They Know! I don’t know how they know, but they know!
There comes a time when those who have an incurable terminal illness know that it is time to move on. I have seen this too often for it to be a mere coincidence, and it is a very humbling experience.
We who are to remain behind do not want to believe that it can be true and we enter a stage of denial but, if we are honest with ourselves, even we know it is true. Why do we know it is true? Because we have heard it from the very lips of the dying person themselves, and what better authority is there?
It may be that they could go on fighting, struggling to live. It could be that they have simply chosen to give up that fight, to “let go and let God”. Whatever the reason, they know!
They know that today is their last day here and tomorrow they will be… somewhere else? Gone? Imagine how it must be to have the conscious awareness of that knowledge?
* Robert (name changed) was one who knew. After almost eight months lying in a hospital bed, his body slowly decaying, he remained as lucid and alert as you or I. Then came a day when HE told US that, “This is it!”, this day was his last and that he wouldn’t be there tomorrow. We scoffed, we doubted, we spoke of how wrong he was amongst ourselves. To him we simply accepted what he said and talked about the little superficial things that meant nothing to him now. The next day, he was gone. Just like that, a candle snuffed out, a life passed away.
* Trudi was more religious in her approach and, despite being as consciously aware and lucid, making perfect sense in all other ways, she told us one day that “Our Lady” (Jesus Mother) had came to her the night before and told her she was ‘coming home’. (Her words). Again, we refused to believe it at first and even considered that her pain medication was inducing hallucinations. Yet, again, the very next day and true to her word, she had gone.
* Jack was not even an terminally ill patient. He was an active, lucid, aware, elderly man whom I spent one fine evening playing draughts with. As I escorted him upstairs to his bed, I wished him well and said I would see him the next day but he replied, I would not, because he would not be there. I had no reply so left it at that and, of course, the next day, he was gone.
Medically speaking, these two (amongst others) should have lived for a longer period than they did. I know this because the senior Medical staff told us so. There was no (medical) reason why they should have suddenly gone as they did, but they did.
I never did get the chance to ask how they knew, did not even think of asking that at the time, but it is obvious there is some sort of innate “knowing” because… well, they knew. I don’t know how they know, but they know!
Posted by scotslad60 on 2008-04-23 11:44:10 | Rating: | Views: 63
I believe there is a peace that comes to each person right before the end. As if God himself brings about the healing final stage of life that the person that is leaving us behind cannot explain..You can just sense it...
When my mum was dying, after weeks of pain and suffering, one night she called out to me. I went to her and she said to me that in the morning I was to ring all her brother and sisters and make sure they were there that night with her. Of course I said yes, but I also asked why, her replie was that that night they were going to celebrate her leaving, because by the morning she would be gone. Not knowing what to say back to her, I didn't say a thing. That morning I rang her brother and sisters as she asked. They came and spent the afternoon and night with her, By 12pm I noticed that there was a change in her, she opened her eyes and nodded to me, I called everyone in to the room. By 12.10 she was gone. Just as she had said.
I always thought that of my 4 grandparents, two had deaths that I "envied" in a sense. Not that I want to die, but that when I do go I want that kind of death.
One was fine and talking and interacting when he had a MASSIVE stroke and heart attack at the same time and was dead in 2 minutes. The other had a stroke most likely in her sleep as she was sitting alone and was alive but unable to be awaken and died physically the next day. Neither knew what hit them in a sense, although I guess my grandfather had some idea but it was fast.
Like the song says "The best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep"
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