Thirteen Things I've Learned About Dead People
1. They do not "move" unless you pump them full of chemicals (read: embalming).
2. If your feet stink when you're alive they are going to stink even more when you are dead.
3. You will be considered decomposed if you are not found in a 24 hour period.
4. Speaking of decomposed, just because you are considered decomposed doesn't necessarily mean gross with pieces falling off.
5. You go in and out of rigor mortis; it's not a permanent state.
6. One can generally tell if someone has been dead for less or more than six hours. If you place your thumb against the dead person's body where the lividity (blood pooling) has set in and your thumb creates a white impression then that means the person has only been dead for no more than six hours. If your thumb does not create an impression and the area stays reddish/puplish then the person has been dead for more than six hours. Again, this is just a general rule, there are always exceptions.
7. It only takes about two minutes after someone dies for their eyes to turn kind of whitish.
8. That the smell of a decomposed person is a lot harder to deal with than actually looking or touching a decomposed person.
9. A lot of people die on or near the toilet.
10. People turn pale within an hour after they die.
11. Dead weight is not a joke. The bigger you are the harder you will be to move when you are dead.
12. Certain body parts bloat more than others.
13. People never look the way they did when they were alive when they are dead regardless of how natural the death was.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Header kindly "borrowed" from Digging A Hole To China.
Wow ~ I'm not sure I wanted to know all those things about dead people. Curious about which parts bloat more than others...hmmm...
Happy Thursday!
Posted by: Janene | March 08, 2007 at 08:06 AM
I am curious how you know these 13 facts?
Posted by: Lisa | March 08, 2007 at 08:16 AM
Oh, yuck, and while I'm eating breakfast too! Lil' Duck just got my bagel tho, LOL. Happy TT!
Posted by: Mama Duck | March 08, 2007 at 08:21 AM
My second job requires me to work with dead people, so that's why I know such things.
I tried not to be very gross with the topic, so I hope no one is really repulsed.
Thanks to everyone for stopping by!
Posted by: Starla | March 08, 2007 at 09:43 AM
Very interesting facts. How do you know these things? I learn a lot from CSI and Bones!
Thanks for visiting my cat quotes TT today.
Posted by: Tink | March 08, 2007 at 09:53 AM
Ah, I see you just answered my question. Not gross at all. :-)
Posted by: Tink | March 08, 2007 at 09:54 AM
that is very educational. seriously
Posted by: amy | March 08, 2007 at 10:26 AM
Wow, way more than I thought I would ever want to know about dead bodies, but informative for sure.
My 10 year old informed me this weekend she would not be going anywhere near any dead bodies. I really didn't realize this was something she had to seriously think/worry about.
Posted by: BeckyD | March 08, 2007 at 10:42 AM
BeckyD, I'm not sure why this is something she feels she needs to worry about. Man, kids have it tougher nowadays, lol!
Posted by: Starla | March 08, 2007 at 11:00 AM
Cool facts for a CSI-type story. Happy TTing! Thanks for looking at my TT.
Posted by: PJ | March 08, 2007 at 01:36 PM
Did you know you can't draw blood from a dead person unless the pathologist or M.E. uses a really big needle and syringe in an artery. How do I know this? A coworker went down to draw a legal alcohol and didn't come back after 45 minutes, I went to help her and she told me the person was dead. Well, duh, then it's not our job to get the blood. Thanks for the dead information, just a another fact of life....
Posted by: Jen | March 08, 2007 at 03:34 PM
Wow, that's more than I think I'd ever like to know about dead peeps! lol
Posted by: Cece | March 08, 2007 at 03:43 PM
I enjoyed your TT. I learned some things I had never thought about. I'm on a waiting list to read Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. Your post reminded me of the book.
Posted by: Jennifer | March 08, 2007 at 08:53 PM
Wow! I learned a lot more about dead/decomposing bodies than I thought possible. Sort of reminds me of a 6 Feet Under crash course. I have to day I love the TT header that you borrowed - very nice and totally appropriate.
My TT is up as well - it's all about the writing life. Come on by - I think you have a book or two in ya! :)
Posted by: Christine | March 08, 2007 at 09:50 PM
Ewwww....Tell me you know all of these because of books and tv/movies.
Posted by: Nancy | March 09, 2007 at 06:57 AM
I haven't known/heard of many of these facts. I think this is the weirdest TT list I've ever read. But thanks for the info though. Might come in handy for one of my writing WIP's. Take care.
Posted by: Sophisticated Writer | March 09, 2007 at 05:25 PM
Wow. That was fascinating and not really that gross to me. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: catherine | March 09, 2007 at 10:15 PM
I did not realize rigor mortis was not a continues state! Being a CSI junky i kinda liked the list.
Posted by: violtekey | March 10, 2007 at 02:54 PM
I'm glad everyone likes the list. I try to be a bit amusing or different, though I'm afraid my next one probably won't be as entertaining.
Thanks for reading everyone!
Posted by: Starla | March 11, 2007 at 08:55 AM