Aging Expats, All Final Arrangements Made?

[cm-happy]

This maybe a morbid thread. But just wondering if others have made all their final arrangements when the inevitable happens.

final will

box selected & paid for

chedi selected & paid for

chedi site selected & paid for

tried to advance pay local wat for cremation services, but they would not let me.

Better to do it while you can rather than having loved ones running around trying to take care of all these details.

But then that is just me. want EVERYTHING tied up in a neat bundle.

[altman]

This maybe a morbid thread. But just wondering if others have made all their final arrangements when the inevitable happens.

final will

box selected & paid for

chedi selected & paid for

chedi site selected & paid for

tried to advance pay local wat for cremation services, but they would not let me.

Better to do it while you can rather than having loved ones running around trying to take care of all these details.

But then that is just me. want EVERYTHING tied up in a neat bundle.

i'll wire what i have left into her bank account.

cremation shouldn't require a box. (but maybe i should check on this?)

a chedi? scattering is good enough for me

letting her know which wat has been done, but i don't think she believes me

still good advice for all

to make the inevitable a little more controllable, euthanasiaclinic.com

[kennkate]

Good post CM. I was thinking along the same lines myself.

Am in the UK with my GF at the moment but not Married YET

When we were in Thialand I spoke to her about what she would do with me if I was to die.

A few weeks before we had been to her Aunts Creamation.

It was one of them open air things, with fireworks, and chanting Monks. No fancy cars, we just pulled the PASSAT along the road must have been 60 or 70 people on the rope.

I thought that was the way to go everone involved. So I told her that would be fine for me.

Her reply was (that was just for people who dont have a lot of money i will have a proper one for you) I said that a log burning open one same as Aunts would be Ok I dont know what a proper one is in Thialand. I take it its at a cremator? save the planet from global warming Less carbon emisions ect ect

[jackr]

Good post CM. I was thinking along the same lines myself.

Am in the UK with my GF at the moment but not Married YET

When we were in Thialand I spoke to her about what she would do with me if I was to die.

A few weeks before we had been to her Aunts Creamation.

It was one of them open air things, with fireworks, and chanting Monks. No fancy cars, we just pulled the PASSAT along the road must have been 60 or 70 people on the rope.

I thought that was the way to go everone involved. So I told her that would be fine for me.

Her reply was (that was just for people who dont have a lot of money i will have a proper one for you) I said that a log burning open one same as Aunts would be Ok I dont know what a proper one is in Thialand. I take it its at a cremator? save the planet from global warming Less carbon emisions ect ect

Gas?

[cm-happy]

Have been to more Thai funerals and cremations than I care to remember. Everytime I go to B/F home village someone dies and I wind up pulling the rope along with the rest of the village walking to the local wat. It's gotten so bad I don't want to visit home village anymore. B/F asks why so I tell him every time we go some one dies.

Anyway most modern crematoriums in wats are gas fired and have scubbers to reduce fly ash. The older ones are wood fired and need constant attention. In either case thy're effective.

[Fred Sanford]

I'm looking to buy a modest priced urn, like the one for Donny in Big Lebowski

[mr_hippo]

Not ever thouight about it, I'm going to be immoral.

[cm-happy]

I'm looking to buy a modest priced urn, like the one for Donny in Big Lebowski

Just make sure every one is up wind when the ashes are spilled, unlike what happened to Donny in the Big L. Really humorous movie though. still get a laugh thinking about it.

[PeaceBlondie]

About a year ago, I sent a rather disturbing email to family and friends, entitled "If I Should Die Before You Wake." Perhaps I should update it and rename it, "I Didn't Die Before You Woke," or "Should I Have a Wake Before You Wake?"

Yes, even the folks under 30 should prepare a funeral. My first Thai funeral was for a 16 year old.

[Crossy]

Not ever thouight about it, I'm going to be immoral.

Me too!!

[soundman]

Not ever thouight about it, I'm going to be immoral.

Me too!!

[ignoramus]

GOING to be Mr H? Sure you know how? Not a typo I suspect.

Terrific post cm-h. Thanks.

Altman, thanks for that website. I have an old copy of Final Exit, but happen to know that Dr Philip Nitschke has since updated it, and provides details for making the appropriate 'kit'. Just before our (now ex-PM) closed the door on internet discussion etc of euthanasia I lodged my card details via the net, but the bastard must have closed the door before the publicised deadline, as I didn't get a response. However your site provides the solution it would seem.

Cuba? Wow, this would just have to be the most exotic location for a TV member.

Some Aussie advance-planners for the f exit apparently travel to Mexico in order to expedite matters, though exactly how I'm not sure.

(My interest in the subject stems mainly but not only from the fact that my mother 'did it' using a plastic bag, god bless her brave heart. Her second try was 'successful').

[tominchaam]

No way will I prepare anything for my own funeral. That is up to those still alive as I am dead and can’t even take part in the party as a human being.

I hope however it will be a good and happy party which reflects my good and indeed happy life. The only wish I have is the “guests” do not have to listen to a lot of rubbish about me being such a good person – especially from those having another opinion.

Edited December 17, 2007 by tominchaam

[mogoso]

This maybe a morbid thread. But just wondering if others have made all their final arrangements when the inevitable happens.

final will

box selected & paid for

chedi selected & paid for

chedi site selected & paid for

tried to advance pay local wat for cremation services, but they would not let me.

Better to do it while you can rather than having loved ones running around trying to take care of all these details.

But then that is just me. want EVERYTHING tied up in a neat bundle.

On the CM forum I looked at a veterans sub forum where one of the items mentioned were the papers that needed to be filed at the time of your death, especially for your family. In my case the VA, social security, etc. While I'm hale and hearty and at this point give myself another 20-30 years, things change. I've decided to gather all forms that will necessary for my wife to file when that event does occur, fill them out, and leave only the date blank. My wife will only have to make copies of the death certificate and have a translation done of it and send the letters. This would make a stressful situation easier for her, and make the finacial aspect easier. Stocks and bank accounts are joint so they'll be no hassle there.

I can depart with one less worry on my mind.

[chicowoodduck]

Since I'll be the last to know when I'm headed for my final "dirt nap," I've got everything neatly typed out so that my next of kin can follow the bread crumbs to the vault. I'm hoping to have spent every last cent before that day comes into view! I've yet to see any luggage racks on a funeral hearse, so why not!

[teacup]

Well have you been watching the news or looking at the papers lately? Lots of people die, not knowing when they were going to and in many strange ways too. So I don’t think I can be prepared for that. None of us know when our last breath will come. It could be when I’m crossing a one way street and forgot to look both ways, or just simply drinking my ice cold favorite strawberry Fanta from a plastic bag while driving …….Or, if you live in California these days, merely just standing there and breath!

What has been bugging me is the question…..

Should it be possible to have sin every day and still go to heaven, shouldn’t it?

Or… Is it indeed that simple….Willful, sinful lifestyles are not accepted by Lord Buddha!

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

When I die I want to be cremated and my ashes dumped in the Pacific Ocean. That way I can join my brother,sister and mother floating around for eternity. They have a head start. I would hate to be buried and spend eternity in a dark damp hole, when I can travel the world.

[teacup]

"or just simply drinking my ice cold favorite strawberry Fanta from a plastic bag"

Mmmmmmmmmmm what a way to go!! Can I join you?

Which one daring?........To the eternity together or just a sip of Fanta?

[Nignoy]

Not ever thouight about it, I'm going to be immoral.

Me too!!

If you think thats funny, I had my 2nd wifes ashes put into an egg timer , at least the lazy bitch does something useful now, she never did when we were married, and the grandkids just love showning grandma,s dustto their friends nignoy

[ignoramus]

Wow BTDT, sounds like you have really been there and done that. I guess LOS is the right place to be, for you.

[viciouskitty74]

Wow BTDT, sounds like you have really been there and done that. I guess LOS is the right place to be, for you.

There is kinda dozens of funeral services companies roaming the streets. I understand there are charity organisations that is paying them folks for every body they grab off the streets and processing them.

What your living NOK can do, is to just drag you outdoors and these folks will fight over your body, bung it into a rectangle box, burn and dump your ashes in the trash.

And you are doing a good deed to ensure those thugs get paid to support their teenage girlfriends and booming tummies if any.

There was even news reports of such groups/gangs of body snatchers fighting in the news last time.

[Eric1949]

No way will I prepare anything for my own funeral. That is up to those still alive as I am dead and can't even take part in the party as a human being.

I hope however it will be a good and happy party which reflects my good and indeed happy life. The only wish I have is the "guests" do not have to listen to a lot of rubbish about me being such a good person – especially from those having another opinion.

Why don't you have the party whilst you're still alive?

[altman]

GOING to be Mr H? Sure you know how? Not a typo I suspect.

Terrific post cm-h. Thanks.

Altman, thanks for that website. I have an old copy of Final Exit, but happen to know that Dr Philip Nitschke has since updated it, and provides details for making the appropriate 'kit'. Just before our (now ex-PM) closed the door on internet discussion etc of euthanasia I lodged my card details via the net, but the bastard must have closed the door before the publicised deadline, as I didn't get a response. However your site provides the solution it would seem.

Cuba? Wow, this would just have to be the most exotic location for a TV member.

Some Aussie advance-planners for the f exit apparently travel to Mexico in order to expedite matters, though exactly how I'm not sure.

(My interest in the subject stems mainly but not only from the fact that my mother 'did it' using a plastic bag, god bless her brave heart. Her second try was 'successful').

i am mostly curious why it was her second try.

did she voluntarily express a willingness to end the process? or did, and i think this is absolutely impossible if done correctly, the process fail?

a 'kit' can be assembled from grocery cart items and a bit of phoning around. none of it is illegal. and together it assures a peaceful and painless death.

i would provide a web site for description, but i don't want to be seen as self promoting, so look back in prior posts on this topic for my reference.

and thanks for the heads up on my location.

[Bagwan]

I have typed up details of where all my dosh is and the account numbers and passwords to get hold of it. That saves a whole lot of BS from bank managers and their like. My external HDD is to be removed from my system and treated viciously with a sledge hammer. We have both made wills and the lawyer who drew them up said that he would not act as executor of my estate, neither would he accept power ofattorney. He said that he did not want temptation to be placed in his path and advised us not to engage any other lawyer to act instead.

I have made clear that I do not want a Buddhist funeral. I equate the monkhood with the BiB. The thought of sitting on a cloud for eternity chanting all day while waiting for the next lot of som tam to appear doesn't appeal to me. I prefer the option of taking harp lessons and a diet of ambrosia. I have asked that I be buried in a quiet corner of our farm so that herself can come and talk to me whenever she feels like it.

One thing that worries me is the prelidiction of Thai authorities for post mortems. A close friend of mine died recently from a heart attack. Nervertheless a PM was insisted upon and his poor wife presented with a bill for 30K baht. No prizes for guessing which Pattaya hospital was involved. My attitude is that if the Thai goivernment insist of PMs then they ought to pay for them. I recently asked my regular doctor to provide a death certificate if he is satisfied that I died of natural causes. He is thinking about it, he says.

[PeaceBlondie]

It is strange how folks suddenly die. I was sitting at Sizzler with some new friends when I got a phone call that a man I knew had died several days before. I thought about a guy I knew and hadn't seen in years, but he appeared in front of Sizzler a few weeks later. Three minutes later, another old mate showed up from Cambodia.

I need to tell my boyfriend not to give me a Buddhist funeral.

[watdog]

a nice proactive thread.

[mellow1]

Well have you been watching the news or looking at the papers lately? Lots of people die, not knowing when they were going to and in many strange ways too. So I don’t think I can be prepared for that. None of us know when our last breath will come. It could be when I’m crossing a one way street and forgot to look both ways, or just simply drinking my ice cold favorite strawberry Fanta from a plastic bag while driving …….Or, if you live in California these days, merely just standing there and breath!

What has been bugging me is the question…..

Should it be possible to have sin every day and still go to heaven, shouldn’t it?

Or… Is it indeed that simple….Willful, sinful lifestyles are not accepted by Lord Buddha!

There's a lot of room then, with the Lord Buddha.

[tracer5050]

If you cant take it with you I tell people I am not going all jokeing aside I have 2 plans if i can crawl to the plane i will try to Die in the US , any airport will do. eaiser to get my body back to the family there if they want me , up to them . Or if in thailand i have gave my wife instructions on having me took care of here the Thai way . But really I dont care much anyway i beleive when you are gone you are gone.

[Bagwan]

There was a case in the UK about 15 years ago where a couple had agreed on what should be done when one of them shuffled off. When the husband died in hospital she obtained a death certificate and arranged to collect the remains. The next step was to get the body home and bury it (him) in the back garden. She asked a friend to assist as she planned to transport the stiff on the roof rack of a Morris Minor Traveller. The friend was appalled and persuaded her to let him provide the wheels since he owned a Volvo Estate car. All quite legal it seems.

[Dustoff]

This maybe a morbid thread. But just wondering if others have made all their final arrangements when the inevitable happens.

final will

box selected & paid for

chedi selected & paid for

chedi site selected & paid for

tried to advance pay local wat for cremation services, but they would not let me.

Better to do it while you can rather than having loved ones running around trying to take care of all these details.

But then that is just me. want EVERYTHING tied up in a neat bundle.

On the CM forum I looked at a veterans sub forum where one of the items mentioned were the papers that needed to be filed at the time of your death, especially for your family. In my case the VA, social security, etc. While I'm hale and hearty and at this point give myself another 20-30 years, things change. I've decided to gather all forms that will necessary for my wife to file when that event does occur, fill them out, and leave only the date blank. My wife will only have to make copies of the death certificate and have a translation done of it and send the letters. This would make a stressful situation easier for her, and make the finacial aspect easier. Stocks and bank accounts are joint so they'll be no hassle there.

I can depart with one less worry on my mind.

When your wife delivers the Thai death cert to the American Consulate or Embassy, they will issue something like ten certificates in English that can be used for VA, SS, etc..

Ken, webmaster, CM VFW