A hospice nurse says many patients often see something that brings comfort before they die
A hospice nurse claims dying patients often see the same thing in the days and weeks leading up to their death. Julie McFadden, an end-of-life nurse and bestselling author from California, shares videos as ‘Hospice Nurse Julie’ to educate people about what happens during the dying process.
In a recent TikTok post, Julie told her 1.7 million followers: “There are comforting things about death and dying that most people don’t know.” She claimed: “I’m a hospice nurse. Here are two facts that will bring you comfort.
“First one, purely science-based. The body is built to die. It has built-in mechanisms to help us die. It turns off the hunger and thirst mechanism in our brain, so you don’t feel hungry and thirsty at the end of life.
“When you can’t eat and drink, you’re not sitting there starving or feeling thirsty. And also, your body will start increasing the calcium level and just making you more and more tired. So you’re gonna sleep a lot, not eat, and drink, and it’s not gonna bother you much.
“Your body can eventually go into ketosis, which releases endorphins, makes you feel good, and dulls pain. So literally, our bodies are built to help us die.”
Julie continued: “The second one is a little more unexplainable, but it does happen, and I mean happen all the time. And that’s usually around a few weeks before death someone will start seeing dead relatives, dead loved ones, old pets that have died.
“They usually come, bring them comforting messages, and bring the person dying a lot of comfort. We don’t know why this happens, but it happens so much that we tell people about it so they’re not confused when their loved one starts talking to somebody that they can’t see and that has already died.”
The NHS says: “It’s quite common for people to be restless at times in their last few days. Sometimes there are reasons for this, like needing to pass urine or move the bowels, or being hot or uncomfortable. But, there might not be a clear cause.
“Sometimes people can appear confused and they may not recognise familiar faces. They may see or hear people or things that are not actually there.” The advice continues: “Sometimes confusion or delirium is part of the illness.
“It can also be because the person is drifting in and out of sleep, and is less aware of what is real and what is not. People with certain conditions affecting their brain like dementia or some types of cancer are more likely to be restless or confused when they’re dying.”
If you’re worried someone you are caring for is restless or confused, help and support is available. Visit the NHS website for more.