We all know that one day we'll face it but few of us are really prepared when the end of life approaches. In fact, few of us are even able to recognize the signs. And with the advancement in medical treatment over the years, even fewer people know how to recognize common end of life signs.
In the best case scenario, a person's end of life situation should be relatively easy. However, the systematic shut down of the body's organs is no easy task for the one who is passing away and even more for the ones being left behind. Ideally, end of life should be painless but that is not always the case. To make the end of life process easier, there are a few common signs you can look for and help the patient manage them better.
Pain:
While not every death is accompanied by pain, the illness or injury may cause a great deal of pain. Probably the most painful experience would be those who are suffering from cancer, heart failure, or arthritis. If the patient is suffering from extreme pain you may want to talk to the doctor about giving the patient ways to better handle the pain, for instance, through pain killers.
Shortness of Breath:
Patients may be struggling with every breath they take as they get closer to the end. Quite often trouble breathing is more common that pain. There are, however, a few simple breathing techniques that can make their last moments more bearable.
Anxiety:
While pain and shortness of breath could be an indication of struggling with an injury or illness, anxiety doesn't need an underlying cause. It may be a fear of the unknown, anticipation for what to expect, or just a matter of dealing with the knowledge that it will all be over soon.
Loss of Appetite:
As the body starts to shut down one organ at a time, the desire for nourishment is no longer needed. There are alternative feedings that can be provided if you are concerned about it, intravenous feedings and other artificial means of providing nutrition but when you know how to recognize common end of life signs you'll understand that the body no longer sees the need for nourishment and so shuts down its desire to eat.
The Death Rattle:
As patients takes their last few breaths, they will have a series of wet respiration that sound very much like a rattle in the throat. In actuality, there is a certain amount of secretions of mucus and fluids that have built up in the airway and the rattle is their last attempt to get those secretions out.
There is no easy way to live up to someone's death. No matter how long you prepare for it, no matter how aware you are of its impending date, most people look beyond that with hope. However, those who learn how to recognize common end of life signs will know what to expect and how to deal with it regardless of where they are and what they want