I had the pleasure of visiting Champions Northside Funeral Home in Texas City, Texas. While I wasn't able to speak to the funeral home director, I did have the opportunity to speak to an assistant; Mrs. Lisa Wilson. When I asked her about the initial process after receiving the body, she stated that they would first contact the family to see what their wishes were regarding the preparation of the body. For example, if they want a direct cremation. Direct cremation is carried out shortly after death and does not include embalming. She said the embalming process was quite difficult for her at first, but it has become easier since she has been in this business for seven years. He said it's still difficult when he sees the children. He said that during the embalming process they first wash the body completely, thus removing any materials or waste. Secondly, he says face work involves closing your eyes and sealing your mouth so it looks natural. He said they often use glue to cover the mouth or put cotton in the mouth to make the deceased look more natural. The third step they take is to smooth out any visible blood clots, which she says are more visible in older people. They also massage any stiffness they see visible in the bones or muscles. They use a scalpel to make an incision in the artery and use a drainage tube to drain the blood. They then use an embalming machine to inject embalming fluid, which she says varies based on the height and weight of the deceased. When helping the family prepare for services, the first thing they ask is whether the deceased had any wishes related to their arrangements. The second thing they ask is the cost that the family plans... middle of paper... things are different, it just depends on the person and the family. Funeral homes do not provide and services, but direct people to locations that are convenient for the family and may help the family cope with the loss more easily. When he spoke to the assistant, he seemed to love everything about his job. She said working there not only helped her learn how to deal with death, but it also opened the door for her to meet wonderful people. Many of the families he said he still keeps in touch with today. A lady he met while working there owns a nail shop, so every time he goes there he gets a discount. Even though this experience was different for me, I learned a lot about the behind the scenes of preparing for a funeral. I thanked the funeral home for taking the time to give me their feedback on the day-to-day things their job consists of.