AT the FACE, of D-E-A-T-H!!! Decisions to donate one’s own body to the medical schools, translated…
I’d progressed from the third stage of lung adenocarcinoma to the fourth stage, the cancer cells went from my right lung into the left, then, to my left kidney then, “progressed” into my brain, and now, I’d had two surgeries on my brains, and as the night draws in, the scent from that memory soup came towards me, made my mouth watered.
Back in 2001, the writer, Yo-Fang Tsao hosted a wake in his own name, this idea appealed to me, but for me, who’d always been lowkey, it’d become, hard for me, to go through with it.
I’d gone through the process of having my body donated to research after I die, and my body will get donated to my alma mater, Fujen Catholic University, and so, ever since I’d decided to donate my body, I’d received the invitations from the university to offer their gratitude to those who’d be willing to donate their bodies to the medical schools.
I’d accepted the invitations graciously, and invited my friends, families, and loved ones to go too. Letting them know, that other than the traditional style wakes, there are, alternative options too, that can prove to be, even more meaningful.
the cadever instructors, what they’re called here in Taiwan…photo from online…
the medical school students, offering their respects to the cadevers…photo from online…
The wake for the donated bodies were hosted by the father with the president of the school leading the processions, the assistant to the processions was the dean of the medical school. I’d been led, three times by my wife, to three rehearsals of my own wakes now.
The cadavers, also known as the “silent instructors”, actually, so long as you’d prepared, you can also share your final thoughts via recording: students, thank you all, for helping the teachers to pass the love on.
There were videos of wakes online, with the individual and their families and friends hugging and crying, some had said many jokes, making everybody who was in attendance laugh.
My wake, because I wasn’t the key person yet4, I can only shake hands with those who knew me at the afterwards concessions to show them gratitude for caring so much about me.
the writer at his own wake, photo from UDN.com…
And because the cadavers needed to be frozen over a year, then, enter into the operating room to become “teachers”, at the end of the semester, the cadavers will get sewn back up by the students, then, “class would be out”, and so, my “wake” will happen three years from now.
After going to the rehearsals of my own wake three years consecutively, I’d taken photos, then, LINED the photos to my friends and families, so everybody can be prepared, so they can, see me off “happily off to sea” later.
You are more than welcome, to come to my funeral three years from now, although you won’t see me there, but, my soul will be there, to say thanks to you all, for coming to pay your final respects to me.
And so, this, is probably, one of the most meaningful decision that someone can make, toward the end of one’s own life, giving back in this way to the world, allowing the medical students who are training to become surgeons to operate on your body, and, this is a very important milestone, to finally accepting one’s own death, coming to terms with it, knowing that you will still be making a difference, contributing to the world after you’re already, dead and gone, that, is a life, lived fully!
Life, the Obstacle Course 