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later livingJOURNAL…
Journal Tip: Unless terminal illness forces you to think about your own funeral, not
many people go ahead and make such unpleasant plans. It is easier to put it off and
rely on those left behind. My parents made funeral arrangements because they were
forced to do so when Daddy went to the nursing home. After they died so close
together, I realized what a gift it was to me.
I pick up Mother to visit Daddy at the nursing home, and we find him acting almost as
strangely as he did yesterday. He talks about things that don,t make a lot of sense, but
if you try to ask him about something, he simply agrees with you.I know that Daddy is
dealing with depression and a lot of anger, but I cannot begin to deal with either at the
moment.
Mother and I finally leave because we have to get back to her house. I’ve made an
appointment with a representative from the funeral home to pre-plan Mother and Daddy’
s funerals. One of the stipulations for getting Daddy a Medicaid bed required that they
do so. It’s not something I’m looking forward to, but I know it has to be done.
When we get home, the woman is very nice. She comes prepared with a book of
different caskets from which to choose. I can’t help wondering how difficult this must be
for Mother as ill as she is, but acting typically, she never lets on. She uses her humor
to shield what she’s really feeling.
“Don’t this beat all, hon, a catalog of caskets? That’s one thing I don’t ever remember
seeing in the ‘ol Sears Roebuck book.” Not surprisingly, she chooses something very
conservative in price, and does so quickly. She decides on a blue casket saying it
matches her eyes.
“Not that anybody’s gonna notice,” she teases. After the woman leaves Mother says,
“Let’s not mention this to Daddy ‘til he’s feeling lots better. Why, he’d pitch a fit for sure
if he knew we’d spent $10,000 on our funerals when we ain’t even dead
yet!”
— Connie Meyer CONNIE MEYER can be reached at cmeyer@iamtodayswoman.com.
Journal Tip: Unless terminal illness forces you to think about your own funeral, not
many people go ahead and make such unpleasant plans. It is easier to put it off and
rely on those left behind. My parents made funeral arrangements because they were
forced to do so when Daddy went to the nursing home. After they died so close
together, I realized what a gift it was to me.
I pick up Mother to visit Daddy at the nursing home, and we find him acting almost as
strangely as he did yesterday. He talks about things that don,t make a lot of sense, but
if you try to ask him about something, he simply agrees with you.I know that Daddy is
dealing with depression and a lot of anger, but I cannot begin to deal with either at the
moment.
Mother and I finally leave because we have to get back to her house. I’ve made an
appointment with a representative from the funeral home to pre-plan Mother and Daddy’
s funerals. One of the stipulations for getting Daddy a Medicaid bed required that they
do so. It’s not something I’m looking forward to, but I know it has to be done.
When we get home, the woman is very nice. She comes prepared with a book of
different caskets from which to choose. I can’t help wondering how difficult this must be
for Mother as ill as she is, but acting typically, she never lets on. She uses her humor
to shield what she’s really feeling.
“Don’t this beat all, hon, a catalog of caskets? That’s one thing I don’t ever remember
seeing in the ‘ol Sears Roebuck book.” Not surprisingly, she chooses something very
conservative in price, and does so quickly. She decides on a blue casket saying it
matches her eyes.
“Not that anybody’s gonna notice,” she teases. After the woman leaves Mother says,
“Let’s not mention this to Daddy ‘til he’s feeling lots better. Why, he’d pitch a fit for sure
if he knew we’d spent $10,000 on our funerals when we ain’t even dead
yet!”
— Connie Meyer CONNIE MEYER can be reached at cmeyer@iamtodayswoman.com.