Life is short, eat dessert first..
My work is crazy at best, I know I keep saying that, but it is true. Last weekend after celebrating DH's birthday with the family that is left, I received a call that a resident had passed away. It is always considered "suspicious" unless the resident is on hospice and this was one of those cases. So I stopped cleaning up from the party, turned the mixer that was churning butter off and put away the food that was still out and headed into work. Whenever I leave I am asked when do I think I'll be back, usually I never know exactly. It all depends on the police, the coroner and the funeral home, if one has even been chosen. Most of all it depends on the family.
As I pulled into the circle drive out front I saw a man rushing to get in. The sliding doors were still open but the inside doors had already been locked. He probably thought I was crazy running at him with a hooded sweatshirt and a mess of keys in one hand. But he couldn't get the door open to get away from me so it was probably a relief to him when I was able to open the side door and let him in. I inquired if he was with "the" family and he nodded yes and hurried to the elevator. I went to my office and got the details, a face sheet, and a set of keys to get into the room.
The local police were already there and I was relieved to hear laughter coming out of the room instead of sobbing. You just never know with family what you will walk into. To me the saddest cases are when the family can't or won't come. Seen plenty of those and will probably see many more as time goes by. This was a good ending for a very quiet soul. She acknowledged those around her but never talked just to talk or spoke an unkind word to anyone. It was a shock to have her go so quick but probably best. The coroner arrived quickly and my night QMap wanted to know what procedures were so I briefed him, then checked with the police to see if they needed anything and gave the QMap the keys to the front door and explained what all he had to do. It was nice to leave the removal to someone else. The only thing forgotten was to have someone sign for the remains.
Doesn't sound like a big deal...right? Until you can't locate the body and everyone has left and no one can recall who picked it up! Then corporate, who by the way never met the poor soul, raises cain that we can't account for the body! The family isn't complaining for Pete's sake why should corporate? It's not here and to me that is what is important, or one would think. Okay I know it is important not to misplace the remains, but we didn't. We just didn't know where they were.
Here it is 7 days later and again I get the call. They say they happen in 3's and of course everyone wonders who is next. I'll tell you this if the signature isn't there, I know who is next :)
As I pulled into the circle drive out front I saw a man rushing to get in. The sliding doors were still open but the inside doors had already been locked. He probably thought I was crazy running at him with a hooded sweatshirt and a mess of keys in one hand. But he couldn't get the door open to get away from me so it was probably a relief to him when I was able to open the side door and let him in. I inquired if he was with "the" family and he nodded yes and hurried to the elevator. I went to my office and got the details, a face sheet, and a set of keys to get into the room.
The local police were already there and I was relieved to hear laughter coming out of the room instead of sobbing. You just never know with family what you will walk into. To me the saddest cases are when the family can't or won't come. Seen plenty of those and will probably see many more as time goes by. This was a good ending for a very quiet soul. She acknowledged those around her but never talked just to talk or spoke an unkind word to anyone. It was a shock to have her go so quick but probably best. The coroner arrived quickly and my night QMap wanted to know what procedures were so I briefed him, then checked with the police to see if they needed anything and gave the QMap the keys to the front door and explained what all he had to do. It was nice to leave the removal to someone else. The only thing forgotten was to have someone sign for the remains.
Doesn't sound like a big deal...right? Until you can't locate the body and everyone has left and no one can recall who picked it up! Then corporate, who by the way never met the poor soul, raises cain that we can't account for the body! The family isn't complaining for Pete's sake why should corporate? It's not here and to me that is what is important, or one would think. Okay I know it is important not to misplace the remains, but we didn't. We just didn't know where they were.
Here it is 7 days later and again I get the call. They say they happen in 3's and of course everyone wonders who is next. I'll tell you this if the signature isn't there, I know who is next :)
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