As a student nurse I was helping to lay out a diabetic man who had died. His toes were black and as we were moving him his big toe fell off, rolled under the curtain and out into the ward. And we laughed and laughed and laughed – but of course not out loud. We managed to finish laying him out and we did paper, scissors and rock to decide who had to go and get his toe. More giggling as we had to log, ‘large toe,’ as a ‘possession’. We didn’t mean to be disrespectful, we were just young and nervous and got the giggles. Fortunately our red eyes and stifled noises were mistaken for tears and crying! I felt so guilty for deceiving the rest of the patients on the ward but I also still find myself having a little giggle if someone talks about the loss of a toe! Never told anyone about this until today!