I wrote
this question about my Aunt. As it turned out, I just wrote back a very polite reply -- "thank you for your good wishes" ...I was polite. I felt good about this. Thank you for all the helpful answers.
My Aunt wrote me again -- long story inside. Thank you for taking the time to read it.
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posted by Lescha
on Mar 26, 2013 -
26 answers
Can signing an 'Authorization For Cremation' form somehow make me responsible for my deceased father's debt?
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posted by KevinSkomsvold
on Mar 25, 2013 -
15 answers
For the last 6 or 7 days, I've been fixated on death, and not in a suicidal context. How do people normally handle constant thoughts about their mortality, and how can I stop this from crippling my ability to "live?"
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posted by Ashen
on Mar 19, 2013 -
45 answers
My friend died last week. We had been living in different countries for the past few months; we were still in contact up until a few weeks ago. His death was sudden and unexpected. He was far too young to die. I can't go to any of the memorials (he was one of those people who knew like, thousands of people, so people seemingly everywhere on earth are doing stuff) and I won't be going to the funeral. I didn't know his family and even though we were roommates, we had very few friends in common.
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posted by Enchanting Grasshopper
on Feb 27, 2013 -
18 answers
I love my dog. Every once in a while, I feel utterly heartbroken that I will most likely outlive him. While it doesn't happen often and it's not overwhelming, and I realize that it is perfectly natural to be sad about something like that, can you give me advice about how to turn these thoughts into something positive?
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posted by halogen
on Jan 7, 2013 -
42 answers
If you keep a diary or other secret papers, do you have a plan for what happens to it if something happens to you?
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posted by dawkins_7
on Jan 5, 2013 -
25 answers
What do I do when a person is eligible for COBRA insurance but has passed away before getting papers and signing up?
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posted by meowzilla
on Dec 8, 2012 -
4 answers
My husband is losing his father in a few weeks. He is currently spending some time with him at a hospice and is away from home to deal with chaotic family issues surrounding this. When he returns, I imagine he will need time to decompress and I want to make that easy. Please give me suggestions on how I can make that easier for him or what you've appreciated in a similar situation.
posted by dean winchester
on Dec 3, 2012 -
10 answers
My ex-boyfriend's dad just passed away. What, if anything, should I do?
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posted by csox
on Nov 16, 2012 -
24 answers
My mother is going to die, probably very soon. How do I deal with waiting for it to happen?
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posted by heurtebise
on Aug 27, 2012 -
28 answers
My father's parents just passed away, two weeks apart exactly. How do I support my dad through this time?
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posted by dil.emma
on Aug 22, 2012 -
8 answers
My 90 year old grandmother is barely conscious, rarely eating, and is losing her mental faculties. I visit her every lunchtime to try and get her to eat. My mother (her daughter) takes the evening shift for dinnertime. I'm not coping well. Any suggestions to help me make this easier, so I'm not sobbing my heart out every day?
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posted by malibustacey9999
on Aug 14, 2012 -
41 answers
My husband has a few more months before cancer takes his energy, and then his life. We have a 17 month old son. My husband plans to write some letters to our son, but beyond that, I am not sure what to do to help my son know his father. Any ideas?
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posted by Mozzie
on Aug 13, 2012 -
62 answers
My estranged father passed away last Sunday. I've decided to attend the funeral. Please help me conduct myself with something resembling grace. Overly complex snowflakey stuff inside.
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posted by Ephelump Jockey
on Jul 31, 2012 -
23 answers
I googled someone I've been dating for almost 3 weeks and discovered that they had a sibling die in a work related accident just over a year ago. Now I feel I have deeply personal and traumatic information about them without it having been given freely and not sure what to do with it.
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posted by Dynex
on Jul 13, 2012 -
31 answers
My husband died recently. We were together for decades and have school-age children. His passing involved severe trauma, and we have social support and frequent therapy appointments to get us through the turmoil. Emotionally, we're holding up.
My question is about getting our affairs in order.
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posted by Fichereader
on Jun 16, 2012 -
29 answers
Knowledge-based hope is much needed.
Since my first plea -- which helped a lot, really, this month of May has been sorrowful for Maria João and for me. A metastatic brain tumor (around 3 cms) was detected and removed. Gamma-knife surgery is next.
Tomorrow starts the search for other cancerous tumors in her body. We both feel, against all odds, that we will be lucky.
But what should we do? What should we hope for? Statistics are againsts us but we love each other truly.
Two months ago we found a beautiful house to move into. We could move in come July, after all the tests are made.
What should we do? What should our attitude be? Should we move or stay put? Should we change country? Should we prepare to die? Or live as much as we still can?
Desperate questions need realistic answers. We're fighting for our lives here. Please tell us, knowingly, how to behave.
For what it's worth - usually nothing - I think this time we'll be lucky enough to survive. Whatever happens.
posted by MiguelCardoso
on May 15, 2012 -
25 answers
News coverage of the Arab Spring routinely has reports (with audio-gunshots) of state actors shooting at crowds of demonstrators. Often it seems like very few people are injured/killed. Is this confirmation bias on my part, are there mass casualties, or are the folks "shooting" at the crowd (ie not at the actual people) ?
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posted by k5.user
on Apr 16, 2012 -
6 answers
An acquaintance from high school recently died at the age of 22. His family decided to keep the cause of death private. Help me out here -- why would they choose to do that?
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posted by victory_laser
on Feb 20, 2012 -
64 answers
Post mortem toxicology tests - why does it take so long for results to be delivered?
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posted by lampshade
on Feb 13, 2012 -
9 answers
Help me find the name of that brief interactive “game” where the narrator (speaking aloud, British I think) describes the actions of the player, marching us toward our inevitable demise… until we decide to disobey his narrative.
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posted by scamper
on Feb 11, 2012 -
5 answers
My father passed away recently. We were estranged and I feel really strange about how his family handled his passing. I'm looking for advice about contacting them, or just leaving things be. Help!
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posted by carmenghia
on Jan 24, 2012 -
25 answers
In a small city in Illinois, last night we saw a hearse in the driveway of a neighbor down the block. No other cars, police, or activity were in evidence. We know this person is elderly, but we don't actually know her. Because I've seen a cab come to her house, I believe she doesn't drive, and I have seen a second, somewhat less elderly person come by and do yard work for her occasionally. This second person's car wasn't there last night either. We don't actually see our neighbor very often, especially in winter, so if she's still there, we might not see her in passing for a while.
I was under the impression that if someone had died at their home, an ambulance would transport them; I don't think I've ever seen a hearse at a private home before. Was this the end for my neighbor, or did her hypothetical niece the hypothetical mortician pop in for supper in a company car or something? Anyone have any knowledge about hearse customs?
posted by Occula
on Dec 27, 2011 -
13 answers
Which of the Babar books deal with death? This question stems from a childhood anecdote that goes a little something like this . . .
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posted by jason's_planet
on Sep 27, 2011 -
7 answers
How can I comfort the loved ones of a dying person I don't like? And the dying person themselves? Snowflake details inside.
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posted by katyggls
on Aug 19, 2011 -
26 answers
URGENT!!! If two people have their name on a bank account and one of them dies, is it acceptable for the other person to continue writing cheques from that account?
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posted by wutangclan
on Aug 6, 2011 -
24 answers
Does anyone know of a book or article that might be of help to a child and his family (he will soon be 12) whose mother died at childbirth. He is the nephew of a dear friend, the boy really values family and as he is maturing, realizes more and more, that each birthday also marks the anniversary date of his mothers' death. He is was adopted by a paternal aunt and is being raised in a loving family. If anyone has suggestions on how best to support the boy and his family, it is much appreciated. If anyone has first hand experience with this, your knowledge would be much appreciated. The issue is clearly much bigger than his birthday, but is there any way to help him emotionally to deal with this reality as he matures.
posted by jennstra
on Jul 23, 2011 -
10 answers
I'm looking for a NJ birth/death record for a baby who only lived a short time during the 50's.
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posted by runnergirl
on Jun 9, 2011 -
5 answers
Help me find this relatively recent German film about an old man who tricks his way out of a contract with Death.
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posted by small_ruminant
on May 19, 2011 -
3 answers
Could you help my friend find a poem to comfort the family of a friend who has just died?
The young man had gone through some bumps in his life and was just starting to turn it around, and then, tragically, he died an accidental death.
She’s looking for something fairly short (under 10 lines), modern, nothing too literary, and something that celebrates the immortality of family love.
I’ve looked on previous Ask MeFi posts, but most of the poems I see there are unsuitable for various reasons. She doesn’t want anything tailored to a funeral; she would like to send this poem directly to the family for them to reread in the coming months (perhaps put on a fridge to turn to for comfort).
posted by Amy NM
on Mar 24, 2011 -
19 answers
First time dog owner here: How do I deal with the fact that my dog will die (eventually)?
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posted by Gucky
on Mar 22, 2011 -
24 answers
Calling all Roman Catholics, Nuns, and Priests! Help me incorporate the Rosary into a Funeral Service for my best friend! (kinda long)
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posted by Tchad
on Mar 16, 2011 -
14 answers
Coworker's relative passed away. Our small office would like to start a collection for coworker. What are the rules here? What's appropriate as far as amounts? Any suggestions?
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posted by ttyn
on Mar 8, 2011 -
20 answers
My friend's mom died - I want to have pre-made meals delivered to his house TODAY. How?
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posted by jander03
on Jan 13, 2011 -
10 answers
My friend's dad just passed away. How can I help him? What can I do?
I live couple thousand miles away from where he is. Can you give me some suggestions?
Is it bad if I start compiling list of government agencies or funeral homes for them to call? What else I can do?
posted by Carius
on Jan 2, 2011 -
16 answers
Dad is on life support. He has no advance directive/living will. How do we make end-of-life decisions when none of us are capable of thinking clearly?
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posted by kella
on Dec 24, 2010 -
23 answers
How fast would a water balloon have to be going to kill you? Assume it hits you in the head or chest.
posted by lore
on Dec 13, 2010 -
25 answers
While reading about how people tend to care less about deaths that do not directly impact them, I came across a quote that I'm hoping someone here would recognize. I can only remember the basic idea of the quote. It is presented to a European audience, I think sometimes in the last century or two, but not in our recent era, as follows: If all of China were swallowed up whole, Europeans would go on with life without much change.
This is all I can remember.
posted by mulligan
on Nov 6, 2010 -
8 answers
