Deathbed visions **UPDATED**

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I think one of the most amazing and awesome threads that led me to this site was the huge Deathbed visions thread from 2006 and '08. It was very intriguing hearing all these deathbed vision stories from hospice nurses point of view. Most people don't really believe in afterlife experiences such as OBEs and NDE's. So hearing all of your stories first hand adds an element of realism for those who are extremely skeptic of things like that. And I enjoyed it so much. It really strengthed my faith in God.

Well, I've been waiting for so long to hear and see if anyone has any more deathbed stories to share. So I thought I'd make a new thread for fellow new members and old ones too to post their experiences with their patients having deathbed visions and passing on to the next life. Whatever story you have, new or old, please don't hesitate to post it here. :up:

Oh my, I wonder what happened for your mother to think that?

I don't know but it broke my heart to hear her say that. Especially since I knew she WAS dying. Her father was not a very nice person-he sexually abused her-so I was surprised when she said she saw him. She always said he went to h ell so maybe she thought that because she saw him it was a sign that she was going there too. On the other hand my Dad's parents were special-they treated her like their own daughter so it makes me feel a little better that she also saw them.

My Mom had a lot of mental issues which I attribute to her upbringing. There were times when she wasn't a very nice person but not to the extent where she would go there if there is such a place(which I don't believe there is) She did though.

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I recently took care of a man who was awaiting a hospice bed. He was comfort measures suffering from metastatic ca, severe anemia, and hemm bleed. He was a large, peaceful, and polite man in the days before his decline. But one day around noon his status changed. His sats dropped, mental status changed, and bp dropped. He became restless and screamed intermittently. The screams were so terrifying he would open his eyes with a look of terror. I kept comforting him, called the doctor for Ativan, and morphine. The Ativan didn't touch him. I then gave him haldol which also didn't work. My last memories of this man was of him being rolled down the hall screaming by the ambo crew to hospice. This sent chills down my spine. I just remember praying for him while cleaning his room after he left, wondering what type of torment he was experiencing and why. I can still hear his screams.

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Specializes in ICU.

I knew one man who heard wolves howling. This guy had throat cancer, early 50's; ironically, had never smoked cigarettes, but always fussed at his wife for smoking. He wasn't my patient, just a family friend, and died at home in his own bed, with the wolves around him. Also had a patient who saw fire as she was dying. She was yelling fire over and over.

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My grandmother passed away when I was a freshman in high school. It was the first time I had experienced a death in my family. My grandmother had diabetes which she never took care of (she was a big fan of choclate and candy) .. Long story short she suffered from many mini-strokes, which left her with extensive brain damage. While she was in the hospital she caught a staph infection and started to rapidly decline. One night my family and I visited her, she said that my uncle (her son who had passed) took her to get icecream & he told her everything was going to ok; brought her back telling her he would come back for her soon. Later that night we got the phone call that she had passed. But, my mom did feel comfort in knowing that her brother took my grandma to the other side. My grandfather her husband, had metatastic lung ca he passed away 3 months after my grandmother. After he was diagnosed he moved in with my family, his wishes were not to go into a home. Every night he would say goodnight and we would bring him to his room and get him set up in bed. The night of his death was different, the whole family was there instead of saying goodnight he said goodbye. I helped my mom get him into to bed sat with him for a few minutes told him I loved him and I would see him in the morning gave him a kiss and left. No more than five minutes later my mom went in to check on him and he had passed.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute care, Ventilator/respiratory.

Here's one that will give anyone the heebee jeebees. This doesn't occur just to nurses. This happened while I was a volunteer with an ambulance service years ago.

I was called to a patient's home for transport to the hospital for some ailment (can't remember what). I was the only medic in the back of the ambulance and while I was doing my "thing", we struck a friendly little conversation. She was so cute, and just before we pulled into the hospital, she asked me when my birthday was which I found rather odd since it was so far off topic. I told her it was July 9, and she replied that she thought it was a lovely day. I couldn't resist her cuteness and chuckled at her remark, and as I departed her bedside, I made sure I gave her a hug and a little kiss on the forehead telling her to get better soon.

I was reading the paper the morning after my birthday, and found she had passed away on my birthday. Who says that we don't know when we are going? Even though it was a little creepy, I was priviledged that she CHOSE my birthday to move on. Her name was Bertha, which coincidentally was my mother's grandmother's name.

I do not consider myself religious, but I do consider myself highly spiritual! You can not tell me there isn't life after death or a spiritual world out there. I have other's too, but I'll save it for another post...

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I used to reread the post of the deathbed vision thread, I think 06 to 08' but now I don't see them anymore, can I still access,those precious posts?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

The first death I experienced as a brand new nurse was a young woman (in her 40s) with metastatic cancer. She was on a morphine drip, but did not want it on very high, so we titrated up and down based on her anxiety and her or her husband's request. She was very religious and strong in her faith. She and her spouse obviously had a close and loving relationship. As a brand new nurse, I was fascinated, horrified, frightened and anxious as the dying process took place before my eyes. I wanted so badly to do right by her and her spouse....but I digress.

She had been laboring all night long and somewhere around 4 or 5 in the morning began to pour fluid from her mouth and nose the likes of which I had never seen nor smelled before. She was panting and gurgling, sitting at 90 degrees and leaning forward. Suddenly, her eyes went to the ceiling of the room and her face filled up with wonder and light....no joke. She started to cry out "Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen!" over and over, her eyes just....bright and amazed. Her husband's eyes filled with tears and he stroked her head and asked her if she was seeing angels....and she relaxed back against the bed and gave up her soul.

It was a super intense experience and I will never forget it. It was the beginning of me letting go of my anger over my own young (age 13) son's death.

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My family's pastor was in hospice care with a brain tumor. My sister was visiting him and she said he looked up at the ceiling (the overhead light was off, just a lamp by the bed), smiled, and asked if she saw it. She asked what he meant, and he pointed up and said "Jesus is waiting." He died that night. That brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eyes. I will also add that I have smelled death on two different occasions, both with home hospice care, and both died within 5 hours of me smelling it. The first was my aunt's sister, we'd brought food to my aunt and their mom, and I didn't quite know what it was at the time. The second time was my FIL. It's a unique feeling.

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Reading all these brings a warmth and comfort to my heart, god bless all the souls written about here, I hope to see more posted here or a new post started. If anyone comes across this and knows of a newer thread similar to this one, please let me know!

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I know some people say this is the result of the dying brain shutting down. I don't buy it. I am a Christian and believe in Heaven and Hell. I've seen people who have passed with true looks of terror on their faces. And others have such a peaceful happy expression theres no doubt in my mind it comes from their family meeting them at the gates of Heaven.

There is one really Huge problem with staying it is the brain doing it at death for various reasons. It still cannot explain how patients say they saw a family member...when they had no idea that family member has passed away.

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