Did you know that an average of 60 people die of (fairly) natural causes on airplanes every year?
There was a lady, whose husband had a massive heart attack aboard an airplane. They were on a trans-atlantic flight, an 11 hour flight when he died.
The flight crew covered him in a blanket, and moved his wife, and his body up to first class...strapped him in a seat, and her next to him, holding his hand, and sobbing for the remainder of the flight.
Sam and I discussed this to some length.
I like to think I am compassionate. But honestly, and to my own horror, I guess I am the heartless one. I would need some serious therapy after being forced to sit next to a stiff for that long. For any amount of time, really. I mean, good gravy, did that poor lady check to see "if he was cold yet..." ((shudder)) As much as I love Sam.....I couldn't do that. Don't people lose control of bodily functions when they pass away? Can you imagine being in first class that trip?
"Could you do that?" I asked Sam.
"Do what?"
"Sit next to my dead body for an entire flight."
"Yeah, it wouldn't matter to me. I would just be doing the crossword puzzle."
Classic Sam.
2 comments:
Youd be surprised the compassion that comes out of you at that time. And the things you dont realize until later!
At work, I still am a little bit hesitant to handle a dead body. I force myself to it because I feel bad for feeling scared (they arent going to hurt me...lol).
After Wade died, I curled right up next to his body (he died on my side of the bed) and laid there for awhile snuggling with him. Never gave it a thought until afterwards that I had just been cuddling and kissing a dead person.
Now, a stranger dies next to me on an airplane?!? Sorry buddy, the only way Im sitting next to you is if you get ME an upgrade to first class!!! LOL
My uncle died in bed next to his wife, and my mom and I were discussing how beautiful that was, until we thought about being my aunt and waking up.
Anyway, I suspect you'd be fine, but my prayer is that you never have to know.
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