Sacred Death: 25 Tools for Caregivers

Chapter 11 - Conscious Dying:  Staying Present, Aligned, and Connected Together

 

The chapter is about my journey deathwalking my father in 2012 over a two month process. It was mystical, profound, heart-wrenching, and grief-filled yet still full of love and joy. My tool, Creating a P.A.C.T.: Presence, Alignment, and Connection Together, is about giving insight into how a caregiver can support the dying person in having a conscious death, and this happens when the family and caregiver are also open and present to the needs of the dying.

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Excerpt:

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I sat sobbing while trying to listen to the hospice social worker explain what to expect. “The body will shut down slowly, his food intake will dissipate, he’ll begin to have difficulty swallowing, and he’ll sleep more.” “We know,” she said, “that hearing is the last sense to go.” When I exclaimed, "But he's deaf!" she replied, “Don't worry, he will hear you.” The tears flowed and I said I was just so sad. “Of course you are,” she commented, “You’re losing the first man you ever loved.”