cremation, please

My mom just called me at work to tell me that when she and my dad die, no autopsy should be performed, and their bodies must get to SLU within 24 hours because they're donating their bodies to medical research.

Did I step into another dimension? Does this type of thing happen to anyone else, or is my family over-the-top crazy?

Her justification for this call is that she told my younger sister this information the other day and my sister looked at her like she was crazy. Mom wanted to make sure all of us girls knew this information so everything goes as planned when they die. She assumed my younger sis didn't know this information, and that's why she looked puzzled.

My guess is that my younger sister was shocked by the odd and sudden timing of this information, which apparently escaped my mother. I was also a bit shocked, but that faded quickly. My mother is known for these odd outbursts, and also lacks an internal notepad/reminder system, so when a thought pops into her mind, it has to be done right then and there before it is forgotten. This frequently includes being told things two and three times. I have become accustomed to this, and to odd phone calls in general.

I personally think donating your body to medicine is creepy. Necessary, yes, but creepy. I'd prefer to be cremated. Burn my ass up. Do not let me rot in a box underground. That's totally freaky, rotting for eternity.

The whole thing is eerie, actually, especially the timing (aside from it happening at work). The mother of one of my friends died suddenly this weekend. I can't even think about losing a parent. Sometimes I wish they'd move far away, (as I'm sure they wish about me at times), but the thought of them gone forever is beyond comprehension. My heart goes out to my friend.

(Mom, if you're reading, you know I love you. You're such an easy target!)