The totally off-topic thread

[TomVexille]

Only if she weighs the same as a duck!

Burn the Witch!

Nah, I meant for me

 

[Boca68]

My office was just having this conversation as a weekend visit to Costco had coffins.

I know in the US it was stocked but I wonder how the Aust funeral industry feels about a bring your own coffin.

Weirdly, I think its the Australian Funeral Directors Association, or the like, have been running ad campaigns in newspapers recently I've noticed. Odd one I saw today about catacombs. I thought seriously, catacombs! But, in line with your post, the other day one had a 'rent-a-coffin' byline. So, basically, you (or your family) buy a cardboard box, which they place inside a (presumably) expensive looking coffin for the service. Then at the end of the day they remove said cardboard box and either bury it or cremate it.

Just a bit creepy, but hey, each to their own.

 

[love_the_life]

On the funereal theme, i once saw an ad for an undertaking business for sale in Merimbula (rather unusual I thought). The funny thing was that the ad said,"Located in a growth area." :shock:

 

[QF WP]

When I die, I would like to donate anything useful in my body to others that need it/them (as I have designated to my family and have a card in my wallet).

If I have had an illness or accident that renders any or all of my body parts unusable, then cremation (particularly for cancer)

I had an aunt who donated her body to medical science last year. Hmm, just the thought of that turns my stomach and my blood pressure drops...but to each their own

 

[coriander]

an undertaking business for sale in Merimbula (rather unusual I thought)

Merimbula is a lovely spot and would surely qualify to be a very nice "God's Waiting Room" for retiring grey nomads.

 

[love_the_life]

Merimbula is a lovely spot and would surely qualify to be a very nice "God's Waiting Room" for retiring grey nomads.

Yes, I remember when growing up in East Gippsland (and later) that Merimbula was a preferred location for people to move to in retirement so I can see it would definitely be seen as a growth area.

 

[Denali]

Trying to get my head around this Tromp family business.

Its all very strange

 

[suze2000]

. So, basically, you (or your family) buy a cardboard box, which they place inside a (presumably) expensive looking coffin for the service. Then at the end of the day they remove said cardboard box and either bury it or cremate it.

Just a bit creepy, but hey, each to their own.

Sounds great to me, I'm curious as to why you think it's creepy. Coffins seem to me to be a ridiculous waste of wood and metal. I'd like a shroud, though I realise that with our bizarre ideas and fears surrounding death in this country that might be a bit confronting for people attending the funeral. We are far too divorced from death in this country. Like it happens to other people and not to me.

When my father died, we asked if there was an environmentally friendly coffin option, but unfortunately were told he was "too tall for it"! (he was 6'3", he needed to be under 6' apparently)

Are you aware that all the "furniture" ie fittings like handles etc on the coffins cannot be burnt, so they are removed. But they cannot be re-used either so they all end up in landfill?!!

 

[Flashback]

When I die, I would like to donate anything useful in my body to others that need it/them (as I have designated to my family and have a card in my wallet).

If I have had an illness or accident that renders any or all of my body parts unusable, then cremation (particularly for cancer)

I had an aunt who donated her body to medical science last year. Hmm, just the thought of that turns my stomach and my blood pressure drops...but to each their own

There was a good segment on this recently on Gruen.

 

[Steady]

Sounds great to me, I'm curious as to why you think it's creepy.

We are far too divorced from death in this country.

I agree that the majority are. IMO many Australians living in major cities and the surrounding suburbs have lost their connection to the reality of rural life. Personally dealing with life and death is an everyday event on the land. (As it would be for those in the medical profession etc)

 

[penegal]

Burial or cremation...topic 15.

cremation, preferably post mortem. I don't imagine it would be pleasant pre...


And also, hoping this is many years off.

 

[penegal]

Speaking of which, has anyone ever had a false positive lab test?

I recently had one which was a bit of a scare. The doctor called me and asked me to immediately re-take the same test, and it was all good. Apparently a number of patients showed the same abnormality from this lab, so it was clearly some form of lab error (or perhaps collection or transport issue).

 

[TheRealTMA]

Only if she weighs the same as a duck!

Burn the Witch!

Na. Make a bridge out of her!

 

[JessicaTam]

Speaking of which, has anyone ever had a false positive lab test?

I recently had one which was a bit of a scare. The doctor called me and asked me to immediately re-take the same test, and it was all good. Apparently a number of patients showed the same abnormality from this lab, so it was clearly some form of lab error (or perhaps collection or transport issue).

I have had results that have been inconclusive. So off for more definitive tests with a little bit of anxiety.

All clear by the way.

 

[Pushka]

Trying to get my head around this Tromp family business.

Its all very strange

I think mummy went on a forage and cooked some nice mushroom soup.

 

[penegal]

I have had results that have been inconclusive. So off for more definitive tests with a little bit of anxiety.

All clear by the way.

Yes, it can be a shock.

 

[Pushka]

Speaking of which, has anyone ever had a false positive lab test?

I recently had one which was a bit of a scare. The doctor called me and asked me to immediately re-take the same test, and it was all good. Apparently a number of patients showed the same abnormality from this lab, so it was clearly some form of lab error (or perhaps collection or transport issue).

There is a health scandal in Adelaide currently. Actually two. One of our friends is caught up in one of them. They are considering joining the court action.
A couple of years ago had prostate removed by the robot. Had to have 3 monthly blood tests. Each time the levels rose a bit more and with the last one they had resigned themselves to facing mortality by October this year. Sold the family house. Moved to the country. Sold the business. Then the specialist realised that many of his patients were testing positive - way above his normal experience. All blood tests done by the RAH pathology service. He investigated. Their reference levels or whatever they were doing were not calibrated properly. Our friend was perfectly healthy. Last I saw them was 2 weeks after finding out. They were in shock.

 

[RAM]

Sounds great to me, I'm curious as to why you think it's creepy. Coffins seem to me to be a ridiculous waste of wood and metal. I'd like a shroud, though I realise that with our bizarre ideas and fears surrounding death in this country that might be a bit confronting for people attending the funeral. We are far too divorced from death in this country. Like it happens to other people and not to me.

When my father died, we asked if there was an environmentally friendly coffin option, but unfortunately were told he was "too tall for it"! (he was 6'3", he needed to be under 6' apparently)

Are you aware that all the "furniture" ie fittings like handles etc on the coffins cannot be burnt, so they are removed. But they cannot be re-used either so they all end up in landfill?!!

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU (ARE):

• recently lost a friend/relative
  
• not good with harsh reality
• squeamish

With cremation it becomes a bit like the magician's sleight of hand. I admit to having been taken in by the various tv programs or movies over the years where they showed someone's "ashes" being scattered. The reality can be very different.

What people think happens and what really happens are often VERY different.

For example, many times the coffin will disappear into either a sub-chamber or go through an opening in a wall.

People gathered think; "It's going into the furnace now."

WRONG 99% of the time!

Crematoriums literally stack the coffins until they deem they have enough (time frame permitting) to warrant lighting the furnace OR they bank up as a corpse is quite over-weight and will burn for an excessively long period of time.

If you're keen, do a search on crematoriums burning down due to excessively over-weight corpses causing big problems - I kid you not!

Before going into many furnaces the staff may unscrew all the coffin fittings (officially to minimise any poisonous fumes/smoke being generated). I got the impression that re-use of the fittings DOES occur whether that is the official story is something else.

Afterwards perhaps what surprised (shocked) me the most is how they treat the remains.

It is not as I expected. The remains are normally NOT AT ALL like the remnants from when people used to burn their rubbish at home. Nothing like as completely affected by the fire at all.

Also any metal (screws, plates, rods, etc) are removed and often can have bone still attached in some manner. I did not delve into exactly what the man meant.

To ensure the 'remains' fit neatly inside the chosen container (and do not create unexpected noises) the scraped out bones etc get put into a 'breaking' or 'pulverizing' machine (often containing large stainless steel balls) which then proceeds to break the remaining bones down into fragments up to 2-4 cm in size.

Just like with machinery in many processes - cleaning after each use can leave something to be desired. So the urn you receive may contain high 90s% of your loved one and a very small % of someone else or two.

Note to self: Be careful what you ask someone who is obviously keen on their job and not used to having a live audience to talk with!

 

[NM]

When I die ...

I am planning on living forever ...

... so far, so good.

 

[TheRealTMA]

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU (ARE):

• recently lost a friend/relative
  
• not good with harsh reality
• squeamish....

Um, what exactly does one expect to be different. Many things are perceptions and not reality with which we have difficulty, plus, the end result is the same if sanitised.