Has Anyone Heard Of Lifegem?

[dulci'smom]

I was wondering if anyone has heard of lifegem. This is a man made diamond made from the cremains of your animal. I thought this sounded interesting because i could wear it close to my heart. Has anyone done this? or is it wierd?

[MartyT]

LifeGems is a company that creates diamonds from the cremains of your loved one, and the only drawback is the cost, which can be quite expensive, depending on the size of the stone that is created. Be aware that LifeGems is just one of several companies offering unique and meaningful ways of memorializing a beloved pet -- you'll find many additional ideas among the links I've listed on the Pet Loss Links / Memorializing page of my Grief Healing Web site.

You can read more about LifeGems at LifeGems for Pets.

Whether we are mourning the loss of a person or that of a cherished animal companion, remembering the one who died and honoring the life that was lived in an important part of the mourning process. Your searching for ways to keep a part of your beloved Dulci with you certainly is not wierd, especially if it brings you comfort.

[lorikelly]

I have heard of it. i work for a vet and the crematory that we use offers this service. i also found a great website that makes jewelry with your loved ones picture, i think i will get one for my mom and one for spanky. i think for the lifegem they take some of the ashes to create it, i am catholic and it is against the catholic faith to separate the ashes. they most all remain together so i can't do it. lori

[avsqr_dancer]

Lori,

Could you give me that website that makes jewelry from pet's pictures? As a Jewish person, we do not believe in creamation, but I love the idea of jewelry with my beloved Tawny's picture.

Marty-I have a also read that remembering is an important part of grieving a lost loved on. I even got a few of the pet loss books that you recommended online. However, I am still at the stage, where every time that I think of Tawny, I start to cry. And looking at her pictures is still so painful for me. I realize there is no timeline, but I am wondering if it is still too soon for me to work on the remembering, memoralizing her, part. One of the books has its whole middle section, dedicated to just that-different memories of the pet. Every day, I say tomorrow I will start that-ah, kind of like Scarlett O'Hara, huh?

[MartyT]

Dear avsqr_dancer,

If every time you think of Tawny you start to cry, if looking at her picture is still too painful for you, if you're wondering if it's still too soon "to begin working on the memorial part," then I think you've answered your own question.

As we've said so many times before, there is no right or wrong way to do the work of grief, and there is no specific time frame for any of it, either. There is only your way, which you simply figure out as you go along. Listen to what your heart is telling you, and do what makes you feel comfortable.

I once had a woman in my pet loss support group whose black cat had died -- it was an entire year before she was able to so much as look at another black cat, much less at a picture of her own beloved Onyx. It was just too painful for her. On the other hand, when my precious cockapoo Muffin died, I gathered as many pictures of him as I could find, made a collage for myself, and hung it on the wall -- I was so afraid that I'd forget his darling little face. You see, my dear, it is different for all of us, and the same thing that brought me comfort might cause you great pain. That's why it's good to share our ideas for doing grief work with one another, but only with the understanding that what has worked for one person may not work for another, and that's okay.

[dulci'smom]

Lori,

I am catholic also. I did not know that you are required to keep the ashes together. This applies to dogs? What is the reasoning? because i was going to definitely have a diamond made. but maybe i shouldn't????? Can you let me know what you know. Thanks,

Dulci's mommy

[Maylissa]

Serl,

I'd like you to know that I've even experienced a difference between being ready for one thing or another in the passings of both Sabin and Nissa. With Sabin, I apparently ( not that I remember, but I knew from other dates of things ) had his whole tribute written up w/i about 2 wks. of his crossing, whereas with Nissa, I haven't even been able to START to go there yet, though it's been 43 days now. As Marty said, you just have to learn to respect your OWN timeline, with each little thing that comes up. A lightbulb here just flickered....so now I'm wondering if Nissa is nudging me to start my tribute already, Mom!, and perhaps that's been her lately, inside of me , since I've been feeling like I'm right around the corner of beginning this.

[MartyT]

Dulci's mom, I think you might find this post (and this entire thread) of interest:

Letting Go of the Ashes

[avsqr_dancer]

Thank you, Marty and Maylissa, to your response to my inquiry. It does help to hear what others do and feel, but it is true that we must do what feels best for us at the time. That is all we can do really, isn't?

Sometimes, I fear that I wll forget what Tawny looked like also, esp. since she looked a lot like Tanner. So yes, on the one hand, I see Tawny in Tanner, but on the otherhand, she definitely had her own look too! But in time, when I feel more ready, I will take her pictures and make a memorial to her that feels right. My husband took a picture of Tawny and I on her last day with us, as I took one of him with her. These will be a key part of her scrapebook.

[dulci'smom]

Marty T,

Thanks, that thread was useful. But does anyone know why you shouldn't separate ashes per the catholic church? I want to have a life gem made with approximately one half of Dulcinea's ashes.

Thanks again,

Dulci's mom

ps here is Dulci last halloween!

Wait, i don't think the pic came thru.. iam doing it again

darn it, i can't get a pic to attach. it is so cute.

[STARKISS]

Hi All,

I am presently the holder of both my parents ashes, They died last year. Mom died in April of last year and Dad died in August of last year. Now my family has started to talk about what to do with their ashes, Everyone except for me want to scatter them. I feel like I am just throwing them away if I do that and they have meant alot to me... I just can not see myself doing that to them after all they have done for me... Is this weird I do not know what to tell the family when the subject comes up again.... Please help if you can Thanks Shelley

[Dianne]

I was wondering if anyone has heard of lifegem. This is a man made diamond made from the cremains of your animal. I thought this sounded interesting because i could wear it close to my heart. Has anyone done this? or is it wierd?

I've seen it it advertised and went to their site. I was thinking of having some of Zephyr's ashes made into a stone but just can't bring myself to do it. However years ago while Zephyr was still alive I would brush him and save the sheddings. Eventually I had accumulated enough of his hair to have it spun into wool. I now have a sweater made from his hair. Not only is it one of the warmest sweaters I own but I have something of him that I will always be there.