My wife died a week ago from glioblastoma. She was on hospice when she left the hospital in July. Your videos were extremely helpful to me to help me understand what was happening and what to expect. Thank you so much.

My husband’s last words were “see you on the other side babe, don’t be late” 😇🙏🏼💙

My wife had leukemia and spent her last month in the hospital initially due to pneumonia.  On this day last month she moved into our local hospice house.  Her last words to me were "I love you. Don't forget to bring me pancakes and bacon in the morning."  I brought her the homemade pancakes and bacon that morning but she was already non-responsive.  She passed on August 28 at around 9pm.  We were not expecting her to go unresponsive and pass that quick, not even the hospice nurses.  She even got a blood transfusion the day before going to the hospice house, so she could have had at least the weekend.  She just fell asleep.  No gurgling, no agonal breathing, no last deep breath or sigh, just like she fell asleep.  I was at the foot of her bed when I noticed she started going pale and her lips go blue.  Pressed the button for the nurse and they came right in and saw her and knew immediately.  Honestly it was a relief in how she died because of all the ways someone with leukemia could die especially with her having pretty much no platelet cells and already having lung issues.

I was my sister's caregiver for the last 4+ months of her life. She was only 61 when she passed in July this year....she had metastatic breast cancer that they could no longer treat. It wasn't easy, but I wouldn't have traded being there for her for anything. She was bedridden, but we figured out things together with things she needed or would or would not want....I made her meals, when she would eat. I would change her, and we had a hospice team that came to help with her nurse and her home health aid. We had her final birthday party in May and friends came and she gave away things she wanted them to have. I miss her, but I know I did all I could to help her...and she knew it too.

First, thanks for your help. My wife died 18 months ago from Parkinson's disease with dementia. Not everything you mentioned happened to her, but you always presented it as a range of possibilities. We dealt with it for 9 years, and for the last two years she was incontinent. She would sometimes poop or pee without even knowing she was doing it.  I changed her, bathed her, dressed her, washed and styled her hair, took her to doctor's appointments, and would sometimes just go for a drive to get her out of the house. She didn't always know me, but she knew I was a nice man that she didn't have to be afraid of. We had home hospice care checking on her during the last 3 months. During the final two weeks, she got a hospice bed, a drug for pain and another for anxiety.  She couldn't swallow, so we gave her moist, mildly flavored sponges on a stick. We called them suckers. She loved them. While she no longer spoke, she'd nod for the first week.  The 2nd week, she was silent. There wasn't any death rattle, no rally, no visions or announcement of relatives or angels. Then, at 8 pm on May 1st, she was gone. I gave her another 10 minutes to be sure. It was a cold, rainy night, so I didn't want a nurse to drive to our house unless I was sure. I then called hospice, and the nurse arrived at 9.  She came in and did all the things nurses do, then declared her dead at 9:05 pm. 15 minutes later, a cop arrived to get the drugs. She had lost her mother 3 months earlier, so she was very kind and gentle with our family.  The funeral home came next to get the body. No one from the coroner's office came since they had worked with our nurse for many years.  We were married for 40 years. I miss her every day, but the information you share on your channel prepared me for what to expect.  So let me say it again: Thank you so very much!

Thank you Julie.  You are a gift to all of us.

100% correct
Don't wait to say all the things that need to be said.

My two sisters and I squirted a bit of morphine into Dads mouth every three hours during at home hospice care.  He lasted 18 days with no food.  Hydration was intravenous.
 It was actually a very "clean" and peaceful affair with him passing at about 3:15 am of that 18th day.  Family and friends were able to come and say goodbye... before.  I'd say it was a good death.
The "home health aide" was an absolute angel as was the hospice nurse Katie.  The assistance your profession provided to our family during this time was very much appreciated.  Thank you.

My moms last words were, "Don't take me to the hospital, I don't want to go to the hospital".  She did not go to the hospital. And that to me was her "I love you". She died at home where she wanted to.

I don't ever want to be laying around, waiting for someone to clean my a$$, or die.
Good hospice workers, and good care givers don't get the credit they deserve.

Relatives will be happy not to hear what I've got to say.

That lady is such a wonderful Angel 🙏

This is exactly why I am a proponent of MAID for myself. To each their own but I'm grateful I live in a MAID state.

I have had people die fully alert and oriented.  One woman I took care of asked the CNA for a hot bath, she then asked me for a back and leg massage. During the massage she said "After this, I am going to go to sleep forever".  An hour later, she passed, she was still smiling.   I had another man die with the most terrified expression on his face.  Despite me giving him morphine every few minutes.

My grandfather died screaming - 3 days after his birthday, from renal cancer that he had been complaining of pain, weight loss and the doctor did no exam around the pain.

A lot of my patients knew when they were going to die and where very lucid. One of my patients sent me out to get something and walked to the bathroom, sat on the floor, took off his 02 and died.  Smiling.  He had been watching a comedy on tv and eating chocolate covered cherries. He had some left and he wanted to give them to me.  I told him, "tomorrow is another day".  He told me he would not be here tomorrow. "I am going to my heavenly home."  He was smiling.  No fear. I was a nurse for 34 years, I just retired.  Nursing is getting too miserable.  The people going into nursing now all do not have good intentions and some of them are really backbiting individuals who will claw up other nurses to make themselves look better to the administration that they suck up to.

Nurse Julie, I don't have the words to say how thankful I am for your channel. My mum had COPD and also had two rounds of radiation for lung tumors. She was in Australia, and I feel silly now not realizing how close she was to the end of her life, my 7 year old and I had been booked to fly over and visit her next week!

But sadly at the end of Aug I got the message from my brother she was very unwell in hospital with a viral infection. I had watched your videos, and on the flight to her I watched more! This video made me tear up, because when I finally walked in the hospital room she was awake enough to say I love you to me, so many times, and she passed less than 24 hours later.

I'm here still crying with gratitude I was there, and that I could explain a little about the process to her sister and my brother... fevers and chills, off food then drink.

She was visioning about the farm animals from the farm I grew up on (who of course all had names!) I held her hand almost the whole time, she passed when I'd finally decided to rest just before dawn.

Thank you ❤ the information you share brings immense comfort.

The last time I took my Mom to the ER a doctor concluded his assessment by looking at me, after I said rhetorically “What am I going to do now” by saying “The burden falls on the family.”  I despised tgat man for years until I eventually realized that he wasn’t being a jerk but telling me my future. Thank you for emphasizing that aspect. I know Im not the only one who didn’t understand it until becoming completely overwhelmed.

My dad's last words were his hospice nurse's name. He was saying hello to her. It was the day before he died.

Retired HH and Hospice RN here. I love your channel. I like that you refer to the dying process as a sacred time. It is a real privilege to be present with someone as they leave this mortal life, just as it is to be present when a newborn emerges to begin their life journey. I too wish hospice could provide caregivers to the families that are not able or willing to do the physical care required to keep a dying person comfortable. Maybe someday. Warm regards to you and yours.

Thank you so much for what you do! It’s my wish that your knowledge reaches more people. Hospice is such an amazing thing !  Every-time I see your videos I smile , it was people like you that took care of my mom.

My mom has seemingly been in her last days for about the last 4 months. Not dying of anything, just slowly slipping away, sleeping most of the time, and nothing she wants to say when she's not sleeping. I was hoping for some words, but they aren't coming. Regardless, I show up for her nearly every day at the nursing home and will do so till the end. I might not get what I wanted in terms of closure, but my presence and care in her last days is my gift to her. That said, I'll be thankful when it's over and I doubt my kids will do the same for me but you never know.