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50 Last Words That Turned Routine Shifts Into Unforgettable Nightmares For Medical Workers
Doctors, nurses, and emergency workers often witness life’s most fragile moments and sometimes, those moments are marked by final words that stay with them forever. Whether whispered in pain, spoken with clarity, or shared in confusion, these last words can leave a lasting impression on the people who hear them.
That’s exactly what happened when someone online asked, “Medical workers of Reddit, what were the most haunting last words you’ve heard from a patient?” The responses poured in. From chilling confessions to deeply moving goodbyes, these stories are raw, unforgettable, and incredibly human. This collection highlights some of the most powerful things patients ever said before passing.
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#1
My husband is a PICU nurse and one morning he came home in a bit of a daze. I asked him what was wrong and he told me about a little boy who had been in PICU for a few days already and wasn't getting better. Most nights, the little boy would wake up so one of the nurses would keep him company while he fell asleep again. My husband was doing just that, he read him a book then just sat there with the boy listening to music so he would go back to sleep. Before falling asleep the little boy said "You were my favorite". The boy passed away in the morning, his little heart gave out and refused to restart.
Although all patients are important, some leave more of an impression than others. Until that point, that little boy hadn't stood out to my husband and he felt terrible about it because, clearly, he had made a big impression on that little boy. That was the only patient's funeral he has ever attended.
EDIT: Thank you so much everyone for your amazing replies. I have passed along your love and gratitude to my husband, actually read him some comments and he blushed and got all bashful.
RELATED:
#2
(Nurse) In hospital caring for 40ish man with brain tumor, coming in and out of consciousness. Not to be resuscitated. His 16 year-old daughter was crying non-stop for 12 hours. His wife, who had been given a few months to prepare herself, was calm and focused on her husband. I had to routinely check his level of consciousness which involved talking to him in a loud voice (responds to auditory stimulation), which I did not like to do. So I asked his wife to do the loud voice part, so the voice he would hear would be hers not mine, and she did so without hesitation. The only response we observed with. her vocalization was that this by now profoundly unconscious patient took her hand to his lips and kissed it. He stopped breathing very soon after that. I am haunted, but not in a bad way.
Brian Droste 6 months ago
Maybe he was just waiting to hear his wife voice one last time before he decided to die.
#3
It wasn't words, but the most haunting death was a patient who was DNR, through her and her family's wishes. She was losing her battle, and her family wasn't there. She was getting frantic and looking around and half sitting up in bed, and a nurse with more experience than me, took her hand and calmly said, "it's ok. You're not alone. We're right here with you; it's ok to leave." The patient immediately calmed, put her head back on the pillow and died.
I knew I wanted to be that nurse when I grew up. How the hell did she know just what to do and say? I've never forgotten it.
Kirsten Kerkhof 6 months ago
She knew because when she was a young nurse, she saw an experienced nurse tell the patient, and she was impressed enough to remember it. Just like you are. One day you’ll say the same and a young nurse will think, ‘How did she know what to say?’ And the cycle will continue
marianne eliza 6 months ago
1 day before my mother died, at home in hospice care, while she was unconscious, I leaned over and said into her ear, "It's okay mom, we'll be fine, you can go. You have lots of people waiting for you." I have heard that hearing is the last sense to go. I hope she heard it.
Paul Jayne 6 months ago
Last year my mother passed as I sat with her. I held her hand and said something similar.
Mark Hastings 6 months ago
Went to visit my uncle last year, he had been fighting stomach cancer for about 2 years. He was in obvious pain but still c*****d jokes and laughed at my feeble attempt at humor. Just before I left, he wanted to lay down on his bed, a group of family members help him lay down. A visiting nurse gave him a shot of something to help with the pain. I held his hand as I said goodbye and that I would be by the next day to see him. His last words to me were "It's been a hell of a ride; glad you were part of it". As I walked away, his daughter said he had quit breathing. The nurse came over and checked his pulse. The nurse said it was his time to go.
Chris Landrum 6 months ago
same with my mom. we were there and it was getting close. nurse told us to go for dinner. on the way out my sister said she heard some people are afraid to let go because their family is there. we got called a few hours later that she had passed
It’s difficult to describe the heaviness that comes when you lose someone close. In those raw moments, you cling to anything that holds a piece of them. It could be their favorite hoodie, a voicemail, or the last words they said.
Grief often shows up unexpectedly, even when we thought we were prepared. And while missing someone deeply is part of love, so is taking care of yourself. You’re allowed to heal while still holding space for their memory.
#4
Not a medical worker, but when I was 14 my friends and I were joking around before our 7th period theater class. My one friend, who was always a big goof, was playing along with a joke that he and another classmate were breaking up and said, "This relationship is over!" Then spun around around and fell to the floor for dramatic effect. Except it wasn't for dramatic effect, because he actually suffered heart failure and died instantly from an unknown condition (acute myocarditis). None of us realized it and laughed along. I even picked up his glasses from the floor and put them on to tease him about how blind he was. When I tried to give him his glasses back I was struck by how discolored his face was, and then blood began to pour from his mouth. That's when the screaming started. Absolutely f****d me as a 14 year old to realize we could all just drop dead at any moment.
Jamo 6 months ago (edited)
Acute myocarditis doesn't cause blood from the mouth. It's very rare for this to happen, and there would be other significant and prominent actions for it to occur. Discoloration of the face would occur hours after death if facing upwards as this post suggests.
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#5
My buddy who went on to be a doctor had an elderly female patient. Probably 90-100 years old. Her daughter left the room to get coffee and my buddy had to check on her vitals. They were normal. Then she woke up, smiled and got teary eyed. She said “i knew you’d come back for me, im sorry i didnt marry you. My family wouldnt let me. But i will now, i promise.” My buddy just held her hand and smiled. She laid back and closed her eyes and her heart stopped. She had a DNR and was gone just like that. Her daughter had no clue what she meant. Her husband had been dead for 10 years and they were married since they were 20.
My buddy doesn’t know if its relevant, but we are black and maybe she was in love with a black guy a long time ago. Because she was looking right at him when she spoke. Idk, s***s weird.
#6
I'm an emergency nurse, and there's one thing that always gets me when patients die. Not what they say, but what their husband/wife/parents say when they've gone. I've had it a few times but the most memorable was a man in his 70s whose wife had just passed away, and he was holding her hand and crying, and he just looked up at me and said, 'I've loved her for 55 years, she's my whole life. What do I do without her?' It breaks me every time.
Nadine Debard 6 months ago
What I told the nurses after my mother died of a cancer was " You've been great with her and with us, you've done a great job, thank you for your comfort, your kindness and for being so professional, you made our burden a bit lighter and you helped her pass in a smooth way.". They cried with me.
KatSaidWhat 6 months ago
My grandma got cancer a second time after grandpa died - she knew and waited until it was too late - "I just want to be with Bill again"... now excuse me while I go ugly cry outside.
GrammarPolice 6 months ago
I’m so sorry you’ve had to feel that way. I can’t say I know how it feels but you can always just have a chat if you need to.
Load More Replies... Lily bloom 6 months ago
When my grandmother passed, grandpa told her "walk slow. I will be with you soon." He passed nearly a year later. I could see her ribbing him for taking so long when he caught up to her.
Cyndi Moring 6 months ago
I asked the vet tech that same question when my cat died in my. arms.
Vincent Jay 6 months ago
I understand what he meant. My wife has dementia and is deteriorating quickly. I expect that she has one to two years to go. We've been married 51 years. If I'm still alive when she goes, I will know pray for death for me. I have no idea what I'd do if I couldn't go to visit her to comfort her.
Grief doesn’t look the same for everyone, but it often moves in stages. You may feel sadness first, followed by shock or disbelief. Even when expected, loss can feel sudden and disorienting.
Our minds try to protect us from pain by delaying the full impact. Understanding that these reactions are normal is the first step. There’s no "right" way to grieve—only your way.
#7
I'm a nurse. I started off working in pediatrics ER. During toward the end of my first year, this woman came in with her 8 year old daughter who was feeling dizzy and had a poor appetite. She hadn't had her flu shot and it was flu season, so she took her in because her symptoms were bad enough she was worried that she may need medical intervention. So we asked her a few questions, then I noticed this huge red bruise on her side that covered half of her side. I noticed another one on her back when we went to check her heartbeat. Then she fainted.
We were able to get her stable, and when she woke up she said she was just feeling weak. Because we were thinking flu, we got her hooked up to an IV. I mentioned the bruises to the doctor and he asked the mother to leave so we could talk to the little girl in private.
"Is there anything you want to tell us now that your mother's not here?"
She nodded and looked down shamefully. We asked her what, and that's when she told us that she was bleeding. She admitted that for a month she had lots of nosebleeds at school, at least a few times a week, and then she showed us something that terrified us. She showed us an ulcer she had inside of her lip.
We went from thinking flu to abuse to cancer really fast.
We sent her to get some tests done ASAP, and never heard her back.
A few weeks later I transferred to St. Judes. Turns out she was getting treated there, and her tests came back positive for Leukemia. She was not doing well. I was working as a chemotherapy nurse right away, and would work with her a lot along with a few other patients. She just got worse. Before one session she looked at me with the saddest eyes and said "I don't think I'm going to live for much longer. Tell my mom that I love her more than anything and anyone else." It was so heartbreaking to hear, but nurses have to be stoic and I had to suck it up . After that session another nurse took over and I ran outside and broke down crying.
She died that night in her sleep.
GrammarPolice 6 months ago
Smeghead how dare you. She was 8 years old and didn’t want to upset her mum. You are so ignorant and stupid. I really hope you don’t say that to other people you meet in real life. Smh not even any words to describe that heartlessness.
Noelle English 6 months ago
You want me to virtually punch him in the face?
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Noelle English 6 months ago
R.I.P Little Girl. You shall not be forgotten. Your life may be short, but I'm sure you have touched many. Rest well, little one.
#8
Not a medical worker but I knew a guy from middle school who had a degenerative disease and he knew he'd die young.
It was New Years Eve and he'd just gotten out of the hospital for the 3rd time in a few months so we were partying at his apartment. Somehow I ended up being the last person there with him and his girlfriend and we were pretty drunk and got to talking for awhile about how great the party was, how much nice it was to have friends like ours, plans for the future. All the sudden he said "God, I wish I had more time. I always thought I'd have more time." Not his last words but they're the ones that stuck with me. We weren't close by any stretch but I always wished he had more time too. He was so friendly and kind, the type of person who made you feel like their closest friend even if you where a total stranger. He was a good man and he deserved a longer life.
#9
Obligatory not a medical worker buuut famous author Roald Dahl had planned his last words to be “you know I’m not frightened. It’s just that I will miss you all so much” to his family. Instead, the nurse injected him with morphine to relieve his pain and his last words turned out to be “OW, F**K”.
Still Going 6 months ago
I'm terminally ill and have had a number of very close calls recently. One time, my husband and daughter were with me and I was in and out of consciousness (I don't remember this, but both of them told me). Apparently, I suddenly calmed dow, looked at them, and said, "I'm so sorry for both of you; my part is easy, all I have to do is die." My husband hasn't talked about it much, but my daughter is still haunted by this. (She's not a young child; 26 when this happened.)
Denial is often the first emotion to surface after loss. You might find yourself avoiding the truth or feeling numb. It’s a defense mechanism that helps us survive the initial blow. By refusing to accept the reality, we get a temporary sense of control.
As denial fades, anger often moves in, sometimes quietly, sometimes fiercely. You may feel angry at others, at the situation, or even at the person who passed. It’s a powerful emotion that masks the pain underneath. Bargaining usually follows, filled with “what ifs” and silent wishes. You might find yourself replaying events and making imaginary deals. These are ways we try to make sense of the loss.
#10
A teenage girl who was having an asthma attack while she was at someone’s house she wasn’t supposed to be at: “my mom’s gonna k**l me” :-(
She died at the hospital.
#11
Less haunting and more just...sad because of how young he was and how he was unaware of his final moments.
“Mommy, why’re you crying?”.
KnightOwl86 6 months ago (edited)
This made me think of the 2yr old cancer patient who shared a hospital room with my 18mnth old neice. One day her family were told there was nothing more that could be done for her and they should take her home to die. The day she left all the nurses, parents and other sick kids came to say goodbye. The ward was full of crying medical staff, sobbing parents and innocent sick kids that were unaware of what was happening. The poor little one walked through that ward smiling and waving, happily hugging everyone and acting excited to go home. Everyone was heartbroken that nothing could be done for her and her complete obliviousness just made it so much harder to watch. She was just excited to finally go home with her mummy and daddy and just kept telling everyone "I'm going home" with the biggest smile on her face. ******edit***** Just thought I'd share some positive news after making everyone cry. My niece got to ring the bell today after 18months of treatment. She turns 2 next week and just kicked cancers a$$! (She had tumours in her brain, bowel, ovaries, kidneys and liver!)
Noelle English 6 months ago
That poor little soul. Hope he's resting well. R.I.P Little Boy. You will be greatly missed by many, as your life, while short, touched many without you realizing it.
#12
With wide eyes, "Don't listen to my family, they want to keep me around forever but I just want to die. They won't let me."
Edit: She wanted to get off dialysis which was a death sentence for her.
The Majestic Opossum 6 months ago
Cannot stress it enough - listen to the end of life wishes of your loved ones! Advocate for them if nobody else will. No matter what age they are.
Still Going 6 months ago
I'd like to send this to my family. I know they love me and mean well, but every time I say something like this (which I've learned not to do), I'm told that I'm being fatalistic and that I can't give up, I must keep fighting. Fighting for what, another week or month of acute pain and misery?
Load More Replies... Shark Lady 6 months ago
Lots of people think the worst thing that could happen to someone is dying and it really isn't. In many cases death is the relief of pain and suffering.
Lady Eowyn 6 months ago
Funny how we'll let our pets go when we can no longer give them a good quality of life, but are far less humane when humans are involved.
GrammarPolice 6 months ago
Not really funny but sad. I do agree with you, by the way.
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Cyndi Moring 6 months ago
my partner had cancer and at the end felt the same way. Did chemo for the family but hated every minute of it.
Then comes depression, a deeper sadness that often lingers longer. You may feel drained, withdrawn, or overwhelmed by the quiet. This isn’t something to fix quickly; it’s something to sit with gently. Letting yourself grieve fully is part of healing. You are allowed to feel the weight without rushing through it. This stage often needs the most compassion and care.
#13
My pop died of lung cancer. The last lucid thing he did was wake up just long enough to sing "Show me the way to go home. I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I had a little drink about an hour ago and it went right to my head". It was really pretty amazing and freaky at the same time.
F**k cancer.
Edit: Wow my first gold. Thanks for the glitter and all the kind words. My sincerest condolences to everyone who has lost someone to this horrible disease. Dad was over 80 and had smoked for a lot of his life. I still miss him but he lived a long life and his time had come. I've lost a couple of friends who are my age to cancer and those deaths are much harder to accept.
He was a foot soldier in WWII and he sang that song while marching through Germany I believe.
KnightOwl86 6 months ago
Lost my bf's sister to cancer, it was awful. After a 5yr battle she was moved into a hospice where we watched her just slowly waste away. The last month of her life she barely spoke, just cried out in pain and slept a lot. In her finally weeks the only words she ever said was "I don't want to die" while we all stood around feeling helpless and heartbroken knowing there was nothing we could say or do to help her. F*** Cancer!
Noelle English 6 months ago
My papa died of cancer too. Well, he wasn't really my papa, but my mom's stepfather (her biological father was a*****e). He died of lung cancer. I am eighteen years old, and even though it's normal for my memory of him to fade, I'll always remember him. R.I.P Papa, I miss you every day.
GrammarPolice 6 months ago
Fúck c*ncer, times infinity. My Grandad has (and has had many times before) c*ncer and it is so awful. I hate to see how damaging it can be. I would give anything just for him to be well again. He is the best Grandad in the world and I love him so much. He doesn’t deserve any of this at all. My Grandad will turn 78 in October and I just hope so so much that he will live much longer than that (without suffering of course).
Mike Beck 6 months ago
My father has stage 3C lung cancer. I don't recall the exact type but it's the one that in about 80% of cases, they were a former smoker. Tried immunotherapy but it doubled in size during that. Just started chemo.
Mike Beck 6 months ago
5 year prognosis for his cancer and stage is 13%. And he's already about given up. I'm not too concerned about him but I'm very worried about how my mother handles it.
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Tropical Tarot 6 months ago (edited)
Oh goodness I love that song. Learned it at summer camp between 7th and 8th grade. I still remember all the words. That was a great memory.
#14
Might get buried. I was taking care of this guy with stage 4 cancer who had altered mental status. No cancer in the brain on imaging. Couldn't find out what was wrong. Was getting worse. Made comfort care. Morning that he died he actually looked better and said, "hey doc I'm scared can we talk about this?", and I said sure, I'll come back after rounds.
My plan was to come back after lunch to talk with him. On my way down to get food my pager goes off saying that the patient had died.
He was scared of dying. He wanted someone to talk to. He died terrified. Really my only regret of my career so far.
Pink kitty 6 months ago
Poor guy. I hope someone else listened to him or was there with him at the end
Dragon mama 6 months ago
Should have known it was coming when the patient inexplicably improved
Maples Dad 6 months ago
It's so weird the sudden burst of life and normality some people experience before passing. I've dealt with it many times.
Load More Replies... #15
I was about five or six when my grandfather was on his deathbed. The last thing he did was put his hand on my shoulder and said, "No wonder you never liked my spicy food." and then he passed about ten seconds later. We were all super confused. About three months later I almost died from suffocation after eating some salsa. At the hospital I was diagnosed with a capsaicin allergy (Spicy food). To this day it still creeps me out. No one knew I was allergic before then, and I didn't show any signs either.
LauraDragonWench 6 months ago
Death is truly the great unknown - who knows what one will see once the point of no return is reached.
Acceptance doesn't mean you're "over it" or that the pain disappears. It means you begin to live alongside your grief instead of fighting it. You start to rebuild your days with the loss as part of your story. It’s the beginning of learning how to carry both love and loss. And it’s okay if you arrive here slowly.
As you move through these feelings, acknowledge your pain openly. Don’t judge how long it takes or how messy it gets. There is no universal roadmap through grief. Your process is valid, even if it doesn’t match others'. By accepting your journey, you give yourself space to breathe. Healing isn’t linear—it ebbs, flows, and circles back.
#16
Sweet guy in his 20s with endocarditis (heart valve infection) caused by IV d**g abuse. I was prepping him for his third open heart surgery when he sat up, looked me in the eye, and said, “I’m going to die, aren’t I?” He did not survive the surgery.
#17
Not a medic. My friend's brother committed s*****e, he hung himself in his closet while she watched TV in the living room. The last thing he said before going upstairs was "I'm going to rest". That weirded her out because he never spoke like that.
#18
My great aunt was dying from breast cancer and all of our family went to see her in the hospital one more time. When we arrived she was already in and out of consciousness. When I held her hand she knew it was me and woke up and was able to whisper the last thing she ever said. It was difficult for her but she was able to softly whisper "tell everyone how much I will always love them" and I'll never forget that special moment for the rest of my life.
Love you great aunty. Miss you tons xo^.
Ahnjunwan 6 months ago
It is nice if people are able to say something meaningful. My dads ladt words to were: do you have a new haircut?
Mila Sliacka 6 months ago
Well, it sounds like your dad saw you and took interest from n you. I’d take that.
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Grief can bring emotions you didn’t expect: guilt, fear, even relief. They’re all valid and part of the emotional aftermath. There is no wrong feeling, only feelings you need to feel. Letting yourself process each one will help you move forward.
#19
I’m an intern at a home for patients with Alzheimer and have only been there for a few weeks. The first patient to pass during my internship said ‘who am I?’, for some reason it saddens me deeply and I can’t seem to let it go.
Thee8thsense 6 months ago
It is the ultimate question of most human beings. I hope the OP takes some comfort by the thought that, through the transcendence of death, his question might have been answered.
Ruth Watry 6 months ago
Two dogs that I bred worked with Alzheimer's patients. Some of them would hold the dog and say, I can't remember (don't know) if you're my dog, but I know that I love you.
#20
My grandfather died in the comfort of his own home, surrounded by family. As he was passing my mom (his daughter) recalls him calling out ever so softly "mama.. mama.."
Great man. Lived a long life of 84 years especially considering he smoked and drank beer his whole life.
Delicate Fcuking Flower 6 months ago
Sounds like a life well done. He came into this world, left a positive impression on those who loved him, died at a ripe age and his mama was waiting for him in the next realm. Bravo, sir
Noelle English 6 months ago
These stories remind me of my Papa who died of lung cancer. R.I.P Papa, I miss you every day.
Jane Hower 6 months ago
Perhaps he actually saw her come to get him. Just before my mom passed she said the names of two of her predeceased sisters. It's my belief that they 'came to help her cross over'.
Ruth Watry 6 months ago (edited)
I know that my grandma was waiting there for my dad when he passed. He was unconscious, but I just know.
#21
Not a medical worker, but my friend's husband was dying from cancer.
He'd done lots of chemo and one surgery and overall his prognoses looked really good. He'd gone through another surgery, and he was due to be released from the hospital a couple days after this story takes place.
My friend had been with him and was going back home to sleep for the night. Just before she left his room, he said "I'm going to miss you my love" and obviously she thinks nothing of it, saying "I'll miss you too. I'll be back in the morning"
Couple hours later he was gone.
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 6 months ago (edited)
When I was in my teens, I briefly wanted to be a doctor. My father, a pediatric surgeon, was very quiet for a few moments and then said: "This is a very important decision, and I want you to be sure. Starting tomorrow, you will accompany me in my rounds at the hospital." For six months, I would be there twice a week, until one day when my father was visiting ICU patients. There was a boy, my age, on the bed, and his mother clutched my father by the collar of his white coat as he passed by, crying desesperately. "Please, doctor! Save my little boy. He is everything I have!" she said. My father, ever so gently, removed the woman's hands and calmed her down. Then he replied, pointing at the sky and then to himself: "Please, madam. Let us ask for help to the Doctor Up There...This one is powerless down here." The boy passed away the following day. That was the moment I decided I could not possibly be a doctor.
Billo66 6 months ago
Scares me to death. I have Multiple Myeloma. No cure. I was told maybe 5 years and it's been 8 so thankful for that. My last words will probably be a comment I made on here and be more buried than I will be lol
The Camera Man 6 months ago
When my grandmother was in hospital during her final days, I was her last visitor. I kissed her on the forehead, told her that I love her and said, "I'll see you in the morning. She answered, "No, you won't." and went to sleep for her last time.
Lean on others when you’re ready, even if just a little at first. Support from friends, family, or a therapist can make a difference. Sharing stories and being heard can lighten the emotional load. You don’t have to go through this in silence or isolation. Even small conversations can bring warmth and comfort.
#22
"Don't let my mom come in, I don't want she to see me crying"
She was 16. I wasn't prepared for that, got broke like glass.
#23
Not the very last words, but I had a patient in her early 20s who was severely thrombocytopenic and bleeding profusely for days ask me if she was going to make it, I had to look her in the eyes and tell her there is a good chance she wouldn't. I thought she would bust into tears but no, she just kind of sat back and accepted it, I think she already knew. She died shortly after I got off shift.
I’ve Seen Things 6 months ago (edited)
“Thrombocytopenia occurs when your bone marrow doesn't make enough platelets. Platelets form blood clots”.
#24
Student- “Sir, are you in any pain?”
Patient- “The f**k kind of d*****s question is that I just got f*****g stabbed, f**k yeah I’m in pain.”
He died within minutes.
Khavrinen 6 months ago
I heard someone say that ( "I just got f*****g stabbed" ) when I was working at an arcade in the '90s. Guy came in from the parking lot where it happened to find his friend who was playing "Street Fighter II", and didn't want to interrupt his game, so this was yelled to get him to pay attention. Luckily for him, the "stab wound" was more like a 2 inch cut in his armpit than anything all that serious.
Noelle English 6 months ago
I know this is a stupid question, and forgive me if it is, but was he okay?
Load More Replies...Finally, recognize the line between grief and depression. If sadness becomes unmanageable, it’s okay to ask for help. Seeking support is not a weakness, it’s a brave, healthy step. There’s no shame in reaching out when you need someone. Loss is heavy, but you don’t have to carry it alone. Healing begins when you give yourself permission to start.
#25
Not in the medical field, but when my grandmother was in the hospital with kidney failure and dementia, I went to visit about a week before she passed. After we heard the news and flew out, the nurse informed us of an exchange they had had the night of:
“How are you doing Mary Lee? Is there anything you want to do tomorrow?”
“Oh, no. I believe I’m going to go see my mama tonight.”
She died a few hours later.
Jane Hower 6 months ago
Had an aunt at the nursing facility get up one night and starting gathering her things like she was going to pack for a trip (she was 93, and had been a widow since her late 20's), when asked what she was doing out of bed, she said "Nowlen is coming to get me", that was her dead husband and she died that night. Sometimes you know.
#26
Nursing home. Most elderly people are at ease as they get nearer and nearer to death. But this old lady, as she deteriorated over her last week or so, would SCREAM:
I DON'T WANT TO DIE!
I DON'T WANT TO DIE!
I DON'T WANT TO DIE!
I DON'T WANT TO DIE!
Really heartbreaking to see.
Noelle English 6 months ago (edited)
I can literally feel my heart break. It feels like a pang of soreness. But it only lasts a minute. Hope she's resting well, R.I.P Old Lady, you have touched many lives.
Cyndi Moring 6 months ago
my mom died as fluid filled her lungs, so she couldn't speak, and was gasping for breath. But she was crying.
#27
Not haunting but it went “so this is what retirement is like” he got hit by a car within a few days of retirement and it has to be the funniest last words normally they are sad last words
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 6 months ago
Wise man. "Live while you're alive, no one will survive. There's no warranty..."
Louise Clarke 6 months ago
My uncle retired at 65 and died at 71, Cancer is a b***h, but I feel that his stressful job also played at part.
GrammarPolice 6 months ago (edited)
My Grandad has (and has had many times before) c*ncer and it is so awful. I hate to see how damaging it can be. I would give anything just for him to be well again. He is the best Grandad in the world and I love him so much. He doesn’t deserve any of this at all. Edit: My Grandad will turn 78 in October and I just hope so so much that he will live much longer than that (without suffering of course).
Load More Replies...It’s not easy to carry the pain of losing someone. And these posts shared by medical workers show just how heavy it can be to carry the final words of someone taking their last breath. Whether whispered in fear, love, or quiet acceptance, those moments stay with the people who witness them.
#28
Both my parents work ER, so every time I say bye to anyone I love, I tell them I love them in case those are my last words to them. I don't feel sad or morbid about it, it's just that so many people regret not telling their special people how special they are when they had the chances.
I’ve Seen Things 6 months ago
I lived by this (as I didn’t live close to my parents), and I lost both my parents recently. The last time I saw my mother was Mother’s Day and I hugged her and told her how much I loved her as if it was the last time… and it was. She died unexpectedly but peacefully, but I was at peace with how we parted this earth. Correspondingly, my sister had a disagreement a few days before she passed and that is the last memory she has.
Louise Clarke 6 months ago
That's one of the ways I've worked to deal with my separation anxiety (specifically my mom) the other is her promise to live until 100.
Rinso The Red 6 months ago
Same here. I don't leave the house without making sure they know.
Load More Replies... Shark Lady 6 months ago
I do this with my daughter, even if we are having an argument. She's nearly lost me quite a few times and there is no way I want my last words to be anything but love.
Binny Tutera 6 months ago
My daughter started doing this when she was 6. My dad passed and she was in a panic that maybe she didn’t tell him she loved him last time they spoke. We realized it was a good idea and we say it to our friends and loved ones.
Terence Maguire 5 months ago
My Mama died when she was 90, of cardio myopathy (sorry if the spelling is wrong)... I was working in Oklahoma, but had come up to see the folks in Kansas, about a 10 hour drive, because I knew Mama was sick. Before I left Sunday evening, I went into her room to say goodbye before I hit the road. She always needed a nap after dinner, as the exertion of just walking from her bedroom to the kitchen exhausted her. She patted the bed for me to come lay next her. I did, and as I held her hand, we just looked at each other. I think we both knew that this was to be the last time we'd look upon each other, Mama and her Baby, with our eyes on this side. We said nothing for 20 minutes, until she whispered, "I love you". I said, "I love you, Mama", and that was it. 3 days later, I got the call as I was in WalMart. I must have looked devastated, because a lady saw my face and immediately asked what was wrong. I always love you , Mama.
Jane Hower 6 months ago
Makes me glad that I always said "I love you" to my son before parting. He passed a few days later.
Michelle C 6 months ago
Yup! Some of the last words I can ever remember my maternal grandmother speaking to me were that she loved me, too. I’ve never regretted that moment.
#29
4 year old told her mother, I'm ready. I still cry like a baby.
#30
"I see the man in the corner again."
There was no one but she'd been seeing a dark man in the corner for days and asking about him. Toward the end, this was all she talked about beside crying for her mother. Cancer.
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 6 months ago
My great grandmother was a very religious woman, Roman Catholic. I was too young to remember, but my family claims that, when she became very sick, she would often mutter "When, Lord? When?" When finally passed at age 99, she just said: "Good, you're here. Thank you."
Maples Dad 6 months ago
We'll never find out if they are hallucinations or something else. I believe something unexplained happens after death.
Load More Replies... #31
My mother in law’s last words to me are recorded. She said she loves me.
She was very ill with a degenerative lung disease. Her lungs were slowly filling up with scar tissue and less and so she was taking in less and less oxygen. It took her everything to say her true final words which were to my wife, her only child. She said « I could have had twelve daughters and I still wouldn’t have been taken care the way you took care of me. I love you ». She shut her eyes and died the next day.
Édit: this isn’t haunting I just had nothing else to contribute.
Cyndi Moring 6 months ago
this is how my mother died. She couldn't speak, she only cried. I got my brother on the phone and put it up to her ear so she could hear him say goodbye. After that she let go and died.
#32
Hospice nurse here- had a patient who was experiencing terminal agitation. With an expression of complete terror on his face he said “help me! They are coming to get me.”.
Kanashimi Cat 6 months ago
My dad, dying from lung cancer, kept asking who was that woman with the black veil, standing in the room. He was afraid of her.
Kathy Brooke 6 months ago
I was asked by a friend to visit her Mum who was doing this for a couple of days. I ave her reassurance, annointed her, prayed with her. She passed peacefully with a smile on her face.
Noelle English 6 months ago
That's scary. Hope he died peacefully. R.I.P Gentleman, you have touched many lives.
Cyndi Moring 6 months ago
some people are afraid of doing a life review if they've made some big mistakes in life.
#33
Not me but my aunty likes to tell this story alot. She was with a patient and they got told (nicely) that they had 2 weeks left to live. The patient looked to my aunty and then said the date "12th October" it was July and my aunty was very confused of why he said that. Anyway he passed about a week later. My aunty put that date in her calender, highly inteuiged, expecting that nothing would happen but then on 12th October, a patient came in with a severe illness and said "* other patients name* has said you've been expecting me" To this day this frekas me out and idk what happened or how this happened but I'm fricking scared to death that were in fact living as a simulation.
superfluous 6 months ago
I don't understand why OP feels that way when a little denial will set her straight (maybe aunty heard them wrong, maybe she made it up, etc.). This has worked for me for decades, in all sorts of situations.
Cyndi Moring 6 months ago
we are in a simulation that we're all part of in the 'afterlife'. There is no time and we know everything.
#34
“My goddam t**t is cold” - tough 86 year old bird with orange hair/white roots and tattoos. Last words spoken while having groin prepped with cold soap for cardiac catheterization.
Judy Reynolds 6 months ago
Likely knowing you laughed would have made her smile!
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#35
“I’m going home tonight, so I won’t see you tomorrow, bye!” D**n if she wasn’t right.
Noelle English 6 months ago
That's really said. R.I.P Female Stranger That I Do Not Know But Wish I Did. You have touched many lives.
I’ve Seen Things 6 months ago
It was highlighting censorship stupidity and it was then censored
Load More Replies... #36
Work in EMS. This doesn't happen very often. However I do distinctly recall an elderly gentleman who was determined to die in his home. Kept saying, "I'm not going back [to the hospital], I'm going to die here". Guy was having a pretty massive MI, was going to be dead in less than 12 hours. His wife and son pleaded for him to go to the hospital with us. Told him to think about his grandbabies. Told him point blank he was gonna die if he stayed. Reminded him about how alone and scared his wife would be. Tried so damned hard to figure out why he was afraid to go back. My unit and fire stayed on scene for over an hour trying to convince him to go. Even called a doctor to chat with him. He was old, but not old enough to go out just yet. Still mobile, still fully present mentally.
Sadly, we can't take people against their will, it's legally considered kidnapping. Eventually we had to leave this man. He was dead the next morning. The funny thing is, I respect the hell out of him. I think he knew something we couldn't accept, that he would pass even with intervention. I wouldn't want my body worked if I knew I was going to die anyways. Resuscitation is a violent, often fruitless endeavor.
The most haunting thing for me isn't the death or gore itself though. It's hearing the family screaming when death is announced. Hearing people, especially children, scream for their mothers is the most painful for me.
Beak Hookage 6 months ago
I was at the mall and a woman had had some kind of medical emergency in the bathroom. It was blocked off with paramedics rushing in. I never actually saw her myself, but what I did see was a little girl outside screaming "I WANT MY MUMMY!" while crying hysterically and trying to go back in. I wish I knew how it all worked out and if Mummy was okay because it was one of the most horrible things I've ever heard. :(
Noelle English 6 months ago
What happened to the little girl? I'm so sorry you and her had to see that. That must've been traumatizing for her, and you, too.
Load More Replies... Lady Eowyn 6 months ago
My dad told me many times he was terrified of dying in a hospital hooked up to tubes. He died in his bed of a massive heart attack. Mom said he was literally half in and half out of bed. (She was in a different room and he was quite depressed and sleeping a lot so she didn't think to look in on him frequently.) He was 80, had had triple bypass some years before, but I think he just was tired of living.
superfluous 6 months ago
Thank you for sharing that. I don't mean to make light of your loss, but why is it that only old people are allowed to be tired of living? It seems to be diagnosed as depression in younger people?
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Papa 6 months ago
That story reminded me of my father-in-law. He was living alone and doing well at 89, but then he broke his arm, and then later fell, and had to go to the hospital. After a few weeks he realized he'd never be able to go home again, but he insisted he didn't want to die in the hospital. We got him moved to a small nursing home one afternoon, and my wife got a call about 6:00 the next morning saying he had passed away.
Paul Jayne 6 months ago
I worked in ER many years ago. A patient I was familiar with came in via ambulance after yet another cardiac episode. He was maybe aged 40-50. This time he did not survive. He had red hair. I saw a family with red haired children come rushing into reception and they were ushered into the director's office. Then the screaming started.
#37
My dad was / is English and “home” was always England. Dad was in home hospice for three months, after 10 years with Parkinson’s. He couldn’t get out of bed anymore and one day he said to my mom, “Let’s get out of here.” My mom asked, “Where do you want to go?” “Home.”.
#38
I was visiting my grandpa and had to leave town and go back to medical school, and I told him I loved him and would see him later. He told me he loved me too, but no I wouldnt. He was right, he died a week later of pneumonia.
#39
I'm an EMT. Had a patient say "I don't feel so good" right before they dropped dead of a massive heart attack.
It was just the matter of fact way they said it.
Deep One 6 months ago
Right up there with "Hey y'all watch this!" or "Hold my beer!"
Load More Replies... #40
A family friend had a very young niece that was dying from cancer. Her parents were there to comfort her in the final hours, and one of the last things she asked was "How do I die?".
#41
Not a medical worker, but I was giving lunch to my grandma and then she went to take a nap. She said "see you later, little one". She did never woke.
Lady Eowyn 6 months ago
My mom's aid told us she went in to take a nap and never woke up. She was 96.
#42
RN here. I don’t remember this guy’s admitting diagnosis (he wasn’t assigned to me), but my coworker asked me to help start an IV on him; he needed a unit of blood and his peripheral access had gone bad. I placed a tourniquet and was ready to stick, then he looked at me and said “I’m dying.” Immediately went unresponsive. I checked his pupils; I watched one dilate & the other constrict. We coded him; never got him back.
#43
Had a patient on the cardiac icu during my second month of intern year who had newly diagnosed heart failure that we couldn't figure out what caused it.
He was a healthy guy. In his 60s. Did yoga every day, walked a few miles 5 days a week. Genuinely nice guy which is always a bad prognostic sign.
With his heart failure, his heart was so stretched out and not squeezing adequately to provide the blood and subsequent oxygen he needs to the rest of his body. A few nights into his hospital stay, I come in the next morning and discovered that the senior resident had to code him for sustained unstable heart arrhythmia ( unstable v tach). I went and talked with him about it the next morning and he told me that he was in and out of consciousness during it all (from the low blood pressure) but he compared it to the feeling of jumping out of the plane and sky diving.
Later that morning I was checking on him again and he didn't look so good. He goes into the arrhythmia again, drops his blood pressure, and is in and out of consciousness. As I'm charging the defibrillator to shock him again, he comes back around to and briefly and asks me if I'm taking him sky diving again and let's out a nervous laugh before losing consciousness.
#44
"I'm gonna f**k y'all up" - Old man who never attended his dialysis appointments
A few hours later we had a fire right by his former room, so despite not being all that worrying at the time, he definitely was the only one that followed through on actually haunting us.
#45
Wasn't his last words, but last words he said to me.
I am an EMT, and we had a frequent patient, almost once a week. he was a HUGE d**k, but towards the end he turned into a sweet and appreciative man. We were in his house, which what ended up being out last day there. He knew it. I didn't. He said "can i just have a beer before we leave for the hospital." i didn't let him have it. i should have.
Cyndi Moring 6 months ago
my dad passed from cancer at age 58. He got to go home once for an overnight and all he wanted was a beer. When he went back into the hospital he never came out again.
Shark Lady 6 months ago
The EMT couldn't allow it, many medications can have adverse reactions if there is alcohol in your system. If they had allowed it their job could have been in jeopardy.
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#46
"You tell that man to get out of here right now!" she screamed while starring behind me, eyes sharp and focused on *something*. Me, in the middle of the night. While I was working the haunted hall, by myself.
All of the heebie's, and most of the jeebies.
#47
Had a patient that kept coding, but every time they came back they’d get crazy strong, fight everyone, and then start saying the Lord’s Prayer...they’d trail off and code again.
Another one snatched me by the arm and pleaded that they wanted to see their baby grow up. Sixty seconds later I was pumping away on their chest.
In my line of work I hear a lot of last words. These two though- surprisingly weren’t the final last words. I just thought they were and at the time it was a perfectly rational thought.
Of last last words my favorites were always the “I want you to go away and leave me alone. I’m going to sleep. Goodbye.” Family members didn’t pick up on that one, but that patient and his eyes said it all.
Edit: Code = Code blue = Heart stopped/stopped breathing = dead.
Bored Birgit 6 months ago
Often they die when their family members leave the room for a short time.
Jane Hower 6 months ago
The soul likes to depart in private. Happens a lot.
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#48
Not me but a friend of mine. She was with a patient who was drifting off and she said he just smiled and chuckled before saying "I don't see them anymore. I guess I win..." he died directly after. She vacated that room so fast her smell was gone slower than she was. She's a very superstitious chick so it freaked her the f**k out.
#49
Paramedic here. I was transporting a cardiac patient and while we were both watching my EKG monitor, he went into Vfib, a lethal heart rhythm. His heart stopped pumping blood effectively at that point but there was enough blood pressure for a few seconds of consciousness. He looked at me and said "But I don't see the light." and went unconscious.
Coded him, shocked him a few times, meds by the handful, but he died.
#50
When I was a senior resident a young man (late 20s) was admitted for pneumonia. He got worse quickly and I was called to his room to help while on call that night. He was having trouble breathing and needed intubated. I explained all this to him and that I would sedate him and them get him intubated so we could help him breathe. He agreed and we got everything ready. The last thing he said to me was "Doc, please don't let me die." I told him I would do my very best. I got him intubated and transferred to the ICU. A few weeks later I was on call covering the ICU and he was barely hanging on. I knew he would not make it through the night. He went into V-fib several times and I was able to bring him back, but only briefly. He was just too sick and he died shortly after that. It was horrible talking to his mother and girlfriend and comforting them knowing the last words he ever spoke were to me saying please don't let me die.
Bored Birgit 6 months ago
I heard that of Covid-19 patients before they got intubated and the machines took over (ECMO).
#51
Not my patient but a friend of mine. He had a pateint with a AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm) you're aorta is bulging and throbbing about ready to pop, the pain is very severe and agonizing and if it does rupture the pain immediately goes away and feels so good but you're chances of survival are pretty much non existent even if you are prepped on the operating table when it ruptures. Anyways he had a 15 year old with one and on the way to the hospital she looks at him and just says "oh that feels so much better" and died about 10 seconds later.
#52
About twelve years ago we got some really bad news. My brother who had an undiagnosed autoimmune disorder took the news really bad. He got really sick and the next day he passed away. His last words were its broken its broken. My little brother was with him and he said it's ok I fixed it. Then he fell asleep and died. I think he was talking about his heart. I truly believed he died of a broken heart. It haunts me everyday.
#53
It’s not words that haunt me. It’s the last few agonal breaths, gasping and gurgling, before they are gone. I still remember the first patient I lost as we stood by as per patient/family request. Haunting.
Cronecast AtTheRisingMoon 6 months ago
And it doesn’t sound like I thought it would. I first heard it in a 911 recording of a Seattle homeowner who was on his cell, in a closet, reporting a break in, and tells the operator that they were coming upstairs. When the robber found him he opened fire and the robber was killed while his accomplice fled. But at first it was impossible to tell the caller was the survivor…because the first sound the cell picked up was the death rattle of the robber. Talk about making your blood run cold. The poor homeowner had been terrified, this wasn’t a yehaw type of guy who couldn’t wait to shoot someone and those moments of trying to figure out who was left alive were freaky.
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#54
I was with my father as he lay dying in the hospital. It was a long and emotionally exhausting process so we kids took turns sitting with him and holding his hand for when he would wake up. He was in and out of lucidity but just before he went he opened his eyes, gripped my hand hard, looked me in the eye and said, "I don't like that guy in the black suit sitting over in the corner." My blood ran cold and I quickly looked over my should and there was an empty chair there. I don't know if he was remembering some incident from his past, hallucinating, or if he saw "someone" more sinister. I didn't mention it to my siblings for years and even since then they don't like to talk about it.
Aileen Grist 6 months ago
The grim reaper is male - but death is female. A friend of mine - anorexic - was in hospital with chicken pox that she caught off her kids. Very, very poorly, in a side ward. One night a woman came in, dressed in a sharp suit and carrying a briefcase, she opened the briefcase took out a paper, asked if she was ..., my friend said yes, started moving towards her and then tipped her head to one side and said 'I'm needed next door'. She walked through the solid wall to the next sideward and next thing my friend heard was that the woman in the next room had died.
Maples Dad 6 months ago
So many people from all around the world, different cultures and beliefs have said this before they have died. It can't be a coincidence.
#55
During my residency I was on call and running the hospital (as senior residents tend to do). One of my responsibilities was being in charge of the entire ICU (which had about 16-20 bed capacity).
I was taking care of a man who had a bowel perforation (a hole in his intestines). He had a NG (nasogastric) tube up his nose into his stomach so that he wouldn’t drown in his own feces. His brother and sister in law came to visit him and they had a nice conversation. I walked in as they were leaving and they said to him “make sure to listen to the doctor” as they left.
The patient and I talked a bit and he wasn’t looking so good. I kept hearing a gargling sound as he was speaking to me. The kind of sound you make when you rinse out your mouth with mouth wash and spit it out. I immediately checked his NG tube and it came right out. He looked at me and said “I shouldn’t have played with the tube..” before going pale and losing a pulse. I did everything in my power to save him that day, but his lungs were full of stool and he died 20 minutes later.
The rest of the day I felt utterly numb and it still sits with me to this day. To have a patient smiling and laughing with you one moment, then being deceased 20 minutes later is one hell of a rollercoaster ride.
Edit : to clear up a few quick points. The NG tube was attached to a canister on the wall and set to *suction* to help remove contents. And the patient most likely aspirated (think about when you eat and cough/swallow at the same time and the food goes down the “wrong pipe” = airway versus the esophagus) after he pulled his tube out enough that it slipped out of his esophagus and thus allowed the contents to flow down the airway.
I hope this clears things up. Sorry for any confusion. And thanks for the great questions and discussion. I’m doing my best to get to them during work.
Edit 2 - switched esophagus and airway up. Thanks kind redditor.
Norm Gilmore 6 months ago
Can't reply to @Smeghead Tribble Down Under now but pull your head in and apologise to all nurses for that assinine comment.
zububonsai 6 months ago (edited)
Smeghead Tribble Down under is known here to be one of the more unpleasant Pandas, hurling insults and nasty comments in the general direction of anybody even if they behave/work decently (here: nurses/doctors) and is - IMHO - not worth any remark. (IMO, he/she is probably wondering why no one leaves an upvote here though he is such a "funny and nice guy"(/s) and why nobody visits him in real life.). /// Smeghead's insults and curses offend even me and rub me the wrong way and I'm coming from an area where people are using very direct and frank speech and use curses like commata and nobody bats an eye.
Load More Replies... #56
I work as a PA for a clinic so I’ll never be involved in that situation but I know a friend who has been. She is also a PA and was helping a guy who was terminally ill. Before he passed he asked her to not let his wife have his s**t. Of course she listens and is sympathetic. A day or so after he passed his ex wife apparently shows up to the hospital with several kids saying she is in this guys will. Long story short she was trying to take his s**t.
#57
When I was training I had a guy go into a massive cardiac arrest. We ended up working on him for over an hour and a half because we kept getting him back then losing him again. He had wet himself during the arrest (which is common, it happens) and he just kept apologising for "making a mess.".
#58
Not a healthcare worker but my grandfather passed this week at 89 years old. He was a very sharp sane man, not senile or any dementia. The two days leading to his passing he began to see things. He told me, do you see Michael Angelo painting? I said no. He said, he’s painting invisible dust. Everything he paints disappears. I hope the bathroom is still there. He also told us he could see little men jumping from the fan blades. It was really strange. It sounded like he was tripping acid but obviously he wasn’t. He prayed over and over the night before he passed. We found him deceased in the morning. :(.
Binny Tutera 6 months ago
Doesn’t matter, doesn’t have real relevance to the story.
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#60
Not a medical worker, but First Responder qualified at the time. I found a guy lying on the street I sort of knew but didn't recognize then. Reeked of alcohol and smelled rotten. I grabbed his hand and tried to talk to him, and see what was going on, what happened, if he was in pain, etc. He looked at me and said, "Dianne, I didn't expect to see you here." He cried a bit, and stopped breathing soon after that. Dianne was his late wife. He was dead before the ambulance got there, and my attempts at CPR didnt work. I feel bad for the EMTs because I might have blamed them for taking too long.
What do you think ?
Kathy Brooke 6 months ago
My congenitally sick husband's last words, after they took him into theatre, were to the team about to try to save his life... "if I dont come through this I want to thank you as representatives of the NHS for all the extra years you've given me". He didn't make it. But he made twice his life expectancy at birth, and those years were our marriage. I will fight for the NHS with my every breath.
Emilu 6 months ago
Both my pup (grandfather) and great aunt (basically aunt for how close we were) were basically motionless and unresponsive before they died, but they both waved to me before they died. My pup had his head shaved because he had a head injury and looked nothing like himself. I can't remember what he actually looked like. I just remember him waving at me.
Littlemiss 6 months ago
My Dad's final words were give me kisses and give me loves. He told us he loved us and basically lost consciousness and died 2 hours later.
Ruth Watry 6 months ago
Not me, but my 93 year old grandma had severe congestive heart failure and angina. When she knew it was her time, she called an ambulance, told the hospital DNR and to not call her family, and a LPN sat at her side for 2 hours as she went through severe angina and then passed. She did not want her family to find her body or to watch her pass.
Melody 6 months ago (edited)
My grandpa couldn't speak (at least not clearly enough for anyone to have any idea what he was trying to say) the day before he died. I wish I'd gone to visit him sooner. I hadn't seen him since I was 10 years old. I could've driven just three hours to go visit him at any time from when I was 21 until he died when I was 26. But I didn't until my aunt posted on Facebook that he was dying because I was worried I'd run into my abüsive mom. If I'd gone to visit him just once in those five years, maybe he'd still be alive, because it turns out he was being horrifically abused and neglected by my uncle. Maybe I could've done something and gotten him out of there. I think I would've taken one look at his living situation and immediately started looking into how to get adult protective services to help him. And then I wasn't even there when he died because I spent the night with my cousin and we stayed up super late talking and he died before we'd had a chance to get ready to go see him.
Bob Gorski 6 months ago
Please forgive yourself. Your Grandpa already has and he sends his love!
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Melanie Filmer 6 months ago
I'm a chronic pain sufferer so I'm accepting of death when it comes for me, what I don't want is to leave my loved ones with trauma of either finding my body or regretful last words
Wombat 6 months ago
At 72 - healthy but not very fit - it's getting closer. It's a funny thing at this age - the age where if you die people say, well she had a good innings, but you still might have 20 years. I hope when I do go it's peaceful and with as much dignity as possible and that I get to be with my family.
Christine M Quigley 6 months ago
Seen many patients die, including newborns. Most deaths are silent. I didn't work in hospital with adults, mostly babies.
Bob Gorski 6 months ago
Hearing/reading these stories always makes me think again that those dying somehow are given a premonition of their pending death. My Mom told her nurse that she 'was going home tonight.' that my Dad and her parents were coming to take her. My Dad and her parents had all preceded her in death. But sure enough, at around 6:00 pm she looked beyond the people in the room, smiled and died.
Undercover 6 months ago
Many people are afraid of the death... but it's such a special, emotional process where every word and gesture really MATTERS. Being with someone on their last journey is just humanity in it's fullest, rawest, most touching manifestation. I consider myself blessed because I was part of this breathtaking journey twice. Never forgotten, M and M, you showed me that death is so much more than a sad, clandestine event. It was a honour to know you two strong, wise, funny and warm ladies 🫡😢🥹❤️
Undercover 6 months ago
Edit: one of my favourite memories of M2 was when I started my shift and greeted her (cancer, already wheelchair bound) : "Hey, how you're doing today?" and this little, shy lady blasts out: "My assholee is itching!!" I felt so sorry for her (and immediately took care of the problem), but it was so funny at the same time because she had zero fuckks to give left. It's all the emotions at once.
Load More Replies... Kathy Brooke 6 months ago
My congenitally sick husband's last words, after they took him into theatre, were to the team about to try to save his life... "if I dont come through this I want to thank you as representatives of the NHS for all the extra years you've given me". He didn't make it. But he made twice his life expectancy at birth, and those years were our marriage. I will fight for the NHS with my every breath.
Emilu 6 months ago
Both my pup (grandfather) and great aunt (basically aunt for how close we were) were basically motionless and unresponsive before they died, but they both waved to me before they died. My pup had his head shaved because he had a head injury and looked nothing like himself. I can't remember what he actually looked like. I just remember him waving at me.
Littlemiss 6 months ago
My Dad's final words were give me kisses and give me loves. He told us he loved us and basically lost consciousness and died 2 hours later.
Ruth Watry 6 months ago
Not me, but my 93 year old grandma had severe congestive heart failure and angina. When she knew it was her time, she called an ambulance, told the hospital DNR and to not call her family, and a LPN sat at her side for 2 hours as she went through severe angina and then passed. She did not want her family to find her body or to watch her pass.
Melody 6 months ago (edited)
My grandpa couldn't speak (at least not clearly enough for anyone to have any idea what he was trying to say) the day before he died. I wish I'd gone to visit him sooner. I hadn't seen him since I was 10 years old. I could've driven just three hours to go visit him at any time from when I was 21 until he died when I was 26. But I didn't until my aunt posted on Facebook that he was dying because I was worried I'd run into my abüsive mom. If I'd gone to visit him just once in those five years, maybe he'd still be alive, because it turns out he was being horrifically abused and neglected by my uncle. Maybe I could've done something and gotten him out of there. I think I would've taken one look at his living situation and immediately started looking into how to get adult protective services to help him. And then I wasn't even there when he died because I spent the night with my cousin and we stayed up super late talking and he died before we'd had a chance to get ready to go see him.
Bob Gorski 6 months ago
Please forgive yourself. Your Grandpa already has and he sends his love!
Load More Replies... Melanie Filmer 6 months ago
I'm a chronic pain sufferer so I'm accepting of death when it comes for me, what I don't want is to leave my loved ones with trauma of either finding my body or regretful last words
Wombat 6 months ago
At 72 - healthy but not very fit - it's getting closer. It's a funny thing at this age - the age where if you die people say, well she had a good innings, but you still might have 20 years. I hope when I do go it's peaceful and with as much dignity as possible and that I get to be with my family.
Christine M Quigley 6 months ago
Seen many patients die, including newborns. Most deaths are silent. I didn't work in hospital with adults, mostly babies.
Bob Gorski 6 months ago
Hearing/reading these stories always makes me think again that those dying somehow are given a premonition of their pending death. My Mom told her nurse that she 'was going home tonight.' that my Dad and her parents were coming to take her. My Dad and her parents had all preceded her in death. But sure enough, at around 6:00 pm she looked beyond the people in the room, smiled and died.
Undercover 6 months ago
Many people are afraid of the death... but it's such a special, emotional process where every word and gesture really MATTERS. Being with someone on their last journey is just humanity in it's fullest, rawest, most touching manifestation. I consider myself blessed because I was part of this breathtaking journey twice. Never forgotten, M and M, you showed me that death is so much more than a sad, clandestine event. It was a honour to know you two strong, wise, funny and warm ladies 🫡😢🥹❤️
Undercover 6 months ago
Edit: one of my favourite memories of M2 was when I started my shift and greeted her (cancer, already wheelchair bound) : "Hey, how you're doing today?" and this little, shy lady blasts out: "My assholee is itching!!" I felt so sorry for her (and immediately took care of the problem), but it was so funny at the same time because she had zero fuckks to give left. It's all the emotions at once.
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