Tuesday would be more normal, for a funeral home, or so I thought as I stepped from the shower before the sun peaked over the horizon. 

 Then the telephone rang.

The voice on the phone informed me that they were calling from an anatomical donation company located outside of our state.  As the person explained that  they needed our help transporting a deceased person from a health care facility in our community to their facility six states away, my mind began sorting through a whole bunch of new challenges we hadn't faced before.    My first questions concerned who the company was, and their policies on treatment of the deceased.  Then I turned my attention to the procedures involved in transporting a deceased human body using some form of refrigeration.  My next concerns were for the family and their needs in facing the death of this person. 

After we finished the initial telephone call, I turned to the computer to educate myself on the company itself.  Anything I haven't heard of before raises questions and a bit of suspicion, especially in the early morning hours before breakfast.

As I walked across the street following a blueberry bagel and orange juice I started singling out other experts in funeral service to call for further information and guidance on this new challenge. My first call was to the facility to let them know I would be taking care of the deceased, however I had a few pieces of information I needed to secure first so I knew how to proceed in the best manner.  They informed me that the family members lived out of state, another hurdle. That meant that any legal releases or permissions that may be required would need to be explained over the phone and secured by fax. Not impossible, but not the best format to use when dealing with the emotions of a loss.

The next buttons I pushed called  the Michigan Funeral Directors Association offices and then to their list of recommended firms who  have dealt with similar requests in their areas.

Jeepers, it wasn't even 8:30 and my ears were numb from the telephone.