Long day!
I know we technically lost an hour today but I really do feel like today has dragged on.
Went to Target with the intention of spending no more than $50 and ended up spending nearly twice that.
Worked the FH. Though it was two viewings it wasn't busy at all. When this family came in they were disappointed the obituary wasn't available on our website when it should have been. I felt bad b/c what if people wanted to come but had no info? Well, they could have called but still. Then the guy had Masons come in. I don't know anything about these groups. I'm sure it is just a bunch of men looking for excuses to leave the wives at home to get together and drink and look at porn or something, who knows. Anyhow, they were setting up and doing what ever it is they do for their own little service and I noticed they were grouped talking in hushed tones and stuff. After a little while, they came up to me and said that the guy did not have his apron on and they had specifically given it to D to put it on him. Of course I know nothing about this, I'm the evening receptionist and I do not have anything to do with dressing up the bodies or anything of the sort. So I called D to let him know. D said it is on him. I told the guys it is on him. They said they looked and it wasn't. D said it was, it was under his coat where it is supposed to be. I repeated that to the men, and they said it isn't and it's not supposed to go under the coat. I know it's not my fault or my place but being the only employee I'm feeling the heat of their concern. So I called D back and told him again and what should I do, can I look myself or what. I have no idea if I'm allowed to touch the deceased because they have always told us not to touch them (like we'd have a reason to.) Anyhow, the guys came up to me while I had D on the phone and handed me another apron and was like, please put this on and I told D they wanted another and if he could come and...oh nevermind I'll do it myself. So I took the apron and went into the viewing room.
So I peaked in the guy's coat and couldn't see an apron on. Then I went to lift up the bottom of his coat and didn't see anything. I have no idea where or how this apron is on, I have never seen such a thing before either. So I told them I guess it isn't on. Okay, I have no problems touching a dead person, I mean I have, but those times they had just died and were still warm so handling them was no big deal. I have never touched an embalmed person before and here I am thinking the best way to put this apron on. I guess it would have looked stupid to drape it over his hands, so I was thinking, "damn I am going to have to lift his hands." I had no idea how stiff he'd be, and to be honest I had a comical vision of lifting his arms and them breaking off or a finger breaking in my hands or something and my going, "oops-heh." The thing that made it the most awkward for me was the fact that I had the Masons and the family and friends in the room standing there watching. I was thinking how I would frickin' die myself if the casket tipped over by accident or I messed something up or I did something that would be considered disrespectful. lol I was thinking okay, the first time I have to handle the deceased I wasn't anticipating it to be in front of an audience. Afterwards I was thinking I guess I could have asked them to leave the room. I know the director's have done that before with last minute jewelry or hair fixing so now I understand why they do that...just wish I had thought of that, but no big deal. He had his apron on and all was happy. It really wasn't a big deal, I guess I was more worried about having to do it with an audience. I mean, this is their family member, I had to be super careful.
Later before the family left for the night they said they did peak again and did see the apron. I was surprised because I know I looked and didn't see it either. so after they left I went to look myself and sure enough, there it was. It was hard to see, and I think I may have lifted the apron when I lifted his coat and that's why I didn't see it the first time. Ahh well...
Justin has a fever tonight. I am going to have to stay home tomorrow. I did tell my coworker L that I will stop by the FH tomorrow to let her see Sofie and she sounded really excited. She has a doggie, too, so I guess it's the dog lover in her. :-)
Went to Target with the intention of spending no more than $50 and ended up spending nearly twice that.
Worked the FH. Though it was two viewings it wasn't busy at all. When this family came in they were disappointed the obituary wasn't available on our website when it should have been. I felt bad b/c what if people wanted to come but had no info? Well, they could have called but still. Then the guy had Masons come in. I don't know anything about these groups. I'm sure it is just a bunch of men looking for excuses to leave the wives at home to get together and drink and look at porn or something, who knows. Anyhow, they were setting up and doing what ever it is they do for their own little service and I noticed they were grouped talking in hushed tones and stuff. After a little while, they came up to me and said that the guy did not have his apron on and they had specifically given it to D to put it on him. Of course I know nothing about this, I'm the evening receptionist and I do not have anything to do with dressing up the bodies or anything of the sort. So I called D to let him know. D said it is on him. I told the guys it is on him. They said they looked and it wasn't. D said it was, it was under his coat where it is supposed to be. I repeated that to the men, and they said it isn't and it's not supposed to go under the coat. I know it's not my fault or my place but being the only employee I'm feeling the heat of their concern. So I called D back and told him again and what should I do, can I look myself or what. I have no idea if I'm allowed to touch the deceased because they have always told us not to touch them (like we'd have a reason to.) Anyhow, the guys came up to me while I had D on the phone and handed me another apron and was like, please put this on and I told D they wanted another and if he could come and...oh nevermind I'll do it myself. So I took the apron and went into the viewing room.
So I peaked in the guy's coat and couldn't see an apron on. Then I went to lift up the bottom of his coat and didn't see anything. I have no idea where or how this apron is on, I have never seen such a thing before either. So I told them I guess it isn't on. Okay, I have no problems touching a dead person, I mean I have, but those times they had just died and were still warm so handling them was no big deal. I have never touched an embalmed person before and here I am thinking the best way to put this apron on. I guess it would have looked stupid to drape it over his hands, so I was thinking, "damn I am going to have to lift his hands." I had no idea how stiff he'd be, and to be honest I had a comical vision of lifting his arms and them breaking off or a finger breaking in my hands or something and my going, "oops-heh." The thing that made it the most awkward for me was the fact that I had the Masons and the family and friends in the room standing there watching. I was thinking how I would frickin' die myself if the casket tipped over by accident or I messed something up or I did something that would be considered disrespectful. lol I was thinking okay, the first time I have to handle the deceased I wasn't anticipating it to be in front of an audience. Afterwards I was thinking I guess I could have asked them to leave the room. I know the director's have done that before with last minute jewelry or hair fixing so now I understand why they do that...just wish I had thought of that, but no big deal. He had his apron on and all was happy. It really wasn't a big deal, I guess I was more worried about having to do it with an audience. I mean, this is their family member, I had to be super careful.
Later before the family left for the night they said they did peak again and did see the apron. I was surprised because I know I looked and didn't see it either. so after they left I went to look myself and sure enough, there it was. It was hard to see, and I think I may have lifted the apron when I lifted his coat and that's why I didn't see it the first time. Ahh well...
Justin has a fever tonight. I am going to have to stay home tomorrow. I did tell my coworker L that I will stop by the FH tomorrow to let her see Sofie and she sounded really excited. She has a doggie, too, so I guess it's the dog lover in her. :-)