Medical Science ...

I DONATED MY BODY TO MEDICAL SCIENCE TODAY!

To the best of my knowledge, intravenous drug-users are not allowed to donate organs. So, with Mother Hubbard's help, I composed my own declaration saying that in the event of my death I donate my entire body to medical science (ie so trainee doctors can cut, probe, slice and dismember for their own education) and that when this is done I asked that (if anyone will take it) my skeleton should subsequently be used as a teaching aid and/or display item. We had one of these at my school and it was so cool. A real human body (bones), fastened, clipped and strung together and hanging from a stand. Ever since, I've thought it would be brilliant to get a postmortem "job" as one of these. (My second choice would be to be cremated and thrown to the four winds but that's such a waste if I could go to science. They need young bodies and without being too macabre, with my lifestyle the simple fact is I'm more likely to go early. So why not make proper, legally-binding provision?)

My declaration was signed, dated and witnessed by Mother H and Dodge the Hodge (her "old man"). Now I've got to mention to my family what I've done. The last thing I want is a huge argument over what I might or might not have said or meant. I made sure I included a paragraph stating that "I am fully aware of the implications of these requests".

My next step is to contact a medical training institute to formalize my wishes. They will provide their own paperwork, which, when signed, will mean that when the inevitable does happen, there's absolutely no room for dispute or doubt and the procedure will kick into place without delay.

On the way home a prison van drove past the bus stop (third one I've seen today). Blacked out windows sparkling in the sun. This one was driving South, away from the courthouse which implies a complement of passengers was aboard. This always makes me sad. Partly because there's a chance that someone I know might be inside. And what a depressing journey. Through a sunlit city as the world does its afternoon shopping ... into a place where there is no shopping (except a little stall where toothpaste, soap and a small selection of sweets is on sale) for months or years ... or possibly a lifetime ...

Even if I achieve nothing at all with my life, I at least want to feel I can be of some use after death.

Hence today's form.

Sorry if this sounds a little depressing. Cheer up though! It might never happen!!

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