Soon We’ll Be Dead: Joanne
Welcome back to another issue of Soon We'll Be Dead. I'm so glad you're here, reading along.
My sister and I went to visit my dad yesterday.
He was feeling weak, so he was lying on his bed. We both lay beside him and snuggled up like when we were kids. I was afraid my head would crush his tiny bony shoulder.
He played some of his favorite jazz songs through the speaker on his dresser. He chose his favorites one by one, and I made sure to commit them to memory.
Coltrane, Evans, Monk.
We talked about MAID and where he would want to have it done. He said he didn't want to die in a hospital, so we talked about him coming to my apartment. My sister also offered up her place, should he want her home instead.
What a bizarre thing to discuss. Not sure how it's all going to work out. Will I be able to handle him coming to my house to do this? I want to be there for him, to support him, to make him comfortable; it's just such a hard thing to process.
Every so often, he would stare off into the distance, his thumb keeping pace with the music. I don't know if he was deep in thought or if his pain medications kept pulling the edges of reality. Maybe a little of both.
As Coltrane's saxophone soothed our anxious minds, big fat snowflakes fell outside his window.
John Coltrane
Name
Joanne
Do you have a website, blog, or socials?
No
Are you scared of death?
YES
What do you think happens to us when we die? Where do we go?
Not sure, but I’m hoping with past loved ones.
Do you have a sense of purpose in life? What were you put on this Earth to do?
Love and make people happy.
What makes a meaningful life?
Friends, family, and CAKE.
If you were going to die today, what would you regret the most?
Working too much.
How do you want to be remembered?
As a person that a lot of people loved.
Is it important to you to leave a legacy behind?
Yes
What are you most proud of in your life?
My husband and all my babies, Joey, Lexi, Miki, Mini, and my niece Taryn and her husband, Mikey.
Would you rather be cremated or buried? Why?
Cremated so I don’t go into the bug-filled ground, and I want some of my ashes to go along the Las Vegas strip and the rest of my ashes to be worn in a necklace or bracelet by the ones I love.
What do you want your epitaph to say?
Much loved wife and fur baby mommy and friend.
What would be the worst/best way to die for you?
Home invasion
What are your five "Bucket List" (for lack of a better term) things you want to do before you die? What are some important that you want to experience, learn, or do?
Disney, zip lining, Portugal, Nashville, and New Orleans.