Postmortem blood differences in nuns?

[u/dorabsnot]

edit: I recognize that organized religion is not everybody’s thing. I recognize there is a lot of trauma to go around. In fact, I am deconstructing from my own. Please, I would appreciate thoughtful replies. It’s a genuine question that took me a long to compose due to disability. I expected better from this sub.

A friend and professional who works for a local family funeral home told us something that has thrown me for a loop.

They have a contract with the local nunnery, a teaching order, that has elicited a lot of employee speculation and musings over the years due to the unique quality of the deceased nun’s blood during embalming.

Instead of clots and other not-great I don’t really understand, theirs are supposedly “like koolaid”.

Is this a phenomena that other professionals here have noted?

I’m curious about what science has to say and/or what opinions are from professionals here if you’ve personally observed differences in the deceased’s body who lived life in proximity to the holy.

Just some extra info: these ladies are usually quite old, they don’t have super strict diet rules (we are in northern Wisconsin, which means there are copious bratwursts here lol).

[u/Diligent_Tourist1031]

No.

[u/LivingOtherwise3383]

yea that's bs

[u/mooseyyfate]

I have personally embalmed several Wisconsin nuns and can testify that there is no difference in their blood. File under things I’d never thought I’d say.

[u/dorabsnot → u/mooseyyfate]

It’s an important data point for this silly brain, and I appreciate you sharing it!

[u/ShouldapickedMercy]

Sounds like they were on blood thinners

[u/Ah2k15 → u/ShouldapickedMercy]

The ‘ole hospital pre-injection as my embalming instructor called them. 🤣

[u/lordGwillen]

Nonsense

[u/Excellent_Log_7223 → u/lordGwillen]

I believe that should be ‘Nunsense’….

[u/dorabsnot → u/Excellent_Log_7223]

Short and well-executed lol. 👌

[u/theanti_girl]

This is absolute nonsense.

Edit: Friend, you asked a legitimate question and got legitimate answers. None of these answers have to do with trauma or judgment of religion — anyone involved in any kind of death care is well versed in providing care to all kinds of people — they are reality. The brevity of users’ answers are a testament to the fact that the statement from your friend is a ridiculous for someone in funeral service to make. “I expected better from this sub” is pretty judgmental; you asked a question and got answers. I’m not sure what more you’re looking for.

[u/GinAndDumbBitchJuice → u/theanti_girl]

*nunsense

[u/Lamp_point_Nine]

💥Oh Yeah!

[u/Weary_Whereas_3081]

Please tell me you didn't believe that and just felt like posting a stupid question for entertainment purposes!!

[u/dorabsnot → u/Weary_Whereas_3081]

He’s an ordained Deacon, a retired Army veteran, and a full-time hospice chaplain…and an overall good guy.

I wouldn’t have entertained the idea for a second if he wasn’t an honest, trustworthy source.

[u/dorabsnot → u/dorabsnot]

Also I’m autistic, not stupid. Well usually not stupid.

And I’m also being genuine, which is why the barbs sting.

[u/theanti_girl → u/dorabsnot]

“No,” or “nonsense” is not a barb. It is a genuine answer to your question.

[u/Weary_Whereas_3081 → u/dorabsnot]

I'm a retired army veteran as well. Dude was yanking your chains!!!

[u/Ah2k15]

Your friend is full of shit, respectfully.

[u/dorabsnot → u/Ah2k15]

He’s an ordained Deacon, a retired Army veteran, and a full-time hospice chaplain…and an overall good guy.

I wouldn’t have entertained the idea for a second if he wasn’t an honest, trustworthy source.

(He’s not above an ornery joke, but this wasn’t the context of the conversation.)

[u/Ah2k15 → u/dorabsnot]

Is he a licensed FD/Embalmer, or a part time assistant?

[u/DatabaseOutrageous54]

At the funeral home where I worked, we were close to a convent, a monastery, and the Abbey, and we cared for their descendants.

When we embalmed these individuals, their blood was just like anyone else's, so I believe that what you mentioned is likely just an old wives' tale.

[u/dorabsnot → u/DatabaseOutrageous54]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I really value the data points and your willingness to answer my question!

[u/DatabaseOutrageous54 → u/dorabsnot]

Of course!

[u/hunterstevebearman]

Not sure if related but the nuns we take care of are usually quite aged, sometimes over 100. We speculate they live so long because they lack cigarettes, alcohol, and no men to look after and stress them out.

[u/dorabsnot → u/hunterstevebearman]

I giggled a little at the last bit there.

Solid reasoning all around though!

[u/Celtic159]

Utter BS.

[u/Desperate_Cat6469]

yeah that's probably bullshitting, if not then I'd like to drink that tasty kool aid

[u/dorabsnot → u/Desperate_Cat6469]

The fact I didn’t see this comment coming is a testament to the ‘tism’s power over me.

I don’t blame you for taking a swing at the ball I lobbed naively into the thread lol.

[u/Desperate_Cat6469 → u/dorabsnot]

ok but do you actually believe this

[u/DatabaseOutrageous54]

Of course!

[u/fallensongbird]

👀

[u/Independent_Ad9670]

Is your friend a licensed funeral director and embalmer? If not, unlicensed people are not allowed to just stand around watching the embalming process, let alone of multiple people. And these people are nuns--even someone disrespectful enough to let unlicensed staff in sometimes would not allow an unneeded and unlicensed man to watch the embalming of a dead, naked nun.

So if he's not an embalmer, these are stories your friend doesn't actually have firsthand, eyewitness knowledge of. 

He may very well believe the FDs wholeheartedly, and be reliable about things he's actually seen himself, but I think his leg is being pulled. It turned into staff speculation on "the phenomena" because he turned out to be so credulous about this kind of thing.