DIY DYING FD 2361
Design It Yourself
Death Midwifery & Funeral Services
Where Death Care is Life Care
proudly serving all of Southern Ca
My Services
My Death Midwifery Services are as follows;
Initial Consultation, End of Life Documents Consultation, Getting to know you, Creating Sacred Space, Developing a Legacy, Vigil Planning, In-Home Vigil Support, Living Funeral and after death care.
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My After Death Funeral Services are as follows;
Home Funeral, Green Burial, Full Body Burial at Sea, Human Composting, Flame Cremation, Water Cremation and Memorial Services. you may choose any of the services that you feel suits your needs or together we can create a service that is right for you.
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My General Price lists are available upon request.
Initial Consultation
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Will discuss, define and create a plan individually, or as a family, that will “best” aide in moving forward with the “end of life” process. Will discuss hospice options that are available to you. We offer consultation and guidance you may need, dealing with “end-of-life” issues. Together we will come up with a manageable plan and timeline giving you greater peace of mind.
"End of Life" Documents Consultation
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Will discuss and define individually the “end of life” documents that are needed for your specific situation. Documents such as Advance Directives, POLST forms (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment), Death care Directives and other paperwork you may want to have in order. All of this will aid in avoiding any miscommunications and help loved ones uphold the dying person’s wishes having the proper paperwork in place.
Getting to Know You
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Three 2 hr sessions in a place of your choosing…your private home, care facility, coffee shop, etc. Giving the opportunity to spend time with a dying person while they still have energy to talk, will help build a trusting relationship. This relationship allows me to better serve the family as a whole, during the dying person’s active dying phase.
Creating Sacred Space
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Developing a Legacy
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Vigil Planning
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Discussing how they would like to arrange their “transition” space (with sights, sounds, smells, touch, etc.) and how they would either like to be engaged (or not engaged) by loved ones as they actively die. “Vigil Sitting” planning for whom to actively be engaging with the dying in their last moments. Having a set plan allows loved ones to rest, eat, and make final arrangements. Keeping open communications with health care professionals as to be able alert loved ones when final moments appear to be taking place.
In-Home Vigil Support
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Support with sitting vigil prior to, during, and after the “actively dying” stage. We will communicate as needed with family, doctors and other caretakers regarding weekly/daily/hourly progression of the dying. Helping with emotional and physical support were needed.
living funeral
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A living funeral, can also be called a pre-funeral, which is a funeral held for a living person. It is usually held for someone who knows that he or she does not have much time left to live. Whether the reason is that the person is terminally ill or is at an old age, the person knows death is near and could use it as closure, giving them a chance to celebrate their life for the last time together, ceremonies can be held at home or where the dying person is being cared for.
Officiant for Services
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Funeral Celebrant and Minister services would include organizing the service, including determining the order of the service elements. Delivering a eulogy. Bringing family and friends together in the sharing of stories, saying prayers, hymns, or other readings. And in closing inviting attendees to any events after the funeral service.
Home Funeral
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Home funeral is when a loved one is cared for at home after death, giving family time to gather and participate in: planning and carrying out after-death rituals or ceremonies, preparing the body for burial or cremation by bathing, dressing and laying out for visitation, keeping the body cool with dry ice, filing the death certificate and obtaining transport and burial permits for final disposition. Home funerals invite family, friends, and community into an authentic and healing after-death care experience in a safe and familiar place, with care performed by loving hands.
full body sea burial
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Burial at sea is the disposal of human remains in the ocean, normally from a ship or boat. It is seen as a natural burial if done in a shroud. We would add a minimum of 150 lbs additional weight, to aid in rapid sinking. allowing the body to decompose at the ocean floor. The body is deployed at least three nautical miles from land and in ocean waters at least 600 feet deep. Typical travel 6-8 miles out/ 3 – 4 hours round trip.
Green Burial
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Green burial is the interment of the body of a dead person in the soil in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition but allows the body to recycle naturally. It may be buried in a biodegradable coffin, casket, or shroud. The grave does not use a burial vault or outer burial container that would prevent the body's contact with soil. The grave should be shallow enough to allow microbial activity similar to that found in composting.
cremation service
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Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite as an alternative to the interment of an intact dead body in a coffin or casket. Cremated remains, which do not constitute a health risk, may be buried or interred in memorial sites or cemeteries, or they may be retained by relatives and dispersed in various ways. Cremation is an alternative in place of burial or other forms of disposal in funeral practices. Some families prefer to have the deceased present at the funeral with cremation to follow; others prefer that the cremation occur prior to the funeral or memorial service.
NOR Service
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Natural Organic Reduction (aka “human composting”) where a human body is contained in a special vessel in which it is processed using straw, wood chips, and/or other natural materials for a period of time to accelerate the conversion of human remains to soil. Offering less impact on the environment. One may retain the soil or donate it. We use Herland Forest in Washington State.
water Cremation
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Alkaline hydrolysis uses water, alkaline chemicals, heat, and sometimes pressure and agitation, to accelerate natural decomposition, leaving bone fragments and a neutral liquid called effluent. The decomposition that occurs in alkaline hydrolysis is the same as that which occurs during burial, just sped up dramatically by the chemicals. The effluent is sterile, and contains salts, sugars, amino acids and peptides. There is no tissue and no DNA left after the process completes. This effluent is discharged with all other wastewater, and is a welcome addition to the water systems.
“Dying is active. Dying is not what happens to you.
Dying is what you do. Dying”
Stephen Jenkinson