Hospital Bed and Lift
Back in December, my son’s wife, Clara, started to swell up like a balloon. She hadn’t been able to get out of the house for around a year so Mark got a wheel chair that she would fit into and hired the OATS bus that had a wheel chair lift on it to get her to the hospital. They said she had renal failure and congestive heart failure. They sent her to the city and they put her on dialysis. That took well over 100 pounds off of her and they finally got her back up to Trenton close to home here. They got tired of her there so sent her back home here. She had a problem with in an hour of her leaving that they fluffed off and sent her on home. The day before, Mark had got a van with a wheel chair lift so we used that to get her home and in to dialysis on Tuesday, the day after we brought her home. That evening she had another episode like she had had in the hospital just before they released her. She had another episode midday on Wednesday, and again in the evening which finished her off later in the night. Kathy had put a call in to the doctor but she wouldn’t return the call. It was best this way as she went peacefully enough and no way was she going to get better. Kathy and I had to move her around with a lift and even help her roll over in bed as she couldn’t even do that. We even used the lift to get her into the casket that I made the next day. Kathy and Deb dressed her after we got her into the casket. Using 8 ropes we lowered her into the grave with the help of some neighbors and friends. I filled the grave in while those who wanted to went over to Deb and Galen’s for a little to eat. The weather was bright and sunny for the funeral. The coroner said that this was a first for him, a family doing it all themselves, instead of having him do it. It rained all the next day and that night we got 8 inches of wet snow and the temperature went down to 5°F by the following morning. I was glad we had her in the ground.
Here is what my daughter thought of the whole thing with some pictures;
dapperdoxie.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-personal-touch.html
Mark’s and Clara’s best man surprised us all and came and this is what he had to say about the whole thing;
“Folks, I participated in something this past Friday, that was both deeply sad and somber, but yet one of the most beautiful and moving things I have ever seen. A good friend of ours from Missouri, lost his wife early Thursday morning. He notified us that morning and then posted on FB that graveside services would be Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM.
I went online and found the exact location of the cemetery, a small country cemetery in the middle of some fields and pasture not far from Spickard Missouri, which is located in North Central Missouri about 4 hours from here. We left before 9:00 AM as to give ourselves plenty of time, and arrived at the cemetery at around 1:30. It was a small country cemetery, well maintained and quite nice.
The freshly dug grave and the pile of dirt, along with some of the family and friends, were there to greet us. No tent or chairs, just a brisk wind and the January Sun. Shortly after our arrival our friend's father arrived in an older pickup truck, with the coffin containing our friend's deceased wife. The men took three wooden posts that they then placed horizontally across the empty grave, and the homemade wooden coffin was placed upon these posts. 6 ropes were laced through the handles on the coffin, 3 on each side. The coffin lid was in two pieces, and the half that covered the body from the waist up was taken off and you could see the body laying upon a white blanket inside the coffin.
Condolences were then offered up by a couple ministers, along with Scripture readings. The only music was Amazing Grace played on bagpipes via a small CD player or stereo.....which I want played at my burial, it was so moving and brought tears to my eyes....I loved it.
When the service was completed, the blanket was then placed over the deceased's face and arms, and the coffin lid was nailed back on. 6 men each grabbed a rope and the coffin was lifted slightly allowing the posts to be pulled out of the way. The coffin was then gently lowered into the grave into it's final resting place.
I share this story with you in the hopes that somehow it can convey to you the beauty and simplicity of this burial of one of God's saints, in a small rural cemetery, in Missouri. It was one of the most moving and authentic things I have ever witnessed.
As a footnote, the body was not embalmed, but the local mortician/coroner was present as required by State law.”
Hospital Bed and Lift
Back in December, my son’s wife, Clara, started to swell up like a balloon. She hadn’t been able to get out of the house for around a year so Mark got a wheel chair that she would fit into and hired the OATS bus that had a wheel chair lift on it to get her to the hospital. They said she had renal failure and congestive heart failure. They sent her to the city and they put her on dialysis. That took well over 100 pounds off of her and they finally got her back up to Trenton close to home here. They got tired of her there so sent her back home here. She had a problem with in an hour of her leaving that they fluffed off and sent her on home. The day before, Mark had got a van with a wheel chair lift so we used that to get her home and in to dialysis on Tuesday, the day after we brought her home. That evening she had another episode like she had had in the hospital just before they released her. She had another episode midday on Wednesday, and again in the evening which finished her off later in the night. Kathy had put a call in to the doctor but she wouldn’t return the call. It was best this way as she went peacefully enough and no way was she going to get better. Kathy and I had to move her around with a lift and even help her roll over in bed as she couldn’t even do that. We even used the lift to get her into the casket that I made the next day. Kathy and Deb dressed her after we got her into the casket. Using 8 ropes we lowered her into the grave with the help of some neighbors and friends. I filled the grave in while those who wanted to went over to Deb and Galen’s for a little to eat. The weather was bright and sunny for the funeral. The coroner said that this was a first for him, a family doing it all themselves, instead of having him do it. It rained all the next day and that night we got 8 inches of wet snow and the temperature went down to 5°F by the following morning. I was glad we had her in the ground.
Here is what my daughter thought of the whole thing with some pictures;
dapperdoxie.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-personal-touch.html
Mark’s and Clara’s best man surprised us all and came and this is what he had to say about the whole thing;
“Folks, I participated in something this past Friday, that was both deeply sad and somber, but yet one of the most beautiful and moving things I have ever seen. A good friend of ours from Missouri, lost his wife early Thursday morning. He notified us that morning and then posted on FB that graveside services would be Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM.
I went online and found the exact location of the cemetery, a small country cemetery in the middle of some fields and pasture not far from Spickard Missouri, which is located in North Central Missouri about 4 hours from here. We left before 9:00 AM as to give ourselves plenty of time, and arrived at the cemetery at around 1:30. It was a small country cemetery, well maintained and quite nice.
The freshly dug grave and the pile of dirt, along with some of the family and friends, were there to greet us. No tent or chairs, just a brisk wind and the January Sun. Shortly after our arrival our friend's father arrived in an older pickup truck, with the coffin containing our friend's deceased wife. The men took three wooden posts that they then placed horizontally across the empty grave, and the homemade wooden coffin was placed upon these posts. 6 ropes were laced through the handles on the coffin, 3 on each side. The coffin lid was in two pieces, and the half that covered the body from the waist up was taken off and you could see the body laying upon a white blanket inside the coffin.
Condolences were then offered up by a couple ministers, along with Scripture readings. The only music was Amazing Grace played on bagpipes via a small CD player or stereo.....which I want played at my burial, it was so moving and brought tears to my eyes....I loved it.
When the service was completed, the blanket was then placed over the deceased's face and arms, and the coffin lid was nailed back on. 6 men each grabbed a rope and the coffin was lifted slightly allowing the posts to be pulled out of the way. The coffin was then gently lowered into the grave into it's final resting place.
I share this story with you in the hopes that somehow it can convey to you the beauty and simplicity of this burial of one of God's saints, in a small rural cemetery, in Missouri. It was one of the most moving and authentic things I have ever witnessed.
As a footnote, the body was not embalmed, but the local mortician/coroner was present as required by State law.”