What to do with those you love (after they are dead)…
I found this article by Norma Love at the AP on the web today concerning a new alternative of dealing with bodies of our loved ones. The following description was offered up in the article:
“The process is called alkaline hydrolysis and was developed in this country 16 years ago to get rid of animal carcasses. It uses lye, 300-degree heat and 60 pounds of pressure per square inch to destroy bodies in big stainless-steel cylinders that are similar to pressure cookers.”
They are claming this revolutionary technology, developed 16 years ago used on animals, is a game changer for the industry.
Since Gail and I are relatively young, we have not talked very much about what we done with our bodies after we die, but this certainly has peaked my interest in the subject and I will tell you why.
The alternatives have always been either bury or burn. I hate getting burned and I think that option doesn’t work for me just because of my hatred for the feeling of getting burned. Will I feel it when I die, I don’t think so, but why take the chance? Then, what do J.D. and Gail (I am certain she will outlive me) do with the ashes. I mean, I thought it silly to have ashes buried, put out sea, or placed in some remote place on the Earth, “because he always loved that…” How messed up is that thinking? Nope, that option stinks.
The other option is to bury me. Not much better than the first option. What if I wake up and find out that I am 6 feet under. I know that there is a very remote chance of that happening, that’s why they call it death, but still, what if? How horrible the thought. Who would hear me and I simply don’t have the time to learn the amazing put my fingers through wood trick that Uma Thurman’s character “The Bride” was forced to learn in Kill Bill. So, if I am buried and not quite dead yet, I would be very upset.
Finally, and this is not really an option (at least for me), dedicate my body to science. What the heck does that mean? In my mind, there would be a bunch of punks looking over my torn apart liver from all the beer I drink at my favorite watering holes. Not to mention the years of sipping cocktails with friends on the weekends. Those same punks might then decide to use me in some weird experiment to see what happens to the human body when put under severe duress or something like that. Ouch…again, what if I can actually feel that on the other side…not a good thing.
This new alternative means that I have face the music with the whole burn thing, but they know for certain that I am gone and there is no coming back. The best of all it is “green” for the environment. No worm food jokes or sprinkling the Bush-man over Lake Michigan while everyone toasts…”remember when” or “he always liked the Chicago skyline and now he will get to see it forever.” Just fry me up, turn me into some powder that can simply go down the drain and move on. I am liking this alternative already…