How do funeral homes prep a body for a wake and funeral?

Question

I'm curious what the funeral home does to a body prior to a wake-

*I assume embalming and makeup-Do they airbrush?

At my cousin's funeral, I saw a stich at the corner of his mouth, which seemed to confirm that a deceased person's mouth is sewn shut- Is it the same with the eyes? It was very disturbing.

Since decomposition starts in the inestines, i was told they are disposed of...

Its a serious question, Im just curious-

A friend told me the nasal cavity is filled with gauze- is this true?

Answer 1

yes the nasal cavity is filled with gauze. Im not sure about the stitching of the eyes and mouth thought. Ive never seen that on anyone. a mortician does the corrective makeup on the body and airbrush can be used.

Answer 2

They take out many organs, and fill the body with embalming fluid.  This preserves the body.  They also have a makeup artist who does the face and hair.  They have to fill the nose with something, so it doesn't collapse.

Answer 3

I have no clue where Dart Swinger got his answer, because it's wrong.  We do NOT remove organs during embalming.  We put gauze in their nose sometimes, but it certainly has nothing to do with it collapsing.  Why would it collapse?  The gauze is meant to catch fluid if it would leak, and meant to keep out things that don't belong up the nose (flies/bugs).

We do not sew the eyes or the mouth shut.  It would be extremely difficult as well as nearly impossible to stich someone's eyes shut woithout it looking awful and puckering.  Thank God for superglue.  We simply glue their eyes and mouth shut.

As for the embalming, we replace the blood with embalming fluid, and the blood just washes down the drain.  We then use a long, hollow needle to puncture the internal organs and suction any fluid out of them.  We then inject a very strong embalming fluid called cavity fluid back into the chest cavity.  This is all done through a very small, dime size incision near the belly button. Organs are NOT removed, there is no need to remove organs, they are perfectly fine in the body cavity right where they belong!  

As for the make-up, we do not hire a make-up artist.  Funeral Directors are trained in mortuary school to do make-up.  Some use airbrush, some use normal make-up.