Members in the community forum are discussing the phenomenon of dying patients reaching up or exhibiting behaviors that may suggest communication with deceased loved ones. Some users attribute this to biological processes, while others believe it may have spiritual significance. The discussion also touches on the importance of compassion and understanding towards dying patients, regardless of personal beliefs.
I've noticed that when it gets toward the end for people (not necessarily the VERY end, but maybe the last month or so when they have started really going downhill) they will hold their arms upward once in awhile and then let them fall at their sides.
I've seen this a lot. My father-in-law did it, too. He would have his eyes closed and raise his arms in the air as if he were reaching up.
Ridiculous. People in their last moments, many times coming out of unconsciousness only for a moment don't have the ability to think about having a need for something. They're literally dying. We have proven evidence of heaven being a place in Jesus Christ. Who died and was raised to show he was the way to heaven.
Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
No proselytizing here, please. It's obnoxious to people of other religions. Control thyself:)
It is okay to be a nonbeliever, but it is also okay to be a believer. I don't think anyone was really trying to offer proof as much as just their own point of view. For those with faith, that is all the proof they need, and for those who are not inclined toward religiousness or spirituality, all the proof in the world won't induce faith in any case, as I doubt it would be recognized. What is a comforting fantasy to some is concrete evidence to another. 🙂
This makes no logical sense. How can a fantasy ever be concrete evidence? Perhaps our brain is just wired to feel pleasure during a peaceful death. Neuroscience is doing some remarkable studies on the brain changes at death ..it actually has measurable activity for minutes after people are pronounced dead.
Like religion, understanding the death experience for us will always be above our pay grade.
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
When they can talk, they tell me they are reaching for the angels, or for God, for Jesus, for their mom, their spouse. One person turned to me and said "I can't go.” I said, "You can go.” She said, "How?”
That is funny, because my father-in-law was an atheist and was not talking about or to dead people. We were having a difficult time with him, he did not want to cooperate and while we were trying to reason with him he just sat there and closed his eyes, then stretched his arms toward the sky and flopped them down at his sides.
That is funny, because my father-in-law was an atheist and was not talking about or to dead people. We were having a difficult time with him, he did not want to cooperate and while we were trying to reason with him he just sat there and closed his eyes, then stretched his arms toward the sky and flopped them down at his sides.
Just because we don't believe in something doesn't mean it's not real or true.
I would wager that "heaven" being commonly associated with 'up' has something to do with it. Lots of metabolic and chemical processes going on, a dying person's need to feel that there is something of an after life... lots of reasons. Interesting question, but I don't think anecdotal experiences (as many as there may be) prove that any such place exists.
Ridiculous. People in their last moments, many times coming out of unconsciousness only for a moment don't have the ability to think about having a need for something. They're literally dying. We have proven evidence of heaven being a place in Jesus Christ. Who died and was raised to show he was the way to heaven.
tencat said:
Makes you think, though. What purpose would it serve, biologically speaking, to see dead relatives? And why does pretty much every patient I've worked with in hospice see someone we can't see, regardless of their culture or religious beliefs? We can explain how it works, but we can't explain the why......I'm the ultimate agnostic, and I sure wonder what all that is about........I am not easily able to explain it away as purely chemical processes. What survival purpose do such experiences serve?
And I always thought it was "the higher the hair, the closer....:Maybe only people old enough to remember the beehive and sprayed hair can recall the image:)
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subee, MSN, CRNA
1 Article; 6,108 Posts
No proselytizing here, please. It's obnoxious to people of other religions. Control thyself:)