Just sleeping
Today was my second day at work and I was a lot better at answering the phones and transfering calls. The first half of the morning was very slow with only a few calls from employee family members checking to see who is working today. At around Noon an infant was delivered by the embalming service, though it had not been embalmed after being autopsied. Every child under the age of six must have an autopsy performed to rule out the chance of abuse or poisoning. I am used to preparing infants because my school receives so many such cases, but this one was very different. This child was full term and a healthy size, a victom of SIDS most likely. The autopsy abdominal incision had been loosely stitched closed but there was an open cranial incision which left the cranium in view as well as incisions along the long axis of each extremity. While an autopsy and embalming are both considered mutilation by law, the purpose is often misinterpreted. An autopsy is very useful to determine if indeed foul play was involved, or post-mortem examinations are needed for insurance claims, but most importantly an autopsy report provides closure for those individuals left to ask “Why?” The guilt a family member may have can be easily alleviated if they know that the child was terminally ill from the very beginning. This infant is soon going to be cremated as the family had arranged, but they did want to make sure the child was clothed and properly swaddled at the funeral home. We attained the tiny hand and foot prints of the child, which took roughly an hour, and even placed some prints on two beautiful framed sheets of glass for the family. The whole process was difficult and may have to be redone tomorrow. We were able to dress, swaddle and casket the baby. The baby was also different from those we prepare at school because it was still beautiful and pink. The eyes were slightly open and though there were no twinkle of moisture beneath the lids,it seemed as if the child were simply dreaming. Although this tiny body was so fragile and even more delicate to touch from the remaining open autopsy incisions, her lips were still puckered as if she yearned to suckle her thoroughly inked thumb. As we placed her gently into the casket I was reminded of how this tiny baby was a blessing to its family. With her arrival her family probably made tremendous lifestyle changes. I only hope the family understands that the effort they might have put into making sure this child would have a good, loving, and nurturing home has not gone to waste. A child can really make one stop and remember that the most important thing in life is not remembering to pick up the dry-cleaning or needing that larger television to watch the game. A child is a blessing because of the positive changes that occur to be able to nurture that new life.
