Deathbed Experiences

[SandrA9810]

I wasn't around when my grandfather died. I lived with my aunt during the week, and with my grandparents/mom on the weekends during school. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when we left sunday night after dinner, and a couple days later my aunt got a call early in the morning that he died at the hospital.
I loved him, and I miss him, but I never did cry or really greive much over all of it. (death just generally doesn't bother me).
About a year later, I was in the colorguard at school (I was never in the colorguard prior when he was alive), and on weekends we would have competitions. One night, I had this dream, that I was at a competition and he was the only family member there. Spent the whole day together, eating, talking, he watched my show. The dream just felt so vivid, like it was an actual saturday. And that was 12yrs ago. It just feels like the best day I ever had with him.

 

[DaisyLynn]

This is a long story so I will condense:

Several years ago DH and I were in a church group. One woman in the group mother passed away and she shared this with us. The day before her mom died they thought she slipped into a coma. She was in this 'state' for several hours and suddenly woke up. The first thing she said was "what am I doing back here?". She told her DD that she had been in heaven. She talked about the things she saw-many details, not enough post space to go into it-but the most memorable one for me was she saw children waiting to go to earth and they were picking the families they wanted to live with.

Fast forward about 5 years and we were at a party for work, in another town, in another state. One of the wives was talking about kids and some of the strange things they say. She was telling us her then 3 year old son was talking about when he was in heaven and didn't want to go live with them but God told him it would be ok so he went. .

As a woman who is having difficulty conceiving a child, this is so very comforting to me - just beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

 

[MickeyCrazedMom]

As a woman who is having difficulty conceiving a child, this is so very comforting to me - just beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

We adopted our children and have many friends who adopted theirs also. One child told his mom that he chose her to be his mom but god told him that her tummy couldn't carry a child, so he chose a birthmom who would make sure that he got to his mommy.

Always loved that story :

 

[MouseJunkie]

anyone have any idea how old these children were or appeared to be?

This makes me wonder - Do our pets pick their families too?

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

This makes me wonder - Do our pets pick their families too?

I have been fighting back the tears reading through this entire thread and this post finally made me lose it! I've never had a close family member die in my adult life but my cat, who was more like my son, died in September and I am still have difficulty coping with it.

I would LOVE to think that he picked me to be his mommy! In fact, I'm sure he did. We really loved each other.

 

[Parkers_girl]

All of these stories are giving me goosebumps.

I had an experience, but it was involving my dog who passed away. That dog was always by my side, my best friend and I always said I wouldn't know what to do with myself when he died. One night I came home late from a movie and thought it was strange that he didn't want to come upstairs to sleep (he always slept in my room), something told me to carry him upstairs, so I did. I woke up early the next morning for no reason and noticed that he was breathing very heavy and his gums were gray. He couldn't walk either, so I carried him downstairs and put him in the back of the SUV to take him to the emergency vet. On the way there he somehow dragged himself from the back of the car to the front and put his head between us as if he wanted to die with us next to him. He was struggling and we could tell, so my stepdad said "You've been the best dog anyone could ever ask for, you're such a good boy and it's ok if you need to go, we'll be okay and we love you". After that he took one deep breath and left us. He was so faithful to us his entire life that it didn't suprise me that he waited to know we would be okay/ I am glad that I decided to carry him upstairs so he could sleep in his bed his last night here on earth.

That was in April of 07...flash forward to June 07 and I was ready to welcome a new pup into my life. At first I was very nervous that I was sort of letting my old dog down by "replacing" him, I always wondered to myself if it was too soon. But about a week after getting my new dog I had the most amazing, realistic dream that my old dog and my new dog were playing together, and my old dog was licking me in a way that was telling me he approved. Something about that dream was so comforting, and to this day that is the only time I have dreamt about my sweet old boy.

 

[MouseJunkie]

I have been fighting back the tears reading through this entire thread and this post finally made me lose it! I've never had a close family member die in my adult life but my cat, who was more like my son, died in September and I am still have difficulty coping with it.

I would LOVE to think that he picked me to be his mommy! In fact, I'm sure he did. We really loved each other.

Sorry I made you cry. It just crossed my mind as I was reading all these experiences, especially since I'm losing my dog to cancer. I hope he picked me. I sure picked him! He's the best dog in the world, at least in my world. I don't want to completely hijack this thread and take it to a whole new place, but sorry about your cat. I feel your pain. I lost a cat two years ago to Feline Leukemia. People or pets, to me, it hurts just the same, but there's a little bit of peace knowing they really are waiting for us on the other side.

 

[MouseJunkie]

All of these stories are giving me goosebumps.

I had an experience, but it was involving my dog who passed away. That dog was always by my side, my best friend and I always said I wouldn't know what to do with myself when he died. One night I came home late from a movie and thought it was strange that he didn't want to come upstairs to sleep (he always slept in my room), something told me to carry him upstairs, so I did. I woke up early the next morning for no reason and noticed that he was breathing very heavy and his gums were gray. He couldn't walk either, so I carried him downstairs and put him in the back of the SUV to take him to the emergency vet. On the way there he somehow dragged himself from the back of the car to the front and put his head between us as if he wanted to die with us next to him. He was struggling and we could tell, so my stepdad said "You've been the best dog anyone could ever ask for, you're such a good boy and it's ok if you need to go, we'll be okay and we love you". After that he took one deep breath and left us. He was so faithful to us his entire life that it didn't suprise me that he waited to know we would be okay/ I am glad that I decided to carry him upstairs so he could sleep in his bed his last night here on earth.

That was in April of 07...flash forward to June 07 and I was ready to welcome a new pup into my life. At first I was very nervous that I was sort of letting my old dog down by "replacing" him, I always wondered to myself if it was too soon. But about a week after getting my new dog I had the most amazing, realistic dream that my old dog and my new dog were playing together, and my old dog was licking me in a way that was telling me he approved. Something about that dream was so comforting, and to this day that is the only time I have dreamt about my sweet old boy.

Okay, now this post just did me in. WOW! They're pretty awesome little creatures, aren't they?

 

[mtomlin66]

I still say the "Gold Standard" of death is dying in your sleep and whoever dies in their sleep has won a prize!!!

My dad just passed away in early January. We knew he was terminal, he was end stage COPD - emphysema. But no one (including his doctors) expected him to die so soon.

We met with a hospice nurse on a Thursday afternoon and dad signed the paperwork. That night dad went into bed with my mom around midnight, which was quite unusual. Prior to that he ws frequently awake until at least 3:00-4:00 am and would then fall asleep in his recliner.

Around 2:00 a.m. that night dad stopped breathing. My mother, the amazing person that she is, was able to honor his wishes and let him go. Because of hospice, it was a private time without any unnecessary intrusion- a nurse just came and signed the death certificate. I, along with my siblings, were able to go to our childhood home and say our private goodbyes to our wonderful dad.

We have taken much solance in knowing that it was so peaceful.

 

[cindermomma]

Our DS9 told us when he was 3 that he had picked DH and I as his parents. I was reading this thread to my husband and DS says "Now do you believe me??" He still knows that he picked us. So comforting.

 

[chisnpeke]

These stories are making me cry. They are comforting.

I also believe that our pets pick us. Two weeks ago we had to put our one dog, a dalmatian, to sleep. On Monday I was in my class at college and thought that we should go to the shelter to look at the dogs. Well, I didn't say anything to my mom at all and later that same day when she said "let's go to the animal shelter just to see what they have." We drove up there and looked around and my mom found this little sheltie mix laying in her cage shaking. The previous week a woman had brought her in because she said the dog needed a yard. A family adopted her on Saturday and brought her back on Monday, the day we went in there, because they said they were allergic. I feel like *something* told us to go to the shelter because a sweet little dog needed a home. And she's an angel. Hasn't barked once and is the sweetest dog.

 

[themilesfamily]

My great-aunt passed away two years ago. One day she started telling us that she was seeing her mother -- her mother had died years previous. She said her mom would just be sitting in the living room or would come up next to her bed while she was sleeping. She said it wasn't scary -- but she was convinced she'd seen her mom.

She didn't show any other signs of dementia, but at the time we assumed that dementia was setting in.

Within weeks she passed away, very unexpectedly. In hindsight, I think she had an idea she was going to pass, somehow -- the last time I saw her, she cried when I left. That had never happened before. It was like she knew it was the last time she'd see me on Earth.

Shortly after she passed I had two of the MOST incredible, realistic dreams. They didn't feel like dreams, they felt real. The first -- I was standing on her sun porch -- she was standing across the room and smiling, so happy, looking much younger than she did when she passed, and sort of glowing. I just felt like she was letting me know she was okay.

The second dream -- I walked into her kitchen and there she was. I gave her a hug and said, "Aunt Alice, I miss you so much. Are you happy where you are now?" She said, "It's so much better here than you could ever imagine."

 

[saradela]

I gave my DD a dog on her 5 Birthday (named Pelusa a Toy Poodle). I got divorce, we had a rough time, but the dog was always cheerful, making things better for my DD. One year ago, (my DD is 21 now) my dogs heart began tu fail, The vet told us, not much time.....but the dog, was still nice, waking up us every day with a big lick in the face. One day my daughter went to her class at the University. Dog had fainted, I knew it was time....I called my daughter to her cell, but from some reason I could get hold of her. I could see my dog in pain, she kept turning its head toward the door, like if it was waiting my DD to show up, finally a friend of mine found my DD, and told her to come home immidiately, when she steped inside the room, the dogs face changed, it was like she was so relieved that my daughter had come in time, she hug her dog , then a big tear came into Pelusas face, like it knew it was time to say goodbye , and she didnt want to go it was so sad...we cried, everybody in that room were overwhelmed, it kept its little struggling body going, It waited for my DD to show up!!! then she left us. It has been a year, sometimes we feel it, like it is waching over us, we can feel like it jumps in the bed at night to cudle, my DD uses its name tag in a pendant, because she said, she can keep her close to her heart. I miss it sooo.....
Sorry that I had to put her story with the story of your loved ones, but for me and my family, Pelusa was, is and will be part of us.

 

[sasywtch]

My sister was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 63 and given 3-6 months to live. During one of her hospital stays (at 4 months) where she should have come home later, something happened. We think she had a stroke but tests said no. She had the blank stare (like Terry Shrivo had) with no communication. It's as if her eyes were there but no talking or hearing. One day, my BIL (sister's husband) bent down to fix her nose tube and my sister grabbed his cell phone from his shirt pocket and put it up to her ear as if she was making a call or someone called her. We all laughed at the time, it was probably the last hurrah the previous poster spoke about and did give us hope). The next few days the breathing became more shallow and we knew she wasn't lasting much longer. The doctor's kept telling us "today" but she hung on.

I believe what happened was, my sister has a best friend from childhood. They call each other all the time (friend lives 2 states away), spend their vacations together on the coast, etc. Sister's friend had just been diagnosed with breast cancer, my sister was bawling....little did she know, she'd end up with a diagnosis a few months later.

The doctor's and nurses were surprised when they came in on their shift that my sister was still there (surprised in a nice way but at that point, you know what they mean) for a few days this went on. One day around 3pm the best friend's sister came in to visit for the first time, leaned over and talked to my sister. The best friend's sister sounds just like the best friend. A few minutes later, we were all sitting in her room when she passed away. No one has ever spoken about it as it's still hard for my BIL (they were married 45 years) but I firmly believe she was calling her best friend and was waiting for her best friend. When the sister came in that sounds like her, I think my sister decided she could let go.

I do believe in the last hurrah as I'm getting older and unfortunately, seeing more and more people I know pass on and hearing more stories of someone getting better and then straight downhill but it was so odd to watch someone come out of that blank stare "coma" and just know exactly where that phone was, grab it and put it to her ear. Very strange thing to watch.

 

[golfgal]

Geez - I can't believe how long this took me:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1761161

That's my deathbed Angel encounter story, regarding my mom.

You should gut and paste this into a word document and burn it on a CD!!!

Hmmmm ...

Last month, my friend told me the same story about her son. When he was 3 years old, he told her that he knew she would be his mommy because when he was in heaven, the angels told him to pick his mommy and daddy, and he picked my friend and her husband.

You didn't happen to hear the story in Pennsylvania, did you?

No, the woman who's mom saw this in heaven lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and our friends years later were in the Minneapolis, MN area.

 

[Buckalew11]

This makes me wonder - Do our pets pick their families too?

I don't know if they all do but I think at least some do.

My 1st dog after marriage was a stray. A ****zu (sp) . The exact type of dog I wanted so badly. How many do you see as strays?

My 2nd dog (the one I have now) came to me at 3yo. She was born before my 1st one died and I wasn't ready for her yet. By the age of 3, I was ready for another dog and she just happened to go through 2 families who gave her up (another ****zu type dog). I'm her 3rd owner and I'll only give her up if one of us dies (me or her). I tell her daily that she is a gift from God. I am so thankful for that sweet little dog.

Our 2nd lab happens to be a great grandson of our 1st lab. We had no idea until we got the paperwork. I think he picked us and he gave us great comfort!!

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

a lot of people seem to know that their time has come. i don't know how they know, but they do.


my grandfather on my mother's side died when i was really young, so i don't remember a WHOLE lot about him. but i know he was in a bad state for a few weeks and finally my mom went to see him(he had been in a coma) and she told him "dad, it's ok to go." and within an hour he had died.


similar story with my aunt. she had gotten lung cancer and went into a coma towards the end, the family had issues and my father hadn't talked to her in a while, but we went over there because we had a feeling that was it, and as soon as we left we got a call that she had died.

it's like they both just waited to hear from them or something.

 

[dbriggsq]

Shortly after she passed I had two of the MOST incredible, realistic dreams. They didn't feel like dreams, they felt real. The first -- I was standing on her sun porch -- she was standing across the room and smiling, so happy, looking much younger than she did when she passed, and sort of glowing. I just felt like she was letting me know she was okay.

The second dream -- I walked into her kitchen and there she was. I gave her a hug and said, "Aunt Alice, I miss you so much. Are you happy where you are now?" She said, "It's so much better here than you could ever imagine."

A couple of days after my dad passed away I had a very similar dream - I saw him walking away from me towards a door - he was wearing his old coat and looked very old and tired - but just before he got to the door he turned to look at me and I could only focus on his face which had the most wonderful smile on it and he looked like a young man again.

 

[C.Ann]

Strange story about an uncle of mine.. He was in perfect health - had not been feeling poorly or sickly at all - and had absolutely NO reason to think that was going to change..

He got up one morning for work and before leaving, went outside and chopped a ton of wood for their fireplace - enough to last for weeks.. He then went back in the house, had breakfast with my aunt (still looking and feeling fine), went in their bedroom, got out all of their important papers (will; stocks and bonds; life insurance policy; etc.) and placed them on top of his dresser..

He got dressed - went to work - and 3 hours later my aunt got a phone call that he had suffered a massive stroke.. By the time she got to the hospital, he had already passed on..

It was so strange - almost like his subconscious was telling him that he was going to die that day..

There have been other strange incidients that lead me to believe that many people do know when they're going to die - even if they aren't suffering from health issues at the time..

 

[kilee]

A couple of days after my dad passed away I had a very similar dream -

When my grandmother died almost 3 years ago...I had a dream 4 nights later. Almost all of my family had gathered at my grandmothers house when she passed except me. She passed on a Saturday night into Sunday morning.....and I had just moved that same Saturday. Our phone was not "turned on" at the new house yet and we did not get cell phone signals at the new place. So my family could not get a hold of me to tell me my grandmother, who had been ill for a few years, had taken an extreme turn for the worse and looked like this was it.

I felt so much guilt, because the last time I had seen her was, she was at my house for a large family cook-out and she was complaining about everything I made or did the whole time she was there. I kind of snapped at her, and that was that.

Anyhow, in the first few days that followed her passing I was a mess, I felt so bad because I didn't get to tell her I loved her and goodbye. All I kept thinking about was the last time I had seen her we had bickered.

The night after her funeral I had a dream that was so real. It felt so real, and it lasted what seemed like only a few minutes. Out of nowhere I was standing on her front lawn w/ my dad and he leans over to me and says "Do you see her?", I said "yes, but I didn't understand "gi-gi" (our nickname for her) is dead". He said "she wanted to say goodbye to you". During this brief exchange she came closer and closer. She looked the same but different.....I cannot explain it. She hugged me and I told her grandma I love you and I'm so sorry, the only thing she spoke back was she loved me to and I needed to know she was okay, everything was okay but I had to let go now". I was sobbing during this dream. Then as quickly as it started it ended...I woke up gasping for breath, enough so I woke my husband and my face was wet w/ tears. The oddest feeling had come over me though when I woke and I felt at peace w/ her passing.

Still to this day I can remember every detail of that dream, the smells, every detail of what I saw. It was so brief. It was what I needed though to let my heart start to mend.