Understanding Active Dying
Before you need cremation services in Havana, FL, you will likely be with your loved one when they are actively dying. Actively dying happens in two stages. The first, which is usually about three weeks (although it can be longer), is pre-active dying.
With pre-active dying, you will probably see your loved one exhibit some of the following symptoms:
- Increased restlessness or agitation
- Increased periods of confusion
- Decreased interaction with others
- Increased sleepiness
- Increased lack of stamina and energy
- Hallucinations of people who have already died
- Decreased nutrition and hydration intake
The active dying process comes next. It is the last step before your loved one dies. The active stage of dying typically last an average of three days before death comes.
The phase of active dying that indicates that death is very close are unresponsiveness, falling vital signs, and rapid and shallow breathing.
While not everyone experiences every symptom or sign of the active dying process, your loved ones will likely experience the majority of them. These include:
- Changes in breathing (shallow breathing, irregular breathing, and extended pauses between breaths)
- Waste incontinence or decreased urine output (urine will often have a dark color)
- Mottling (blood pooling on the skin’s surface)
- Changes in body temperature (when blood flow is reduced, blood is directed to vital organs and away from extremities, which will be very cold to the touch)
- Changes in heart rate and blood pressure (heart rate is slower and blood pressure goes down)
- Agitation, delirium, and audio and visual hallucinations
- Fluid buildup in the lungs that produce gurgling sounds
All of this can be hard to watch as your loved one exhibits some or all of these signs of active dying. However, you should be aware that while it may be distressing for you, it is not for your loved one.
As the body undergoes life’s final shutdown, your loved one is a very deep sleep state (similar to the sleep when anesthesia is administered), and they are not suffering at all.
However, to make sure that your loved one does not experience any physical pain or discomfort during this phase, they are given a strong narcotic on a regular schedule. The narcotic enhances the deep sleep your loved one’s deep sleep, so you should not be surprised if they don’t respond to anything.
Your loved one is likely still able to hear during this deep sleep, so it’s important for you and other family members, if possible, to be with them and talk with them during the active dying phase.
Try to keep your conversations with them and with each other as calm and peaceful as possible. Your loved one can hear not just words, but also the tone in which they are spoken. Fighting and arguing among you and other family members can be very distressing to them.
It’s also important to not have a lot of loud, simultaneous noise during your loved one’s active dying phase, because this can be distressing to them too. If you decide to have a little noise, you might play some of their favorite music at a very low volume.
You and other family members can sit with your loved one and softly talk with them while holding their hand or with an arm around their shoulders. Someone should stay with your loved one through their very last breath.
For information about cremation services in Havana, FL, including grief resources, our caring and knowledgeable staff at Lifesong Funerals & Cremations is here to assist you.
