When hospital says 'come now'...

[baileyswoman]

... does this always mean he's near the end?

No. I had that phone call several times with my including at 2am, 4am, etc. She lasted another month but must admit for that last month it seemed like every breath would be her last.

Sorry, rain.

Sorry op if you are going through this, and rain so sorry

I was so glad that a Dr rang me on the night my dad died. We had been with him all day at the hospital yes he was poorly (cancer) but the oncologist had been talking about transfusions and steroids with us that very afternoon.
I had just got home and got a call from a lovely Dr, she said she'd examined dad and didn't think he would last the night and if it was her dad she would want to know.
Dad died 9am the next morning and we were all there with him
I will be forever grateful for that Dr.🙏

This is awful OP. Patients often perk up too giving the family false hope it's heartbreaking.