When a person is dying, the body undergoes a number of changes. The following are some of the common changes
1 Decreased food intake
Interest in food and drink diminishes and the amount of food consumed decreases.
Eventually, they are unable to consume any food at all.
2 Eye changes
The pupils become dilated and the eyelids do not close.
The cornea becomes white and cloudy.
The eyes may become half open and teary.
3 Other senses
Sight and other senses are gradually lost.
Hearing is said to remain until the end.
4 Changes in urine and faeces
As death approaches, 24 hours before death, the amount of urine will decrease drastically. This is one of the most important signs.
Eventually, urination stops. If a diaper is being used, five or six consecutive wetless cycles indicate that the time left is short.
Just before death, muscles throughout the body relax and the urethral opening and anus may open to allow the remaining urine and faeces to be expelled.
5 Changes in breathing
Respiration becomes shallow and irregular.
Chain-stokes breathing, in which breathing is sometimes interrupted, may be observed.
A mouth-packing breathing pattern, called mandibular breathing, may also occur.
Once mandibular breathing begins, the remaining time is thought to be less than 24 hours. During this period, the level of consciousness decreases, but in some cases the patient may remain conscious.
The final stage is respiratory arrest, but in many cases the patient dies after breathing in.
6 Changes in the circulatory system
Blood pressure falls.
The pulse becomes weak and irregular.
Limbs may feel cold.
Because blood flow is reduced, the body may become cold, and the skin on the limbs and other parts of the body may become pale, swollen and cyanotic (purple lips and fingertips).
7 Changes in consciousness
Consciousness fades and the person becomes unaware of their surroundings.
It becomes difficult to speak or react.
Delirium and hallucinations may occur.
The tendency to sleep for long periods of time increases.
They become less responsive to their surroundings and increasingly do not respond when spoken to.
These changes appear gradually and eventually lead to death.
However, there may be a temporary recovery called ‘last rally’. This is a phenomenon where a dying person suddenly becomes well again.
It is also common to hear stories of people reviving memories of the past, like a lantern, as they near death, but this has not been scientifically proven. It is thought that fragmented memories may be randomly revived as brain functions decline.
(NB.)
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