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The most profound experience of my life
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status:
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My wife's Dad passed away this afternoon at 67 years of age. It was an incredibly sad day, as you can imagine, but find myself a little rattled now.
We were called in today with news that he had become unresponsive and his breathing much worse. The night before he was somewhat responsive to us and communicated by squeezing our hands and mustering up a very little bit in the way of conversation. Today, he had no idea we were there. We sat by him for hours and finally watched him take his last breath of air as he left us.
It was all quite peaceful, a positive ending in many ways, and not a big surprise for us, so don't worry about me, I'll be fine. However, it was really something watching somebody this completely out of it and only being kept alive by his lower brain functions, and to watch this apparatus slowly, slowly shut down. It was like sitting with a breathing corpse for hours on end, a shell of who he was, and to watch his remaining life slowly fade away like a battery slowly running out of juice was really something I can't put into words. I somehow suspect that I will have weird dreams about this, it was pretty... something...
Again, no need to worry about me or feel obligated to share your sympathy. Like I said, the speed of his demise was a surprise, but his demise wasn't. I'll be fine. I just wanted to share this.
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Wasilla, Alaska
Status:
Offline
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Sorry for your loss. I've not had to deal with this particular issue yet.
Not sure how I'll do when the time comes.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: San Diego
Status:
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Our dog died of old age last year, he took his last breaths with us beside him. He had about ten sharp, deep, breaths, and then faded, and he became cold.
It’s difficult to describe; there was a lot of thoughts, and at the same time not a lot to think about. I have never witnessed a human dying.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: yes
Status:
Offline
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Originally Posted by iMOTOR 
Our dog died of old age last year, he took his last breaths with us beside him. He had about ten sharp, deep, breaths, and then faded, and he became cold.
It’s difficult to describe; there was a lot of thoughts, and at the same time not a lot to think about. I have never witnessed a human dying.
The breathing was just as you described. The whole thing was pretty peaceful, we just sort of sat and listening to his breathing, knowing what was going to happen.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Millersville, PA
Status:
Offline
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Regardless, I am sorry for your loss. But I do thank you for sharing because it will help others better understand this final, yet unfortunate stage of life.
I have a Great Aunt who's in hospice care right now, so I'm trying to prepare myself for it.
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F = ma
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Madison, WI
Status:
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Sorry for your loss, bess. How is your wife handing this? Is she OK?
Were other family members present as well? I think it must be comforting to be with loved ones during those final moments to share in the moment of the passing.
Hang in there.
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One should never stop striving for clarity of thought and precision of expression.
I would prefer my humanity sullied with the tarnish of science rather than the gloss of religion.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Toronto
Status:
Offline
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Except for my grandparents and some acquaintances and co-workers, I've never had anyone close to me die. I don't think I'll hold up very well. I cried during My Girl.
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Administrator  Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status:
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My heart goes out to you and your wife, besson. It's hard to lose anyone close to you, and worse to lose a parent. That you all knew the end was coming and inevitable doesn't help at all. Good luck to both of you as you learn to deal with the loss.
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Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Baltimore
Status:
Offline
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Years ago I worked at a hospital. I remember being in the OR for a coronary artery bypass graph. During the procedure, the patient's heart is stopped for an extended period of time, and a large machine next to him takes over the job of circulating the blood. The patient is cut wide open, and they took a section of an artery in his leg and put it in his heart. When the graph's complete the doctors restarted his heart you would jumpstart a car. Watching this was all pretty astounding to me. At some point it seemed like he stopped being a person and was just a machine and they were working under the hood. Later when I saw him with his family it seemed so surreal...like I was surprised he was a person again.
Sometimes it seems like we're all very fragile, but that passes. My sympathies to your wife & family.
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