A seasoned hospice nurse has shared insights into the natural process of dying, emphasizing that death should not be feared as it is a common experience. Penny Hawkins Smith, aged 62 and with two decades of bedside experience during individuals’ final moments, highlighted the stages leading to death.
According to Penny, as individuals near the end of their lives naturally, they tend to sleep more and gradually enter a responsive phase before entering a state known as a ‘death coma’. She noted that during this transitional period, individuals may encounter visions and express thoughts about embarking on a journey.
Penny, who serves as a hospice quality assurance nurse, described death as a “beautiful” and ordinary occurrence that should not be stigmatized. She pointed out that the medical field often views death as a failure due to the emphasis on saving lives and prolonging existence. Penny stressed the importance of educating families and destigmatizing death to help individuals navigate this inevitable part of life.
Over her extensive career, Penny has supported numerous individuals in hospice care as they approach the end of life. She emphasized the significance of normalizing the dying process for both patients and their families, especially when patients have a limited life expectancy upon entering hospice care.
Penny highlighted that individuals in the final stages of life may experience unique phenomena such as visions and expressions related to travel. She explained that patients might encounter psychological and biological changes, leading to what she referred to as “paranormal activities,” including seeing deceased loved ones or discussing embarking on a final journey.
Each death, according to Penny, possesses distinct characteristics, but individuals with terminal illnesses undergoing a natural death generally follow a similar trajectory. She explained that in cases where individuals are not receiving treatment to prolong life, the dying process unfolds naturally, with hallmark signs indicating the progression towards death.
In the natural dying process, individuals typically exhibit signs of slipping into an unresponsive state, entering a death coma, and eventually passing away. Penny emphasized that this pattern is commonly observed in individuals allowed to go through a natural death experience.
