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Life-limiting illness

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Nearly the end. What will it be like? My OH.

76 replies

earlystreetlight · 11/09/2021 06:23

NCFT. My DH has terminal cancer. He is having end of life care at home.

We have a hospital bed, Marie Curie carers and a Distrct Nurse and a Pallative Care Nurse visiting. He has a syringe drive for his medication. He is having morphine, anti sickness, anti mucus medication. I feel very grateful for the help we are receiving.

The end is near now. He hasn't eaten for a week or so and is refusing drinks now.

Since yesterday it has been hard to understand what he is saying. His breathing is laboured. He keeps reaching out with his hands. I am lying next to him and he mumbles but I can't make it out.

Can you tell me about the end of life?

OP posts:
TooMinty · 11/09/2021 13:13

[quote Joystir59]@TooMinty thank you for your post- I'm crying because I so wish I'd read this before my wife died at home just over a year ago. She came home from hospital and went very quickly just 48 hours later and it was all a bit panicky and I was scared as she had difficult symptoms that the hospice at home team struggled to get on top of, and I wish I had just sat with her for longer after the struggle was over. She radiated peace in that moment. Her pain was over. She was free. I thought I had to get the nurses to come straight away- I was frantically calling them to come. But there truly was no urgency. And they couldn't come for about half an hour, and in that time I did calm down, I did hold her, I cried, I let go. It's an incredible time and space. So important. We should be educated about it.[/quote]
So sorry to hear about your wife Joystir. But I'm glad you got your half an hour and hopefully other people will think to do the same now if they find themselves in the same sad situation x

earlystreetlight · 11/09/2021 13:35

I'm listening to you all. And thank you.

OP posts:
MuslinsRLife · 11/09/2021 13:52

@earlystreetlight Flowers

Echobelly · 11/09/2021 14:00

Thanks @TooMinty , that's exactly the post, such good advice I think.

weaselwords · 12/09/2021 11:31

How are you both today @earlystreetlight? I hope you are ok.

earlystreetlight · 13/09/2021 00:02

You lovely people. He died tonight. So much of it was as posters have said here. I'm glad I knew. It was peaceful and my DC and I were together. Thank you.

OP posts:
FlowerArranger · 13/09/2021 00:11
Flowers
Postboxwatcher · 13/09/2021 00:12

I am very sorry for your loss earlystreetlilght, wishing you strength for the next days and weeks.

DramaAlpaca · 13/09/2021 00:15

I'm very sorry for your loss, OP Flowers

WildImaginings · 13/09/2021 00:18

I'm very sorry for your loss and sending you all of my love and thoughts Daffodil

HereticFanjo · 13/09/2021 00:19

Much love to you and your family OP Flowers

AppleBlossomTimeNow · 13/09/2021 00:22

So sorry. Wishing you love, peace & strength x

curlymom · 13/09/2021 00:27

So sorry for your loss x

Twillow · 13/09/2021 00:27

A peaceful death with loved ones is a true blessing [flowers[

Yaya26 · 13/09/2021 00:28

I am so sorry for your loss xx

episcomama · 13/09/2021 00:30

@TooMinty

Here is the post a PP mentioned, my friend just shared it on Facebook. Hope it helps OP, such a sad time for you x

✨Expected Death ~ When someone dies, the first thing to do is nothing. Don't run out and call the nurse. Don't pick up the phone. Take a deep breath and be present to the magnitude of the moment.

There's a grace to being at the bedside of someone you love as they make their transition out of this world. At the moment they take their last breath, there's an incredible sacredness in the space. The veil between the worlds opens.

We're so unprepared and untrained in how to deal with death that sometimes a kind of panic response kicks in. "They're dead!"

We knew they were going to die, so their being dead is not a surprise. It's not a problem to be solved. It's very sad, but it's not cause to panic.

If anything, their death is cause to take a deep breath, to stop, and be really present to what's happening. If you're at home, maybe put on the kettle and make a cup of tea.

Sit at the bedside and just be present to the experience in the room. What's happening for you? What might be happening for them? What other presences are here that might be supporting them on their way? Tune into all the beauty and magic.

Pausing gives your soul a chance to adjust, because no matter how prepared we are, a death is still a shock. If we kick right into "do" mode, and call 911, or call the hospice, we never get a chance to absorb the enormity of the event.

Give yourself five minutes or 10 minutes, or 15 minutes just to be. You'll never get that time back again if you don't take it now.

After that, do the smallest thing you can. Call the one person who needs to be called. Engage whatever systems need to be engaged, but engage them at the very most minimal level. Move really, really, really, slowly, because this is a period where it's easy for body and soul to get separated.

Our bodies can gallop forwards, but sometimes our souls haven't caught up. If you have an opportunity to be quiet and be present, take it. Accept and acclimatize and adjust to what's happening. Then, as the train starts rolling, and all the things that happen after a death kick in, you'll be better prepared.

You won't get a chance to catch your breath later on. You need to do it now.

Being present in the moments after death is an incredible gift to yourself, it's a gift to the people you're with, and it's a gift to the person who's just died. They're just a hair's breadth away. They're just starting their new journey in the world without a body. If you keep a calm space around their body, and in the room, they're launched in a more beautiful way. It's a service to both sides of the veil.

Credit for the beautiful words ~ Sarah Kerr, Ritual Healing Practitioner and Death Doula , Death doula
Her original video link is here ~

Beautiful art by Columbus Community Deathcare

#alwayswithlove #dying #death

Such a lovely, helpful post.
episcomama · 13/09/2021 00:31

I'm so sorry, OP. I posted my earlier comment without reading your update.

Sending much love to you and prayers for your OH.

JingleCatJingle · 13/09/2021 00:33

So sorry for your loss OP :( Flowers

Forgothowmuchlhatehomeschoolin · 13/09/2021 00:35

So sorry op xx

quietlyspoken08 · 13/09/2021 00:35

So sorry for you loss and for your DC sending you lots of strength and love Thanks

BilboTheBurglar · 13/09/2021 00:36

I am so sorry Flowers

saraclara · 13/09/2021 00:38

I'm so glad it was peaceful, OP, and I'm so sorry that you lost him.

My late DH's passing was very like this. The Marie Curie nurse left a couple of hours earlier, and I and my daughters were sitting with him and sharing memories (and laughing about them) as he gradually faded away peacefully. I'm always glad to hear of similar good deaths.

hug

toomuchlaundry · 13/09/2021 00:38

I’m so sorry for your loss Flowers

Loubiemoo · 13/09/2021 00:45
Flowers
Sarasbrownie · 13/09/2021 00:45

Love to you - so much love. I hope you have people with you that can just be there.