Post mortem?

[Redrosesarethebest]

My dear children's dad died on Saturday, we are all very much in shock but it was as far as I knew an expected death as he had liver cancer, that was until about half an hour ago when I was informed a post mortem has to be carried out. Why would they need to do it?

I think they do it if they under a certain age or if they might av died from another cause, im not too sure.

Sorry for your loss.

I seem to remember from someone else that if they haven't seen a GP in a set period of time (during terminal illness) then a PM is more likely (or should happen). One of my own relatives died in hospital - collapsed at home and died in A&E - also had a PM. Did he pass away at home?

Expected or not, it must have been a shock to you all. Hope you are all doing OK.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

There are, broadly speaking, two different kinds of post-mortem (PM). The first is at the request of a coroner, to investigate cause of death if it is unexpected or if it occurred during or soon after a hospital procedure, like surgery.

The other is a hospital PM request from the hosp doctors to hopefully get more information about the illness or the cause of death, or to further medical research.This needs specific consent (which your DC's Dad may have given before he passed away) and is often limited to a specific area of the body (in this case, possibly the liver or any areas of mets).

Again, I'm so sorry.

He passed away in hospital and had seen his gp a couple of days before. I am so confused, mainly with why everything is happening and I can't talk to his mother as she blames me for him drinking and obviously everything else that happened to him after I left him

I work in a funeral directors and this is more common than you realise. If he hadn't been in hospital long they can request a post mortem. If they suspect there was more going on than just liver cancer they can request too.
It's a hard thing to deal with but I know everyone will be really respectful.
I'm so sorry for your loss xx

I work in a place where we have a lot of patients die from cancer. If a patient has had certain procedures in the months leading up to their death or sometimes even things like chemotherapy they may be referred to the coroner and the coroner could request a pm.