Greetings from the Abyss by Jack (Part 7)

Jack is serving life without parole, and has terminal cancer. Throughout my incarceration, Jack was a positive influence. He encouraged me to keep writing, to enter short-story competitions, and we proofread each other’s chapters. Jack is seeking pen pals, so anyone interested please email me at attwood.shaun@hotmail.co.uk for his details.

I’m doing relatively OK. I have the usual aches and pains but nothing too extreme. The COIII [counsellor] for my building called me into his office last week and gave me paperwork for a living will and a durable healthcare power of attorney. He said that he wanted to make sure that my wishes for my healthcare were documented and not left up to some DOC bureaucrat. The living will is pretty much your standard boiler plate. I have a hard time believing that the state would keep a prisoner alive on a machine for an indefinite period of time. The cost would be astronomical, and the taxpayers would lose their collective minds to be footing that bill. My real concern is where my remains end up. I know it’s silly but I don’t want to end up buried in a DOC graveyard with my DOC number as my grave marker. It’s like the state wins in the end, and I’m stuck for an extended time, even after death, as a prisoner in the state of Arizona. What I want is to be cremated and to have my ashes dumped in the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, the state won’t do cremations if the prisoner’s body isn’t claimed. I’m trying to convince several of my family members that this is what I want, but so far I’m not getting much cooperation of any kind. Right now my concern is that they will leave me for the state to dispose of. But since I’m not dying tomorrow, I’ve got a little more time to work on them.
 
 
Shaun Attwood

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What are the criteria to claim Jack's body so he can be cremated? Does it have to be an American citizen or family member?

Jill

Jon said...

I don't know, Jill. I've asked him is there anything I can do at this end, so I'll await his response.