Re: The Dying process Warning: graphic explanation

[Guest guest]

Thanks Carolyn, I also have fears about dying but too embarrassed to ask. What you wrote has helped, thanks, Louise/ipf/96Carolyn Merritt wrote: Dear Joyce: In this day and age there is little need to fear the dying process. Yes there are some

horrifying deaths but these are the ones you read about from sudden traumatic injuries such as car accidents, animal attacks and so forth where there is not time for the body to shut down before death takes place and while the pain centers may shut down, the fear remains. The majority of deaths however, are at a much slower pace from disease processes. As a nurse of over 25 years I have taken care of many, many Hospice Patients. They dying process is different for everyone to a certain degree. First of all the wishes of the patient are taken into consideration as to whether they want to "be put out of it" during the last day, hours or moments of life or prefer to be awake and alert right to the end. Many are afraid of being afraid and it used to be that there were only narcotics to give to these patients, which did relieve fear but it also rendered the person semi-comatose as well so

they lost much of their ability to talk to their loved ones at the final moments of life. Today there are many medications that can be given to alleviate the fear without over-sedating the person, thereby allowing them to remain somewhat alert to communicate with family. When the person reaches the final moments of life, the oxygen levels decrease and the person becomes sleepier more and more and for longer periods of time. As the end approaches the sleep becomes deeper and deeper until the person becomes comatose. At that point it is much like being given a general anesthetic before surgery...you know nothing, you feel nothing. As the comatose state deepens, the breathing becomes more shallow and the heartbeat becomes more irregular. Eventually there is not enough oxygen being supplied to sustain the heartbeat or brain function and the person goes into cardiac and respiratory arrest without any awareness of it just as if

they died on the operating table. Through the hundreds upon hundreds of patients I have been with through the dying process, none of them were aware of the moment of death and all of them went into a deep peaceful sleep hours or days before death. Hope this helps some, Carolyn -- Re: good news/bad news you be the judge........ Hi Joy I fear "dying" a

lot more than "death". The pain and suffering are very, very scary to me. I have felt this way for many years--way before this illness. Joyce ipf 3/06 > i saw my new pulm today. she is one who is recommended by the > PFF..she also has a reputation for being one of the best pulms in > the houston area. > > upon reviewing my old and new cat scan film side by side, the biopsy > report, blood work, etc....she says there is absolutely no way i > have pulmonary fibrosis. > > is this good? yes and no. i however do have a severe case of > eosinophilic granuloma aka langerhan's which is what barb in ky also > has. this too is incurable and there are no known meds to treat with. > > at this point the actimmune injections are being

stopped. the > prednisone i am being weaned off of 5mg at a time each week until it > is gone. i was told however that i should have been on bactim since > the day prednisone was started because of the fact that prednisone > destroys your immune system and the body has no way of fighting off > infections. so now i am being put on bactim every other day until 30 > days after my last dose of prednisone. > > i am also being referred to the transplant team at baylor to undergo > transplant evaluation.( of course they have to get insurance > approval for all evaluation procedures before they will schedule > anything and i was told to expect 10 days of rigorous testing) YIKES! > > good news. life expectancy has just gone from 2 yrs to 13

but i > still need my O2 upon physical exertion and for sleeping. i had my > first 6 minute walk test today and with the O2 at 2 liters at the > end of the 6 minutes my stats were 84.....not so good and the > machine kept clicking off because the battery was low so the tech > really couldn't tell how much my stats had dropped until she plugged > it in and printed out the report. DUH! batteries aren't that > expensive! especially if ya get the rechargable kind! > > 4 dr's and 4 different opinions....which one am i supposed to take > to heart. also my biopsy slides are going to be stained AGAIN for > conclusive diagnosis. > > this is all the news i have for now. > > dx? who the heck nows these days lol > > > > > > > Live one day at a time. > It's a gift to each of us. We need > to use each day with care. > Joy > > > > > --------------------------------- > Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out. > > > > > > > Live one day at a time. > It's a gift to each of us. We need > to use each day with care. > Joy > > > > > > > Joy > (IPF 3/06) > Today is a gift for each > of us. Enjoy it. >

[Guest guest]

Thanks Carolyn. I'm glad your response to me has helped other people.

Joyce ipf 3/03

> > i saw my new pulm today. she is one who is recommended by

the

> > PFF..she also has a reputation for being one of the best pulms

in

> > the houston area.

> >

> > upon reviewing my old and new cat scan film side by side, the

> biopsy

> > report, blood work, etc....she says there is absolutely no way i

> > have pulmonary fibrosis.

> >

> > is this good? yes and no. i however do have a severe case of

> > eosinophilic granuloma aka langerhan's which is what barb in ky

> also

> > has. this too is incurable and there are no known meds to treat

> with.

> >

> > at this point the actimmune injections are being stopped. the

> > prednisone i am being weaned off of 5mg at a time each week

until

> it

> > is gone. i was told however that i should have been on bactim

since

> > the day prednisone was started because of the fact that

prednisone

> > destroys your immune system and the body has no way of fighting

off

> > infections. so now i am being put on bactim every other day

until

> 30

> > days after my last dose of prednisone.

> >

> > i am also being referred to the transplant team at baylor to

> undergo

> > transplant evaluation.( of course they have to get insurance

> > approval for all evaluation procedures before they will schedule

> > anything and i was told to expect 10 days of rigorous testing)

> YIKES!

> >

> > good news. life expectancy has just gone from 2 yrs to 13 but i

> > still need my O2 upon physical exertion and for sleeping. i had

my

> > first 6 minute walk test today and with the O2 at 2 liters at

the

> > end of the 6 minutes my stats were 84.....not so good and the

> > machine kept clicking off because the battery was low so the

tech

> > really couldn't tell how much my stats had dropped until she

> plugged

> > it in and printed out the report. DUH! batteries aren't that

> > expensive! especially if ya get the rechargable kind!

> >

> > 4 dr's and 4 different opinions....which one am i supposed to

take

> > to heart. also my biopsy slides are going to be stained AGAIN

for

> > conclusive diagnosis.

> >

> > this is all the news i have for now.

> >

> > dx? who the heck nows these days lol

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Live one day at a time.

> > It's a gift to each of us. We need

> > to use each day with care.

> > Joy

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Live one day at a time.

> > It's a gift to each of us. We need

> > to use each day with care.

> > Joy

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Joy

> > (IPF 3/06)

> > Today is a gift for each

> > of us. Enjoy it.

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Carolyn, Does a pacemaker interfear with the normal dying process? My cousin passed in March 05 and his wife told me his pacemaker would bring him back after his pulse had stopped. Was that her imagination? Grey 10/05 IPF

Re: good news/bad news you be the judge........

Hi Joy

I fear "dying" a lot more than "death". The pain and suffering are

very, very scary to me. I have felt this way for many years--way

before this illness.

Joyce ipf 3/06

> i saw my new pulm today. she is one who is recommended by the

> PFF..she also has a reputation for being one of the best pulms in

> the houston area.

>

> upon reviewing my old and new cat scan film side by side, the

biopsy

> report, blood work, etc....she says there is absolutely no way i

> have pulmonary fibrosis.

>

> is this good? yes and no. i however do have a severe case of

> eosinophilic granuloma aka langerhan's which is what barb in ky

also

> has. this too is incurable and there are no known meds to treat

with.

>

> at this point the actimmune injections are being stopped. the

> prednisone i am being weaned off of 5mg at a time each week until

it

> is gone. i was told however that i should have been on bactim since

> the day prednisone was started because of the fact that prednisone

> destroys your immune system and the body has no way of fighting off

> infections. so now i am being put on bactim every other day until

30

> days after my last dose of prednisone.

>

> i am also being referred to the transplant team at baylor to

undergo

> transplant evaluation.( of course they have to get insurance

> approval for all evaluation procedures before they will schedule

> anything and i was told to expect 10 days of rigorous testing)

YIKES!

>

> good news. life expectancy has just gone from 2 yrs to 13 but i

> still need my O2 upon physical exertion and for sleeping. i had my

> first 6 minute walk test today and with the O2 at 2 liters at the

> end of the 6 minutes my stats were 84.....not so good and the

> machine kept clicking off because the battery was low so the tech

> really couldn't tell how much my stats had dropped until she

plugged

> it in and printed out the report. DUH! batteries aren't that

> expensive! especially if ya get the rechargable kind!

>

> 4 dr's and 4 different opinions....which one am i supposed to take

> to heart. also my biopsy slides are going to be stained AGAIN for

> conclusive diagnosis.

>

> this is all the news i have for now.

>

> dx? who the heck nows these days lol

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Live one day at a time.

> It's a gift to each of us. We need

> to use each day with care.

> Joy

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Live one day at a time.

> It's a gift to each of us. We need

> to use each day with care.

> Joy

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Joy

> (IPF 3/06)

> Today is a gift for each

> of us. Enjoy it.

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you Carolyn. This is exactly what happened with my mom and dad. Joy IPF 3/06Carolyn Merritt wrote: Dear Joyce: In this day and age there is little need to fear the dying process. Yes there are some horrifying deaths but these are the ones you read about from sudden

traumatic injuries such as car accidents, animal attacks and so forth where there is not time for the body to shut down before death takes place and while the pain centers may shut down, the fear remains. The majority of deaths however, are at a much slower pace from disease processes. As a nurse of over 25 years I have taken care of many, many Hospice Patients. They dying process is different for everyone to a certain degree. First of all the wishes of the patient are taken into consideration as to whether they want to "be put out of it" during the last day, hours or moments of life or prefer to be awake and alert right to the end. Many are afraid of being afraid and it used to be that there were only narcotics to give to these patients, which did relieve fear but it also rendered the person semi-comatose as well so they lost much of their ability to talk to their loved ones at the

final moments of life. Today there are many medications that can be given to alleviate the fear without over-sedating the person, thereby allowing them to remain somewhat alert to communicate with family. When the person reaches the final moments of life, the oxygen levels decrease and the person becomes sleepier more and more and for longer periods of time. As the end approaches the sleep becomes deeper and deeper until the person becomes comatose. At that point it is much like being given a general anesthetic before surgery...you know nothing, you feel nothing. As the comatose state deepens, the breathing becomes more shallow and the heartbeat becomes more irregular. Eventually there is not enough oxygen being supplied to sustain the heartbeat or brain function and the person goes into cardiac and respiratory arrest without any awareness of it just as if they died on the operating table. Through the hundreds upon

hundreds of patients I have been with through the dying process, none of them were aware of the moment of death and all of them went into a deep peaceful sleep hours or days before death. Hope this helps some, Carolyn -- Re: good news/bad news you be the judge........ Hi Joy I fear "dying" a lot more than "death". The pain and suffering are very, very scary to me. I have felt this way for many years--way before this illness. Joyce ipf 3/06 > i saw my new pulm today. she is one who is recommended by the > PFF..she also has a reputation for being one of the best pulms in > the houston area. > > upon reviewing my old and new cat scan film side by side, the biopsy > report, blood work, etc....she says there is absolutely no way i > have pulmonary fibrosis. > > is this good? yes and no. i however do have a severe case of > eosinophilic granuloma aka langerhan's which is what barb in ky also > has. this too is incurable and there are no known meds to treat with. > > at this point the actimmune injections are being stopped. the > prednisone i am being weaned off of 5mg at

a time each week until it > is gone. i was told however that i should have been on bactim since > the day prednisone was started because of the fact that prednisone > destroys your immune system and the body has no way of fighting off > infections. so now i am being put on bactim every other day until 30 > days after my last dose of prednisone. > > i am also being referred to the transplant team at baylor to undergo > transplant evaluation.( of course they have to get insurance > approval for all evaluation procedures before they will schedule > anything and i was told to expect 10 days of rigorous testing) YIKES! > > good news. life expectancy has just gone from 2 yrs to 13 but i > still need my O2 upon physical exertion and for

sleeping. i had my > first 6 minute walk test today and with the O2 at 2 liters at the > end of the 6 minutes my stats were 84.....not so good and the > machine kept clicking off because the battery was low so the tech > really couldn't tell how much my stats had dropped until she plugged > it in and printed out the report. DUH! batteries aren't that > expensive! especially if ya get the rechargable kind! > > 4 dr's and 4 different opinions....which one am i supposed to take > to heart. also my biopsy slides are going to be stained AGAIN for > conclusive diagnosis. > > this is all the news i have for now. > > dx? who the heck nows these days lol > > > > > > > Live one day at a time. > It's a gift to each of us. We need > to use each day with care. > Joy > > > > > --------------------------------- > Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out. > > > > > > > Live one day at a time. > It's a gift to each of us. We need > to use each day with care. > Joy > > > > > > > Joy > (IPF 3/06) > Today is a gift for each > of us. Enjoy it. >

[Guest guest]

Hi Joyce, I went to LegacyWriter.com and did an Advanced Health Care Directive. All you need to do is print, sign and have two witnesses sign it. Take a look, I think it covers everything.

Love and Prayers, Peggy 9/04 ipf

Carolyn,

I am so grateful for your explanation as to what happens at death. I have struggled with the fear of this. I especially am fearful of the struggle to breathe and smothering. Thank God that you are experienced and can relieve those fears.

Whenever I go into the hospital they ask if I have an end of life directive. I do not. I have an enduring power of attorney .. my husband that gives him the right to make decisions for me if I cannot. But, I would like to have my preferences to treatment in writing.

Would you be uncomfortable in helping me word such a document? I want to die without pain and without struggling to breathe if that is possible. I do not want to be kept alive if all lung function or brain function is gone. But, I do not want to direct my health care or my dying in such a way that would take the end of my life out of the hands of God. I do not want to orchestrate my own death, so to speak. I do know that God is in control and I give him all power over my life and death.

I appreciate the work that you have done. I have watched Hospice nurses and volunteers and they are all wonderful.

If you do not feel comfortable answering this on the board, you can send it directly to my e-mail address.

Hugs, Joyce PF 1997

> > Dear Joyce:

> > In this day and age there is little need to fear the dying

> process. Yes there are some horrifying deaths but these are the ones

> you read about from sudden traumatic injuries such as car accidents,

> animal attacks and so forth where there is not time for the body to

> shut down before death takes place and whil

[Guest guest]

Hi Joyco P butting in with some info http://www.agingwithdignity.org/5wishes.pdf http://familydoctor.org/003.xml http://www.growthhouse.org/ http://www.ahrq.gov/research/endliferia/endria.htm http://www.rwjf.org/newsroom/featureDetail.jsp?featureID=886 & type=3 P UIP 8/00 PH 6/06 Gerds 8/06 Joyce wrote: Carolyn, I am so grateful for your explanation as to what happens at death. I have struggled with the fear of this. I especially am fearful of the struggle to breathe and smothering. Thank God that you are experienced and can relieve those fears. Whenever I go into the hospital they ask if I have an end of life directive. I do not. I have an enduring power of attorney .. my husband that gives him the right to make decisions for me if I

cannot. But, I would like to have my preferences to treatment in writing. Would you be uncomfortable in helping me word such a document? I want to die without pain and without struggling to breathe if that is possible. I do not want to be kept alive if all lung function or brain function is gone. But, I do not want to direct my health care or my dying in such a way that would take the end of my life out of the hands of God. I do not want to orchestrate my own death, so to speak. I do know that God is in control and I give him all power over my life and death. I appreciate the work that you have done. I have watched Hospice nurses and volunteers and they are all wonderful. If you do not feel comfortable answering this on the

board, you can send it directly to my e-mail address. Hugs, Joyce PF 1997 > > > i saw my new pulm today. she is one who is recommended by > the> > > PFF..she also has a reputation for being one of the best pulms > in> > > the houston area.> > >> > > upon reviewing my old and new cat scan film side by side, the> > biopsy> > > report, blood work, etc....she says there is absolutely no way i> > > have pulmonary fibrosis.> > >> > > is this good? yes and no. i however do have a severe case of> > > eosinophilic granuloma aka langerhan's which is what barb in ky> > also> > > has. this too is incurable

and there are no known meds to treat> > with.> > >> > > at this point the actimmune injections are being stopped. the> > > prednisone i am being weaned off of 5mg at a time each week > until> > it> > > is gone. i was told however that i should have been on bactim > since> > > the day prednisone was started because of the fact that > prednisone> > > destroys your immune system and the body has no way of fighting > off> > > infections. so now i am being put on bactim every other day > until> > 30> > > days after my last dose of prednisone.> > >> > > i am also being referred to the transplant team at baylor to> > undergo> > > transplant evaluation.( of course they have to get insurance> > > approval for all evaluation procedures before they will

schedule> > > anything and i was told to expect 10 days of rigorous testing)> > YIKES!> > >> > > good news. life expectancy has just gone from 2 yrs to 13 but i> > > still need my O2 upon physical exertion and for sleeping. i had > my> > > first 6 minute walk test today and with the O2 at 2 liters at > the> > > end of the 6 minutes my stats were 84.....not so good and the> > > machine kept clicking off because the battery was low so the > tech> > > really couldn't tell how much my stats had dropped until she> > plugged> > > it in and printed out the report. DUH! batteries aren't that> > > expensive! especially if ya get the rechargable kind!> > >> > > 4 dr's and 4 different opinions....which one am i supposed to > take> > > to heart. also my biopsy slides

are going to be stained AGAIN > for> > > conclusive diagnosis.> > >> > > this is all the news i have for now.> > >> > > dx? who the heck nows these days lol> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > Live one day at a time.> > > It's a gift to each of us. We need> > > to use each day with care.> > > Joy> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > ---------------------------------> > > Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out.> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > Live one day at a time.> > > It's a gift to each of us. We need> > > to use each day with care.> > >

Joy> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > Joy> > > (IPF 3/06)> > > Today is a gift for each> > > of us. Enjoy it.> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

Yes that is her imagination. A pacemaker is not a defibrillator which is what it would have to be to "bring him back". He probably went into periods of deep coma where it appeared he was not breathing then took in a sudden gulp of air that appeared he was being resuscitated. I remember long ago when I was a fairly new nurse I had a patient that had a pacemaker and I was called to her room (she was expected to die at any moment, so no resuscitation) to check to see if she was gone. I found no pulse(though I could hear the clicking of the pacemaker), no blood pressure and no discernable respiration. I was about to notify the doctor of her death when she jerked sharply and took a big gulp of breath. My nursing assistant screamed and ran out of the room and I admit I was startled myself but my training kicked in and I knew it was just the body's last efforts at trying to live and she was actually pronounced dead 15 minutes later. Many people get pacemakers confused with defibrillators in their use. All a pacemaker can do is stimulate the heart to a regular heart beat, when the heart has either slowed down too much, skips beats or is beating too fast to be effective. It cannot resuscitate someone.

Carolyn

-- Re: The Dying process Warning: graphic explanation

Carolyn, Does a pacemaker interfear with the normal dying process? My cousin passed in March 05 and his wife told me his pacemaker would bring him back after his pulse had stopped. Was that her imagination? Grey 10/05 IPF

Re: good news/bad news you be the judge........

Hi Joy

I fear "dying" a lot more than "death". The pain and suffering are

very, very scary to me. I have felt this way for many years--way

before this illness.

Joyce ipf 3/06

> i saw my new pulm today. she is one who is recommended by the

> PFF..she also has a reputation for being one of the best pulms in

> the houston area.

>

> upon reviewing my old and new cat scan film side by side, the

biopsy

> report, blood work, etc....she says there is absolutely no way i

> have pulmonary fibrosis.

>

> is this good? yes and no. i however do have a severe case of

> eosinophilic granuloma aka langerhan's which is what barb in ky

also

> has. this too is incurable and there are no known meds to treat

with.

>

> at this point the actimmune injections are being stopped. the

> prednisone i am being weaned off of 5mg at a time each week until

it

> is gone. i was told however that i should have been on bactim since

> the day prednisone was started because of the fact that prednisone

> destroys your immune system and the body has no way of fighting off

> infections. so now i am being put on bactim every other day until

30

> days after my last dose of prednisone.

>

> i am also being referred to the transplant team at baylor to

undergo

> transplant evaluation.( of course they have to get insurance

> approval for all evaluation procedures before they will schedule

> anything and i was told to expect 10 days of rigorous testing)

YIKES!

>

> good news. life expectancy has just gone from 2 yrs to 13 but i

> still need my O2 upon physical exertion and for sleeping. i had my

> first 6 minute walk test today and with the O2 at 2 liters at the

> end of the 6 minutes my stats were 84.....not so good and the

> machine kept clicking off because the battery was low so the tech

> really couldn't tell how much my stats had dropped until she

plugged

> it in and printed out the report. DUH! batteries aren't that

> expensive! especially if ya get the rechargable kind!

>

> 4 dr's and 4 different opinions....which one am i supposed to take

> to heart. also my biopsy slides are going to be stained AGAIN for

> conclusive diagnosis.

>

> this is all the news i have for now.

>

> dx? who the heck nows these days lol

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Live one day at a time.

> It's a gift to each of us. We need

> to use each day with care.

> Joy

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Stay in the know. Pulse on the new Yahoo.com. Check it out.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Live one day at a time.

> It's a gift to each of us. We need

> to use each day with care.

> Joy

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Joy

> (IPF 3/06)

> Today is a gift for each

> of us. Enjoy it.

>

[Guest guest]

Peggy,

Thanks, I have not seen this site. I am just so concerned because I don't want to usurp God's authority in my life or in my death. I just am afraid that I would ask for something that would hasten my death and it is not my place to decide when I die. That is whittling off 'God's end of the stick'. I know I need to take care of it and I will......I have only been putting this off for 9 years!!! Can you say 'procrastinate'???

Hugs, Joyce PF 1997

> > > Dear Joyce:> > > In this day and age there is little need to fear the dying> > process. Yes there are some horrifying deaths but these are the ones> > you read about from sudden traumatic injuries such as car accidents,> > animal attacks and so forth where there is not time for the body to> > shut down before death takes place and whil>

[Guest guest]

Procrastinate is such a beautiful thing...

Love and Prayers, Peggy 9/04 ipf

Peggy,

Thanks, I have not seen this site. I am just so concerned because I don't want to usurp God's authority in my life or in my death. I just am afraid that I would ask for something that would hasten my death and it is not my place to decide when I die. That is whittling off 'God's end of the stick'. I know I need to take care of it and I will......I have only been putting this off for 9 years!!! Can you say 'procrastinate'???

Hugs, Joyce PF 1997

>

>

> Hi Joyce, I went to LegacyWriter.com and did an Advanced Health Care

> Directive. All you need to do is print, sign and have two witnesses sign it.

> Take a look, I think it covers everything.

>

> Love and Prayers, Peggy 9/04 ipf

>

> Carolyn,

>

> I am so grateful for your explanation as to what happens at death. I have

> struggled with the fear of this. I especially am fearful of the struggle to

> breathe and smothering. Thank God that you are experienced and can relieve

> those fears.

>

> Whenever I go into the hospital they ask if I have an end of life directive.

> I do not. I have an enduring power of attorney .. my husband that gives him

> the right to make decisions for me if I cannot. But, I would like to have

> my preferences to treatment in writing.

>

[Guest guest]

Joyce from Sher...We have an Oregon Advance Directive that I filled out some time ago and gave a copy to each Dr. Since he will be the one who "gives orders" I'm told the hosp. doesn't require one. It's stuck in the file and forgotten. Dr. has to say yes or no to anything anyway.

Joyce, for me personally, I don't think I can "usurp" God's authority in any way. I gather all the information I need about a situation, pray about it and then move forward. It either works out smoothly or I change directions.

I need to apply myself to staying relaxed and open so I can hear the still small voice within. Sometimes I"m making so much "noise" I can't hear a word God says!

My live right now is not at all like I "used" to live but I'm doing the best I can and I know God knows that.

I know you do these things too. I just wanted to get my two cents worth in too.

I was relieved to read about dying. I pictured in my head some horrible dramatic scene with me gasping for air and no one there.

My family knows, that most of all I want to die as peacefully as possible

and as pain-free as possible. With the drugs on the market today, I think that can be expected to happen, don't you?

I pray for all of us to be free of fear and have peace.

Love and hugs. Sher ipf 5-06

Re: The Dying process Warning: graphic explanation

Peggy,

Thanks, I have not seen this site. I am just so concerned because I don't want to usurp God's authority in my life or in my death. I just am afraid that I would ask for something that would hasten my death and it is not my place to decide when I die. That is whittling off 'God's end of the stick'. I know I need to take care of it and I will......I have only been putting this off for 9 years!!! Can you say 'procrastinate'???

Hugs, Joyce PF 1997

> > > Dear Joyce:> > > In this day and age there is little need to fear the dying> > process. Yes there are some horrifying deaths but these are the ones> > you read about from sudden traumatic injuries such as car accidents,> > animal attacks and so forth where there is not time for the body to> > shut down before death takes place and whil>