not necessary to know!

*zippy*

No hun i'm 38, I meant i'm an only child I can't discuss it with siblings etc. My dad is in his 70's, but hopefully has many years left yet.

Thanks for sharing your views everyone, I think I will have a chat with them. Seems everyone thinks it a positive thing, I still am unsure TBH, i have a friend who finds great comfort at visting her mothers grave so I suppose you don't know how you will feel until it sadly happens. And having to go through having the body returned later on is something to think about.

TheWaltons_3

*zippy* wrote: »

No hun i'm 38, I meant i'm an only child I can't discuss it with siblings etc. My dad is in his 70's, but hopefully has many years left yet.

Thanks for sharing your views everyone, I think I will have a chat with them. Seems everyone thinks it a positive thing, I still am unsure TBH, i have a friend who finds great comfort at visting her mothers grave so I suppose you don't know how you will feel until it sadly happens. And having to go through having the body returned later on is something to think about.

:rotfl:

OMG I am always doing that.. I always read things wrong........... I don't know why!

You're older than me............. !!!

SORRY!

*zippy*

Thats ok hun

You don't have to rub in your younger than me though :rotfl:

TheWaltons_3

*zippy* wrote: »

Thats ok hun

You don't have to rub in your younger than me though :rotfl:

:rotfl:

Awww I was just trying to recompense for being soooooooo condescending!!

gingercordial

I think it's an absolutely wonderful thing to do. My friends who are medical students/doctors are tremendously grateful to those who have chosen to do something truly useful with their bodies, rather than burial or cremation. Personally I don't think I would derive much comfort from having a grave to visit (that may just be me, I accept that some people might) so I would be perfectly happy if my parents wanted to do that. In that case I would just have a memorial service rather than a funeral.

There is most definitely a return of the body and the ability to have a funeral later if you wish. The medical students who use the body are encouraged to attend if the family agree, and they are immensely respectful and grateful for the opportunity.

morg_monster

I would take some time to get used to the idea before deciding on your 'final opinion' rather than talking to your parents about it right now. There is a shortage of people leaving their bodies to medical science so it is good to see people talking about it.

If your parents or you have a donor card, then just think of this as the 'ultimate' donation. This also gives you the chance (when the time comes) to have a thanksgiving service for your parents without everyone staring at a coffin for an hour -when I go I would hate this, I'd much rather a big old photo of my ugly mug for people to look at!

Also I guess your family usually have a burial - I would prefer to be cremated and I guess there is less of a jump from cremation to body donation because you don't have to watch a coffin going into the ground but rather scattering ashes somewhere. If you don't mind the idea of cremation, perhaps you and your parents could come up with something symbolic rather than scattering ashes which could help with the grieving process - I don't know, maybe scattering wildflower seeds or something.

If after thinking about it and talking to friends about it you still don't like the idea, then talk to mum and dad about it, maybe they can persuade you round. I would just mull it over for a while before saying anything to them if they are set on the idea.

*zippy*

Thanks MM

I will think carefully, I think it was a bit of a shock, they have never even mentioned organ donation, so its totally out of the blue.