Making plans for your death may seem a little morbid, but the author of a new book believes we should all be prepared for death, as it is a fact of life. Hélène Hofmanreports
How are we going to die? Will it be painful and what happens to the body once it is buried?
These are some of the questions addressed in a new comprehensive guide to death and dying, released this month.
The Facts of Death covers every aspect of dying, from making funeral arrangements to last words and more controversial aspects such as organ donation and embalming.
"As the saying goes, there's one for everybody in the audience. Death is for everybody. We're all going to die; it's a fact of life," says author Tony McCarthy.
"[The book] may not be something you want to find in your Christmas stocking but it's something we all need to think about."
According to McCarthy, who also edits the quarterly genealogy magazine, Irish Roots, gauging how you might die and at what age is possible. By using international statistics on mortality rates and the most common causes of death, you can get an idea of how you are likely to die, he explains in one chapter.
For example, in the case of adults aged 34-54, the main killer for both men and women is cancer. A quarter of male deaths in this age group, and 47 per cent of female deaths, are caused by it.
Regardless of when and how death does happen, McCarthy says the most important thing is to be prepared.
"In the book I've made a list of all the things you need to sort out before you die. For example, many people don't know about living wills whereby you can set out everything that you want to happen when you're dying.
"The medical staff will just try to keep people alive, but others would prefer to let nature take its course.
"My research shows that people who die from various diseases often don't get proper painkillers. Often the decision falls to the family and the use of opiates is often confused with drug addiction," says McCarthy.
He adds that in 90 per cent of cases death does not have to be painful.
"There are too many decisions to be made and you need to make them at some stage; otherwise someone else will have to.
"Something could happen tonight or tomorrow so you need to make up your mind about things like your funeral and organ donation."
According to McCarthy, the majority of organ donors are victims of car crashes who die suddenly. As a result, the decision to donate can often fall to the next of kin if it hasn't already been made.
"Most people don't realise what's involved with organ donation. The organs have to be removed when the heart is still beating. The brain is dead but the heart still has to be beating.
"Also, the patient or cadaver is given a muscle relaxant because there can still be a lot of movement and that's a thought that takes getting used to," he says.
"The next of kin can't make a proper decision on this unless they know what's involved."
McCarthy has been researching the book on and off for the past two years, sourcing most of the information from books and through the internet.
However, for the section on embalming he interviewed a number of undertakers.
He says that where the family request a viewing, embalming is necessary, otherwise the body would appear waxy and emit noises and smells.
"I was surprised to discover that 90 per cent of bodies in Ireland are embalmed, which is an invasive procedure," McCarthy says.
"The blood is drained from the body and put down an ordinary drain and then the organs are punctured. People aren't told this.
"The undertakers I interviewed say they don't tell people because people don't want to know. It seems a bit childish to keep us in the dark," says McCarthy.
He explains that the body is then infused with a mixture of formaldehyde, a toxic gas which slows decomposition, and water. This, combined with cosmetics applied to the face and hands, gives the body a more life-like glow.
"Formaldehyde is effectively a poison and last year the undertakers' association campaigned to stop it from being banned. They were all over the media but no one ever asked them what they were using it for.
"People assume with embalming that they just rub something in. I think undertakers are playing a dangerous game by keeping this practice quiet," he says.
"Embalming is just one of the things we need to know about," says McCarthy.
"At the end of the day we can keep postponing these things, but one day we're going to have to think about them and at that point we might be in no state to make decisions. If we don't make them, someone will do it for us."
The Facts of Death is available from Eason and costs €10. Or it can be purchased online at www.belgravepublications.com.