What eyes look like before death. Harbingers of imminent death

It is not customary to talk about death out loud in our time. This is a very sensitive topic and not for the faint of heart. But there are times when knowledge is very useful, especially if there is a cancer patient or a bedridden elderly person at home. After all, this helps to mentally prepare for the inevitable end and notice the changes taking place in time. Let's discuss together the signs of death of a patient and pay attention to their key features.
Most often, signs of imminent death are classified into primary and secondary. Some develop as a consequence of others. It is logical that if a person begins to sleep more, then he eats less, etc. We will look at all of them. But, cases may be different and exceptions to the rules are acceptable. The same as options for a normal median survival rate, even with a symbiosis of terrible signs of a change in the patient’s condition. This is a kind of miracle that happens at least once in a century.

What signs of death do you know?

Changing sleep and wake patterns
Discussing the initial signs of approaching death, doctors agree that the patient has less and less time to stay awake. He is more often immersed in superficial sleep and seems to be dozing. This saves precious energy and reduces pain. The latter fades into the background, becoming, as it were, background. Of course, the emotional side suffers greatly. The paucity of expression of one’s feelings, the self-isolation of the desire to remain silent more than to speak leave an imprint on relationships with others. The desire to ask and answer any questions, to be interested in everyday life and the people around you disappears.
As a result, in advanced cases patients become apathetic and detached. They sleep almost 20 hours a day unless there is acute pain or serious irritating factors. Unfortunately, such an imbalance threatens stagnant processes, mental problems and accelerates death.

Swelling

Edema appears on the lower extremities

Very reliable signs of death are swelling and spots on the legs and arms. We are talking about malfunctions of the kidneys and circulatory system. In the first case of oncology, the kidneys do not have time to cope with toxins and they poison the body. In this case, metabolic processes are disrupted, blood is redistributed unevenly in the vessels, forming areas with spots. It is not for nothing that they say that if such marks appear, then we are talking about complete dysfunction of the limbs.

Problems with hearing, vision, perception

The first signs of death are changes in hearing, vision and normal sensation of what is happening around. Such changes can occur against the background of severe pain, cancer, blood stagnation or tissue death. Often, before death, you can observe a phenomenon with the pupils. The eye pressure drops and when pressed you can see how the pupil is deformed like a cat's.
Regarding hearing, everything is relative. He can recover in last days life or even worsen, but this is more agony.

Reduced need for food

Deterioration of appetite and sensitivity are signs of imminent death

When a cancer patient is at home, all her loved ones note the signs of death. She gradually refuses food. First, the dose decreases from a plate to a quarter of a saucer, and then the swallowing reflex gradually disappears. There is a need for nutrition through a syringe or tube. In half of the cases, a system with glucose and vitamin therapy is connected. But the effectiveness of such support is very low. The body tries to use up its own fat reserves and minimize waste. This makes it worse general state the patient becomes drowsy and has difficulty breathing.
Urinary problems and problems with natural needs
It is believed that problems with going to the toilet are also signs of approaching death. No matter how funny it may seem, in reality there is a completely logical chain in this. If defecation is not carried out once every two days or with the regularity to which a person is accustomed, then feces accumulate in the intestines. Even stones can form. As a result, toxins are absorbed from them, which seriously poison the body and reduce its performance.
It's about the same story with urination. It's harder for the kidneys to work. They allow less and less fluid to pass through and eventually the urine comes out saturated. It contains a high concentration of acids and even blood is noted. For relief, a catheter can be installed, but this is not a panacea against the general background of unpleasant consequences for a bedridden patient.

Problems with thermoregulation

Weakness is a sign of imminent death

Natural signs before the death of a patient are impaired thermoregulation and agony. The limbs begin to get very cold. Especially if the patient has paralysis, then we can even talk about the progress of the disease. The blood circulation decreases. The body fights for life and tries to maintain the functioning of the main organs, thereby depriving the limbs. They may turn pale and even become blue with venous spots.

Weakness of the body

Signs near death Everyone's may be different depending on the situation. But most often, we are talking about severe weakness, weight loss and general fatigue. A period of self-isolation begins, which is aggravated by internal processes of intoxication and necrosis. The patient cannot even raise his arm or stand on a duck for natural needs. The process of urination and defecation can occur spontaneously and even unconsciously.

Foggy mind

Many see signs of impending death in the way the patient’s normal reaction to the world. He can become aggressive, nervous, or vice versa – very passive. Memory disappears and attacks of fear may occur due to this. The patient does not immediately understand what is happening and who is nearby. The areas in the brain responsible for thinking die. And obvious inadequacy may appear.

Predagonia

This is a defensive reaction of all vital necessary systems in organism. Often, it is expressed in the onset of stupor or coma. The main role is played by regression of the nervous system, which causes in the future:
- decreased metabolism
- insufficient ventilation of the lungs due to breathing failures or alternating rapid breathing with stopping
- serious damage to organ tissue

Agony

Agony is characteristic of the last minutes of a person’s life

Agony is usually called a clear improvement in the patient’s condition against the background of destructive processes in the body. Essentially, these are the last efforts to maintain the necessary functions for continued existence. May be noted:
- improved hearing and restored vision
- adjusting breathing rhythm
- normalization of heart contractions
- restoration of consciousness in the patient
- muscle activity like cramps
- decreased sensitivity to pain
The agony can last from several minutes to an hour. Usually, it seems to foreshadow clinical death, when the brain is still alive, and oxygen ceases to flow into the tissues.
These are typical signs of death in bedridden people. But you shouldn’t dwell too much on them. After all, there may be another side of the coin. It happens that one or two such signs are simply a consequence of an illness, but they are completely reversible with proper care. Even a hopelessly bedridden patient may not have all these signs before death. And this is not an indicator. So, it is difficult to talk about mandatory rules, as well as to impose death sentences.

Reflections on the topic of life and death have always occupied the human mind. Before the development of science, one had to be content with only religious explanations; now medicine is able to explain many of the processes occurring in the body at the end of life. But it’s impossible to say for sure what a dying person or a person in a coma feels before death. Of course, some data is available thanks to the stories of survivors, but it cannot be said that these impressions will be completely similar to the sensations during real dying.

Death - what does a person feel before it?

All experiences that can occur at the moment of loss of life can be divided into physical and mental. In the first group, everything will depend on the cause of death, so let’s consider what they feel before it in the most common cases.

1. Drowning. First, laryngospasm occurs due to water entering the lungs, and when it begins to fill the lungs, a burning sensation occurs in the chest. Then consciousness goes away from the lack of oxygen, the person feels calm, then the heart stops and brain death occurs.
2. Blood loss. If a large artery is damaged, it takes several seconds for death to occur, and it is possible that the person will not even have time to feel pain. If smaller vessels are damaged and no help is provided, the dying process will drag on for several hours. At this time, in addition to panic, shortness of breath and thirst will be felt; after losing 2 out of 5 liters, loss of consciousness will occur.
3. Heart attack. Severe, prolonged or recurring pain in the chest area, which is a consequence of oxygen deficiency. Pain can spread to the arms, throat, stomach, lower jaw and back. The person also feels nauseous, shortness of breath and cold sweat. Death does not occur instantly, so with timely help it can be avoided.
4. Fire. Severe pain from burns gradually subsides as their area increases due to damage to nerve endings and the release of adrenaline, after which pain shock occurs. But most often, before dying in a fire, they feel the same as when there is a lack of oxygen: burning and severe pain in the chest, there may be nausea, sudden drowsiness and short-term activity, then paralysis and loss of consciousness occurs. This happens because people usually die in fires from carbon monoxide and smoke.
5. Falling from height. This may vary depending on the final damage. Most often, when falling from 145 meters or more, death occurs within a few minutes after landing, so there is a chance that adrenaline will blur all other sensations. A lower height and nature of the landing (hitting your head or your feet - there is a difference) can reduce the number of injuries and give hope for life, in this case the range of sensations will be wider, and the main one will be pain.

As we see, often before death, pain sensations are either completely absent or significantly reduced due to adrenaline. But he cannot explain why the patient does not feel pain before death if the process of leaving for another world was not quick. It often happens that seriously ill patients get out of bed on their last day, begin to recognize their relatives and feel a surge of strength. Doctors explain it chemical reaction to injected drugs or the mechanism of the body’s surrender to the disease. In this case, all protective barriers fall, and the forces that went into fighting the disease are released. As a result of disabled immunity, death occurs faster, and the person feels better for a short time.

State of clinical death

Now let's look at what impressions the psyche “gives” during parting with life. Here, researchers rely on stories from people who have experienced clinical death. All impressions can be divided into the following 5 groups.

1. Fear. Patients report a feeling of overwhelming horror, a sense of persecution. Some say they saw coffins, had to go through a burning ceremony, and tried to swim out.
2. Bright light. He is not always, as in the well-known cliché, at the end of the tunnel. Some felt that they were in the center of a glow, and then it died down.
3. Images of animals or plants. People saw real and fantastic living beings, but at the same time they experienced a feeling of peace.
4. Relatives. Other joyful sensations are associated with the fact that patients saw loved ones, sometimes dead ones.
5. Deja vu, top view. Often people said that they knew exactly about the subsequent events, and they happened. Other senses were also often heightened, the impression of time was distorted, and a feeling of separation from the body was observed.

Scientists believe that all this is closely connected with a person’s worldview: deep religiosity can give the impression of communicating with saints or God, and a passionate gardener will rejoice at the sight of blossoming apple trees. But to say what a person feels in a coma before death is much more difficult. Perhaps his feelings will be similar to those listed above. But it's worth remembering different types such a state that can provide different experiences. Obviously, once brain death is recorded, the patient will no longer see anything, but other cases are the subject of study. For example, a group of researchers from the United States tried to communicate with patients in a coma and assessed brain activity. A reaction arose to some stimuli, resulting in signals that could be interpreted as monosyllabic answers. Probably, in the event of death from such a situation, a person can experience different conditions, only their degree will be lower, since many functions of the body are already impaired.

There are many examples of people anticipating their imminent death, although external circumstances do not foretell it. As scientists have established, in such cases the death of a person is predicted by the so-called black mark.

Paranormal researchers have long known the phenomenon of premonitions of imminent death. One such case is described in K. Flammarion’s book “Death and Its Mysteries.” Mademoiselle Irene Muse, a young actress who promised to become a star, went into a trance during a hypnosis session on January 30, 1906. When asked if she could talk about her future, Irene unexpectedly wrote back: “My career will be short. I don't dare say what end awaits me. He's terrible."

Almost three years later, on February 22, 1909, Muse was getting her hair done at a hairdresser. While lubricating her hair with an antiseptic lotion containing mineral oils, the hairdresser accidentally spilled it on a nearby switched-on electric stove. The liquid burst into flames. The actress was engulfed in flames, her clothes and hair caught fire. A few hours later, in terrible agony, she died in the hospital.

Paranormal researcher Aniela Jaffe in her book “Visions and Predictions” talks about two schoolchildren. They stood at the well and looked at the mirror of water deep below. One of them raised his eyebrows and said in surprise: “How can I lie there at the bottom when I’m standing here? So, I’m dead?” His friend remembered this because the next day the boy went to the well alone, apparently leaned too far over the frame, fell into the water and drowned.

Dr. Gustav Geli gives an interesting example from his practice in his book “Clairvoyance and Materialization.” The man, who was in perfect health, suddenly, out of the blue, began to say that he would die before the onset of winter. Eight days before his death, he announced that he would die on All Saints' Day. Five days later, Dr. Geli examined him and found no symptoms of the disease.

The next morning, he again repeated to his wife: “I will die without suffering, exactly at midnight on All Saints’ Day.” 48 hours later, on All Saints' Day, he woke up with pain in his left side. At 11.30 pm he asked his wife what time it was. To calm him down, she said that it was already two o'clock in the morning. However, the man objected that it was not midnight yet. Then he turned away and seemed to fall asleep. But soon he raised his hand and pointed to the clock, which struck midnight. At that moment his hand fell and he truly died.

Especially often, premonitions of death occur among military personnel on the front line during war.

For example, this is what former mortar crew commander Dmitry Fedorovich Troinin says in his memoirs: “I noticed: if at the front someone was homesick or homesick and shared his longing with his comrades, it’s a sure sign that he won’t be killed today or tomorrow. One day, our company commander picked up the remnants of a platoon of infantry. There was one old soldier among them. I started talking about my mother, and I saw that he was feeling sad. And then it dawned. The Germans have us in full view. And he began to fire at us with mortars. This soldier and I dug trenches nearby. We lie at the bottom, pressing into the ground. The mine struck nearby and did not explode immediately. She somersaulted once or twice, rolled - and straight into his trench. There, in the trench, it exploded.”

Here is another typical incident, which former marine Viktor Leonidovich Sumnikov recalls: “We were stationed in Koenigsberg. We spent the night in a dilapidated basement. In the morning we woke up, and intelligence officer Vitya Shilov, such a poor fellow, stood up, stretched and said: “Well, lads, either they will kill me today or something else, but something terrible will certainly happen.”

In the afternoon I made my way to no man's land with a sniper rifle. It was getting dark. I knew that I wouldn’t have a shift, so I started getting ready to go back. I look: “What is it?” Ours are running after ours. They shout and swear: “Stop!” I unsheathed my scope and looked: it was Vitya Shilov running! Behind him are our own infantry. I don’t understand what’s happening. I look: they surrounded Vitya. And then immediately there was smoke, and everyone got caught. It was Vitya Shilov who blew up the grenade. He climbed into neutral, apparently wanting to get hold of something from the trophy. And the Vlasovites grabbed him there. They were in our uniform."

Energy of destruction

Researchers of anomalous phenomena have been struggling for many years to solve the unexplained phenomenon: why physically healthy man suddenly he pronounces a death sentence on himself, and a soldier in a war suddenly has a presentiment of his inevitable death in the near future? What turned out to be too much for them, scientists from the Experimental Laboratory of Energy Information Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences managed to do.

For several years they studied energy information fields, or, as they are also called, auras of people who were victims of disasters, who were seriously injured in accidents and then for a long time sick, on the verge of life and death. As a result, scientists made a sensational discovery. They found that in the aura of these people there is certainly an energy mark that is associated with the misfortune that happened. And, most importantly, it appears not after, but long before the misfortune occurs!

This means that first a subtle material cause arises, and only then its physical consequence. In photographs of the energy information field, this fatal mark looks like black spot. That's why it was called the "black mark".

Scientists have come to the conclusion that some people are able to suddenly begin to accumulate so-called energy of destruction. “This is similar to a pathogenic microbacterium, only on a subtle energy level,” says Valery Sokolov, one of the founders of the Experimental Laboratory. - In any case, it is a living and even, possibly, thinking substance. Microbes and bacteria, entering the human body, immediately begin their destructive activity, but its consequences - that is, the disease itself - do not appear immediately, but after hours, days or even weeks. Same with black marks. Perhaps these are a kind of energy microbes that carry a program of destruction and are introduced into the energy information field - that is, into the human aura. But unlike ordinary microbes, the black mark does not begin to act immediately, but first, as it were, looks closely and sniffs the aura. And only then, having already penetrated into it, does it settle into a new place and get used to it.”

The similarity of the black mark to the microbe that the scientist is talking about is also manifested in the fact that it is... contagious!

The destructive program embedded in it from a person’s aura can penetrate the energy-information field of some object with which he is in constant contact, and then infect other people.

Esotericists call such dangerous objects “cursed things” because they bring disaster to their owners.

Damn things

As an example, we can cite two cases about which the press wrote a lot. In the summer of 2004 strange coincidence There were two thefts of damned things at once. In Oslo, daring thieves managed to cut out and take out of the museum of the Norwegian artist Munch his famous painting “The Scream”, which is worth an estimated $70 million, in broad daylight. Immediately after the theft, the famous art critic and Munch specialist Alexander Profurok warned the thieves through the press that they risked becoming victims of the mystical curse that was hidden in this painting.

It was experienced by dozens of people who in one way or another came into direct contact with the masterpiece. One day, a museum employee removed the canvas to make it easier to wipe it. Shortly after this, he began to experience terrible migraine attacks. The seizures became more and more frequent and more painful, and it ended with the poor man committing suicide. Another time, a worker dropped a painting while it was being hung from one wall to another.

A week later, he was in a car accident, which left him with broken legs, arms, several ribs, a severe concussion and a fractured pelvis.

Esotericists believe that the painting “The Scream” was affected by a karmic curse carried by Edvard Munch himself. This is evidenced by his whole life, which was an endless series of tragedies and shocks: illness, death of relatives, madness.

Another theft of the damned thing took place in the French capital. In the summer of 2005, an unusual advertisement from local antique dealers was published in Parisian newspapers. They warned Parisians not to buy an antique mirror under any circumstances with the words “Louis Arnault, 1743” written on the frame. According to them, for long history Since its existence, this mirror has caused the death of at least 38 people. In the end, this terrible object was placed in a well-guarded warehouse, from where it disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The newspaper ad went on to say that it might end up in one of the antique shops in Paris, so you need to be careful when buying antiques.

Many perceived this curious announcement as a police ploy to deprive thieves of the opportunity to sell stolen goods. However, before the New Year, in the crime section of the newspaper, they published a note saying that in one of the old houses on the outskirts of Paris, a long-known burglar Jacques Duren, nicknamed Gascon, had been found dead by the police. His body lay in front of that same ancient mirror, and Duren had a grimace of horror on his face.

A pathological examination found no signs of violent death. The thief became another victim of the killer mirror.

Esotericists say that the mechanism of this negative impact unclear It manifests itself not only in death, but also in the occurrence of various ailments in someone who is in constant contact with an object that contains destructive information. However, the discovery made by Russian scientists gives reason to believe that the black mark is to blame.

One of the irrefutable confirmations of the tragic consequences of the appearance of a black mark was the disaster American shuttle Columbia in February 2003. A month before its launch, scientists from the Experimental Laboratory of Energy Information Security identified a critical concentration of destruction energy in the auras of all seven astronauts and in the energy information field spaceship, which foreshadowed the inevitable death of people and the destruction of the shuttle.

An official letter was sent to NASA warning of the disaster and its scientific basis. But the Americans ignored the alarming forecast of Moscow scientists. As does the fact that at the end of December 2002, the Babaji magazine, the official organ of Indian astrologers, published essentially the same warning: “In the United States, a major science project, most likely related to space research."

Unfortunately, the forecast soon came true: on February 19, 2003, during descent from orbit, the Columbia shuttle exploded.

Evil returns

Scientists do not know where the black mark comes from. Perhaps this is a creature from the unknown parallel worlds. Another thing is important: the energy of destruction is recorded by instruments as a variable value. At a certain concentration, the mechanism of self-destruction of the subject is activated - that is, a person or a device. In other words, when critical values ​​are reached, negative energy will definitely manifest itself. For a person, these are serious illnesses, accidents and disasters, or even death, and sometimes in completely unexpected situations.

Although the origin of the black mark remains unknown, researchers at the Experimental Laboratory have determined why it appears in the aura of a particular person. It turns out the reasons are quite common. Someone could wish evil on his neighbor, betray him or envy him with black envy, commit a vile act, or even just think very badly about someone.

By doing this, he weakened his protective biofield and thus allowed the black mark to penetrate him. The second reason for its appearance is the sins of our ancestors, that is, karma. Their consequences can affect generations and lead to the fact that a destructive energy-informational entity in the form of a black mark settles in a person’s aura. That is, although they say that the son is not responsible for his father, in fact, he still is! And not only for him, but also for his grandfather and grandmother, and sometimes further back into the depths of centuries, if the sin once committed was very serious.

Finally, the third reason: it happens that a black mark is caused by the evil eye, damage, black magic, the materialization of negative thoughts and emotions of one person towards another. In such cases, the expression “send a curse” has not a mystical, but a physical meaning.

As for the premonitions of imminent death that arise in doomed people, it can be assumed that the subconscious records penetration into the aura uninvited guest in the form of a black mark. When the concentration of destruction energy reaches a critical level, information about this appears in consciousness. And then the person says to himself: “My days are numbered.”

IS IT POSSIBLE TO FEEL YOUR OWN DEATH

Premonition own death they call disturbing thoughts that come as knowledge, as if from somewhere outside. This condition, although it is not customary to discuss it in small talk, is not uncommon and occurs in many people, especially women. Let's try to figure out what this means.

HOW THOUGHTS ABOUT IMMEDIATE DEATH COME Ordinary people describe this state as a depressing, heavy feeling that something terrible is about to happen. Depending on what you believe, this could be: a vague feeling of impending disaster that cannot be prevented; obvious signs coming as if from the other world; dreams promising imminent death; ghosts of the past, vague visions warning of future events; images of deceased relatives, parents, spouses in dreams, as if calling to them, etc. And although dreams with a plot about one’s own death (dying, seeing oneself in a coffin, grave, being at one’s funeral) are not its harbingers, they especially cause anxiety in people. But this time it's not about prophetic dreams, but about a feeling that comes in reality.

“My wife, who was only 20 years old, came home from work in the evening and casually said: “I’m so tired, maybe I’ll rest in the next world,” Grigory Doronin writes to us from Sergiev Posad. — The next day we got into a car accident. My wife died, but I survived...

“Last summer, I and my husband came to the city where I was born and raised to live with my parents for some time,” says reader Inna P. from Samara in her letter. “One day, standing on the balcony and looking at the landscape overlooking the Volga, he suddenly said: “Will you believe that I will die here?” Of course, I was surprised by this question - my husband was absolutely healthy. But a few weeks later he suddenly died of a broken heart.

There are many similar examples. American doctors William Green, Stefan Goldstein and Alex Moss, studying the phenomenon of death, examined thousands of case histories of patients who died suddenly. Their data shows that most people had premonitions of their demise.
True, their foresight did not consist in prophetic statements or advance preparations for the funeral, but in a special psychological state and often - in an effort to put their affairs in order.
It turns out that many people, shortly before death, experience a state of depression, which can last from a week to six months.
Doctors have suggested that this strange melancholy is caused by hormonal changes in organism.

And the psychological function of seemingly causeless despondency is to prepare the central nervous system to the inevitable death.

This version corresponds to the opinion shared by many researchers that death is simply a transition of consciousness to another form of existence, to the energy plane of existence. Otherwise, why does the body need such “psychological preparation”?
After all, it’s not just to find out: soon everything will stop once and for all?

Premonition of death in different cultures

The idea that it is possible to know the time of a person’s departure from life is closely connected with beliefs in the immaterial world, ideas about an immortal soul that knows that it will soon have to leave its mortal body and go to God, ancestors, to other planets or to heaven - depending from religion.

And yet the most convinced atheists also experience something similar, only for them the forebodings turn into a real nightmare. After all, with the death of the body, according to their ideas, their existence should also end - in every sense. It should be easier for believers in this regard, but all the same, such predictions and their own premonitions do not please, but frighten a person, no matter who he is and no matter what he believes.

Deep believers in the West and East differ greatly in their mood prior to departure to another world. The ideal of a Christian is to give his soul to God after confession, free from sins, which means that thoughts of imminent death prompt people of the Christian tradition to think about their sinful life and the retribution for it after death.

The ideal, for example, of a Buddhist, would be complete renunciation from the material world at the moment of death, so that nothing would prevent such a believer from merging with the Absolute. In the East, death is more perceived as rebirth, thus anticipating imminent freedom from suffering in this world.
Legendary enlightened personalities, whose cult still exists both in ours and in Eastern civilization (saints, Buddhas, gurus), according to legend, met death at their own request.

As you can see, there are great cultural differences on this issue.
If you are a moderate believer, ordinary people, do not pretend to psychic abilities and you don’t notice in yourself the desire to break out of the wheel of reincarnation, then most likely, with thoughts of death, you will feel not the solemn thrill of an imminent meeting with God, but real panic and even horror.

What is the strange ability of people to anticipate death? The answer to this question is given by the Tibetan Book of the Dead. According to Eastern beliefs, man is a creature consisting of two types of matter: dense and subtle. Dense matter forms physical body person. The subtle forms his spiritual nature, in particular, the subtle body invisible to ordinary vision - a kind of shell of the soul. Death is nothing more than the separation of the subtle body from the physical body. The subtle body has its own aura, which clairvoyants can see. The radiation of this aura allows one to determine the state of a person’s health. Aurodiagnostics has long been used in psychic healing. People with astral vision can predict the death of a person by their aura.

But why is a person given this terrible premonition? Did nature put any meaning into this signal? There is one interesting hypothesis about this. Scientists have long known a fact discovered during laboratory research: before death, the cells of a living organism give off a sudden release of radioactive rays.

Polish physicist Janusz Slawinski suggested that this stream of waves, being quite powerful in nature, is capable of capturing information about the life of a dying creature, including preserving fragments of consciousness and memory. Isn't this the main purpose of the last signal of dying cells?

All spiritual teachings also speak about the continuation of life after death. The aura that disappears before death, like any type of cosmic matter, does not dissolve without a trace in space. Together with energy complex of a person (with his subtle body), she transfers to another world all the information about a dying creature, in other words, his consciousness.

Only the physical body dies, but consciousness continues to exist as a clot of energy.

Radioactive radiation from biological tissue at the moment of death apparently gives the subtle body the final push,

sending an immortal soul into the vastness of the Universe.

If you are dying or caring for someone who is dying, you may have questions about what the dying process will be like physically and emotionally. The following information will help you answer some questions.

Signs of approaching death

The process of dying is as diverse (individual) as the process of birth. It is impossible to predict the exact time of death and how exactly a person will die. But people facing death experience many of the same symptoms, regardless of the type of illness.

As death approaches, a person may experience some physical and emotional changes, such as:

Excessive drowsiness and weakness, at the same time periods of wakefulness decrease, energy fades.

Breathing changes, periods of rapid breathing are replaced by pauses in breathing.

Hearing and vision change, for example, a person hears and sees things that others do not notice.

Appetite worsens, the person drinks and eats less than usual.

Changes in the urinary and gastrointestinal systems. Your urine may turn dark brown or dark red, and you may have bad (difficult) stools.

Body temperature changes, ranging from very high to very low.

Emotional changes, the person is not interested in the outside world and individual details Everyday life such as time and date.

A dying person may experience other symptoms depending on the disease. Talk to your doctor about what you can expect. You can also contact the program for helping the hopelessly ill, where all your questions regarding the dying process will be answered. The more you and your loved ones know, the more prepared you will be for this moment.

Excessive drowsiness and weakness associated with approaching death

As death approaches, a person sleeps more and it becomes more and more difficult to wake up. Periods of wakefulness are becoming shorter and shorter.

As death approaches, your caregivers will notice that you are unresponsive and that you are in very deep sleep. This condition is called coma. If you are in a coma, you will be confined to a bed and all your physiological needs (bathing, turning, eating and urinating) will have to be supervised by someone else.

General weakness is a very common occurrence as death approaches. It is normal for a person to need assistance with walking, bathing, and going to the toilet. Over time, you may need help turning over in bed. Medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, walkers or a hospital bed can be of great help during this period. This equipment can be rented from a hospital or care center for the terminally ill.

Respiratory changes as death approaches

As death approaches, periods of rapid breathing may be followed by periods of breathlessness.

Your breath may become wet and congested. This is called the "death rattle." Changes in breathing usually happen when you are weak and normal secretions from your airways and lungs cannot be released.

Although noisy breathing may be a signal to your family, you probably won't feel any pain or notice any congestion. Since the fluid is deep in the lungs, it is difficult to remove it. Your doctor may prescribe oral tablets (atropine) or patches (scopolamine) to relieve congestion.

Your loved ones may turn you on your other side to help the discharge come out of your mouth. They can also wipe this discharge with a damp cloth or special tampons (you can ask for it at a help center for the hopelessly ill or buy it at pharmacies).

Your doctor may prescribe oxygen therapy to relieve your shortness of breath. Oxygen therapy will make you feel better, but will not prolong your life.

Changes in vision and hearing as death approaches

Visual impairment is very common in last weeks life. You may notice that your vision has become difficult. You may see or hear things that no one else notices (hallucinations). Visual hallucinations are common before death.

If you are caring for a dying person who is hallucinating, you need to reassure them. Acknowledge what the person sees. Denying hallucinations can be distressing to a dying person. Talk to the person, even if he or she is in a coma. It is known that dying people can hear even when they are in a deep coma. People who came out of comas said that they could hear the entire time they were in the coma.

Hallucinations

Hallucinations are the perception of something that is not actually there. Hallucinations can involve all the senses: hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting or touching.

The most common hallucinations are visual and auditory. For example, a person may hear voices or see objects that another person cannot see.

Other types of hallucinations include gustatory, olfactory and tactile.

Treatment for hallucinations depends on the cause.

ChangesappetiteWithapproachingof death

As death approaches, you are likely to eat and drink less. This is associated with a general feeling of weakness and a slower metabolism.

Since food has such important social significance, it will be difficult for your family and friends to watch you not eat. However, changes in metabolism mean that you do not need the same amount of food and fluid as before.

You can consume small amounts of food and liquid as long as you are active and able to swallow. If swallowing is a problem for you, you can prevent thirst by moistening your mouth with a damp cloth or a special swab (available at a pharmacy) soaked in water.

Changes in the urinary and gastrointestinal systems as death approaches

Often the kidneys gradually stop producing urine as death approaches. As a result, your urine turns dark brown or dark red. This is due to the inability of the kidneys to properly filter urine. As a result, the urine becomes very concentrated. Its quantity is also decreasing.

As appetite decreases, some changes also occur in the intestines. The stool becomes harder and more difficult to pass (constipation) as the person takes in less fluid and becomes weaker.

You should tell your doctor if you have bowel movements less than once every three days or if your bowel movements cause you discomfort. Stool softeners may be recommended to prevent constipation. You can also use an enema to cleanse your colon.

As you become increasingly weak, it is natural that you will have difficulty controlling your bladder and bowels. A urinary catheter may be placed in your bladder as a means of long-term urine drainage. Also, the program for helping hopelessly ill patients can provide toilet paper or underwear (these can also be purchased at the pharmacy).

Changes in body temperature as death approaches

As death approaches, the area of ​​the brain responsible for regulating body temperature begins to function poorly. You may have a high fever and then feel cold within a minute. Your hands and feet may feel very cold to the touch and may even become pale and blotchy. Changes in skin color are called mottled skin lesions and are very common in the last days or hours of life.

The person caring for you can monitor your temperature by rubbing your skin with a wet, slightly warm washcloth or giving you the following medications:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Ibuprofen (Advil)

Naproxen (Aleve).

Many of these medications are available in the form of rectal suppositories if you have difficulty swallowing.

Emotional changes as death approaches

Just as your body prepares physically for death, you must prepare for it emotionally and mentally.

As death approaches, you may lose interest in the world around you and certain details of daily life, such as the date or time. You may withdraw into yourself and communicate less with people. You may only want to communicate with a few people. This kind of introspection can be a way of saying goodbye to everything you knew.

In the days before your death, you may enter a unique state of conscious awareness and communication that may be misinterpreted by your family and friends. You can talk about how you need to go somewhere - “go home” or “go somewhere.” The meaning of such conversations is unknown, but some people think that such conversations help prepare for death.

Events from your recent past may be mixed with distant events. You can remember very long ago events in great detail, but not remember what happened an hour ago.

You may be thinking about people who have already died. You may say that you heard or saw someone who has already died. Your loved ones may hear you talking to the deceased person.

If you are caring for a dying person, you may be upset or frightened by this strange behavior. You may want to bring your loved one back to reality. If this kind of communication is bothering you, talk to your doctor to better understand what's going on. Your close person may fall into a state of psychosis, and it may be scary for you to watch. Psychosis occurs in many people before death. It may have one cause or be the result of several factors. Reasons may include:

Medicines such as morphine, sedatives and painkillers, or taking too much of a medicine that doesn't work well together.

Metabolic changes associated with high temperature or dehydration.

Metastasis.

Deep depression.

Symptoms may include:

Revival.

Hallucinations.

Unconscious state, which is replaced by revival.

Delirium tremens can sometimes be prevented by using alternative medicine, such as relaxation and breathing techniques, and other methods that reduce the need for sedatives.

Pain

Palliative care can help you relieve physical symptoms associated with your illness, such as nausea or difficulty breathing. Controlling pain and other symptoms is an important part of your treatment and improving your quality of life.

How often a person feels pain depends on their disease. Some fatal diseases, such as bone cancer or pancreatic cancer, can be accompanied by severe physical pain.

A person may become so afraid of pain and other physical symptoms that they may consider physician-assisted suicide. But the pain before death can be effectively dealt with. You should tell your doctor and loved ones about any pain. There are many medications and alternative methods (such as massage) that can help you cope with the pain of death. Be sure to ask for help. Ask a loved one to tell the doctor about your pain if you are unable to do so yourself.

You may want your family not to see you suffer. But it is very important to tell them about your pain if you cannot bear it so that they see a doctor immediately.

Spirituality

Spirituality means a person's awareness of the purpose and meaning of his life. It also denotes a person's relationship with higher powers or energy that gives meaning to life.

Some people don't think about spirituality often. For others, it is part of everyday life. As you approach the end of your life, you may be faced with your own spiritual questions and challenges. Connecting with religion often helps some people achieve comfort before death. Other people find solace in nature, in social work, strengthening relationships with loved ones or creating new relationships. Think about what can give you peace and support. What questions concern you? Seek support from friends, family, programs, and spiritual guides.

Caring for a dying relative

Physician-assisted suicide Physician-assisted suicide refers to the practice of medical professionals assisting a person who voluntarily chooses to die. This is usually done by prescribing a lethal dose of medication. Although the doctor is indirectly involved in the death of a person, he is not the direct cause of it. On this moment Oregon is the only state to have legalized physician-assisted suicide. A person with a terminal illness may consider suicide with the assistance of a physician. Among the factors that can cause such a decision are severe pain, depression and fear of dependence on other people. A dying person may consider himself a burden to his loved ones and not understand that his family wants to provide him with their help as an expression of love and sympathy. Often, a person with a terminal illness will consider suicide with the assistance of a physician when their physical or emotional symptoms are not addressed. effective treatment. Symptoms associated with the dying process (such as pain, depression or nausea) can be controlled. Talk to your doctor and family about your symptoms, especially if your symptoms bother you so much that you think about dying.

Control of pain and symptoms at the end of life

At the end of life, pain and other symptoms can be managed effectively. Talk to your doctor and loved ones about the symptoms you are experiencing. Family is an important link between you and your doctor. If you yourself cannot communicate with a doctor, your loved one can do this for you. There is always something that can be done to relieve your pain and symptoms so that you feel comfortable.

Physical pain

There are many painkillers available. Your doctor will choose the easiest and most atraumatic drug to relieve pain. Oral medications are usually used first because they are easier to take and less expensive. If your pain is not severe, painkillers can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. These include drugs such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen. It is important to stay ahead of your pain and take your medications as scheduled. Irregular use of medications is often the cause of ineffective treatment.

Sometimes pain cannot be controlled with over-the-counter medications. In this case, more effective forms of treatment are needed. Your doctor may prescribe painkillers such as codeine, morphine, or fentanyl. These medications can be combined with others, such as antidepressants, to help you get rid of your pain.

If you cannot take the pills, there are other forms of treatment. If you have trouble swallowing, you can use liquid medications. Medicines can also be in the form of:

Rectal suppositories. Suppositories can be taken if you have trouble swallowing or nausea.

Drops under the tongue. Just like nitroglycerin tablets or heart pain sprays, liquid forms of some substances, such as morphine or fentanyl, can be absorbed by the blood vessels under the tongue. These drugs are given in very small quantities - usually just a few drops - and are effective way pain relief for people who have trouble swallowing.

Patches applied to the skin (transdermal patches). These patches allow painkillers, such as fentanyl, to pass through the skin. The advantage of patches is that you instantly receive the required dose of medication. These patches provide better pain control than pills. In addition, a new patch must be applied every 48 to 72 hours, and the tablets must be taken several times a day.

Intravenous injections (drips). Your doctor may prescribe treatment with a needle inserted into a vein in your arm or chest if your pain is very severe and cannot be controlled with oral, rectal, or transdermal treatments. Medicines can be given as a single injection several times a day, or continuously in small quantities. Just because you are connected to an IV does not mean your activities will be limited. Some people carry small portable pumps that provide them in small portions medications throughout the day.

Injections into the area of ​​the spinal nerves (epidural) or under the spinal tissue (intrathecal). For acute pain, strong painkillers such as morphine or fentanyl are injected into the spine.

Many people who suffer from severe pain fear that they will become dependent on painkillers. However, addiction rarely occurs in terminally ill people. If your condition improves, you can slowly stop taking the medicine to prevent dependence.

Painkillers can be used to manage the pain and help keep it at a tolerable level. But sometimes painkillers make you drowsy. You can only take a small amount of medication and therefore endure little pain and still remain active. On the other hand, maybe weakness doesn't matter to you. of great importance and you are not bothered by drowsiness caused by certain medications.

The main thing is to take medications on a specific schedule, and not just when “the need arises.” But even if you take medications regularly, you may sometimes feel severe pain. These are called "breakthrough pain." Talk to your doctor about what medications you should always have on hand to help manage breakthrough pain. And always tell your doctor if you stop taking your medicine. Sudden cessation may cause serious side effects and severe pain. Talk to your doctor about ways to relieve pain without using drugs. Alternative medical therapy can help some people relax and get rid of pain. You can combine traditional treatment With alternative methods, such as:

Acupuncture

Aromatherapy

Biofeedback

Chiropractic

Imaging

Healing Touch

Homeopathy

Hydrotherapy

• Magnetotherapy

• Meditation

For more detailed information, see the Chronic Pain section.

Emotional stress

While you are learning to cope with your illness, short-term emotional distress is normal. Depression that lasts more than 2 weeks is no longer normal and should be reported to your doctor. Depression can be treated even if you have a terminal illness. Antidepressants in combination with counseling from a psychologist will help you cope with emotional distress.

Talk to your doctor and family about your emotional distress. Although feelings of grief are a natural part of the dying process, this does not mean you have to endure severe emotional pain. Emotional suffering can make physical pain worse. They can also have a negative impact on your relationships with loved ones and prevent you from saying goodbye to them properly.

Other symptoms

As death approaches, you may experience other symptoms. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms you may experience. Symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, constipation or shortness of breath can be managed with medications, special diets and oxygen therapy. Have a friend or family member describe your symptoms to a doctor or emergency services worker. It can be helpful to keep a journal and write down all your symptoms.