what happens when the body shuts down

Well, I would think that you would die. Don't you??

That goes without saying.

I posted this question hours after my Dad died. .......wondering if I was in denial or if our mind puts up some sort of protective shield to protect you from is actually happening.

My Dad was not only my dad, but my friend too. Looking back, I probably knew he was dying but was in denial.

I was looking for some sort of answers, not a, what came across as, an insensitive or off handed comment.

That goes without saying.

I posted this question hours after my Dad died. .......wondering if I was in denial or if our mind puts up some sort of protective shield to protect you from is actually happening.

My Dad was not only my dad, but my friend too. Looking back, I probably knew he was dying but was in denial.

I was looking for some sort of answers, not a, what came across as, an insensitive or off handed comment.

Hello KMK,

You have my deepest sympathy. God Bless you and give you peace.

I lost my Mom not too long ago. I was with her until she took her last breath. It is very hard to just sit there and feel as if you can do nothing.

I have been in the medical profession for the last 25 years and have taken care of many persons that have been near death or died while in my care. But loosing one of your own gives one different feelings.

Several things can happen that make the body shut down. The kidneys can start to fail or the heart slows where the circulation starts to fail. This process can take several days or maybe hours, depending on the person and what physcial ailment is going on with them.
I do think my experience with most of them, is that they fall into a deep sleep or many times medication is given to help them rest until the body can no longer sustain life.

I do not know how old your Dad was but it is clear that you loved him very much. I do believe that the ones close to us know how much we care and love them, in times like these.

Yes, I do think that we go into a denial state as life in this existance is "all we know" and to us "death". is unnatural.
It does seem so "strange, to die."
But for the person that has lived a long life or have been very ill, I think they do accept the dying process. My Mom told me a couple weeks before she died that she was "so tired" and all she wanted to do was to "go to sleep".

That goes without saying.

I posted this question hours after my Dad died. .......wondering if I was in denial or if our mind puts up some sort of protective shield to protect you from is actually happening.

My Dad was not only my dad, but my friend too. Looking back, I probably knew he was dying but was in denial.

I was looking for some sort of answers, not a, what came across as, an insensitive or off handed comment.

Please except my sincere apology! That was rude and insensitive and I'm sorry to give you that kind of answer. To be honest, the way you worded your question made me think you were just curious to be curious not that you might have a sadness in your life for asking.
My Mother was 86 and in Aug of 06 we lost her to a massive stroke. She had the stroke on a Friday night. We took her to Hospice and stayed by her bedside, all seven of her Children, till she took her last breath on Tues night. She died with all of her Children touching her. You know it was like she was holding on till we all got there. We lived all over the United States. My Brother got there and it was like she started fading away from us. Like she knew all of her kids were there and she could let go. Severl things happend that the Hospice nurses told us was part of the process of her little body shutting down but I honestly can't remember or I would tell you.
Again, I am just so very sorry for being unkind in my first answer, please forgive me.
Gabby Grace

When your death or death of loved one is expected---
When death is inevitable you begin withdrawing from the world around you. Reading newspapers and worrying about politics for instance is no longer important.
Mundane, everyday activities lose importance. This is the process of withdrawal.
This may be done during what seems like napping. The soul may be in reflection for what has occurred in life and what is to come after death. this is not always a conscious process. the soul is in control now.

If a terminal patient says I don't want to eat, then they should not eat. The body needs another type of energy. A spiritual energy perhaps.

The dying may see and talk to people who have already died. They may pick at their clothing or pick at things in the air.
This happened to my father. He began to speak French to "someone" when he had not spoken French much at all after his mother passed. I believe she was there in the room ushering him into the next room, as it were.

One day or hours before--My father became very alert and energetic and wanted to go home. this is very common. they get a surge of energy. It is a feeling of not wanting to Let go.

--Blood pressure goes down. Skin color changes.
body temp may fluctuate.
--Breathing changes.
--Restlessness, congestion, breathing becomes gravely.
--Eyes glassy, not seeing.
--Hands and feet purple due to the kidneys shutting down and not flushing the body of toxins.
--A need to say goodbye to everyone comes over the loved one. They know what is happening.

For those being kept alive on respirators it is hard to know when true death occurs.
But death occurs when the soul is gone and the lifeless shell is left --

Your loved one has moved on to the next stage of life. As we all will someday.

My mother died on the first of November last year, five weeks after my father died. We were lucky enough to sit with here until she drew her last breath. Actually she was waiting until we said please and thank you to her...it's a long story, but she was waiting for my hubby and I to remember our manners and thank her for all she and daddy had done for us and for how she had raised me and for the help they had given us. When we were finished thanking her, we said please let go and go home to daddy....within 10 minutes we watched her draw her final breath and leave us. Her guardian angels had been waiting all day for her to decide that she was ready to leave this earth and go home to daddy in heaven. There was no struggle or pain. Just a final deep two breaths and then she was gone. I lost the best friend I have ever had and the woman that I looked up to. I am glad that she is no long suffering from Alzheimers, but I do so miss my mamma.

When they are suffering it is a mixed blessing for them to go on home where they will get back their good health. I still miss my father so much. his passing changed the dynamics of our family and caused my mom to drift into dementia quicker than she would have.

I know that if he were alive and well she would have a reason for getting up each day and someone besides herself to worry about.

Our parents have gone on to a better place-- as we all will someday. That is what I believe and it gives me comfort.

My Mama died of colon cancer at home. Hospice was involved, we knew the end was near. She died on Sunday night.

The previous Monday, she had quit eating, couldn't get her to eat anything. She was a life long smoker and also stopped smoking that day.

She told my sister to call me and my brother (We were in different states), she wanted to see us before she died. My sister is one that thinks if you ignor something, it will go away so if she ignored Mama may be dying, then she wouldn't die? Mama told her very single day to call us.

By Friday, Mama had gotten frantic and screamed at my sister to call us so she could see us before she died... I got there Saturday. She was getting out of bed, really weak and needed help but wanting to get up. That night I noticed she was only taking a breath like every 30 seconds, the rest of the time, nothing! Sis said she had been breathing at night like that all week.

Sunday, she had lots of company all day long. She was restless, wanting to get out of bed, then get back in bed, get out of bed, then back in. At one point during the day, my sister came got me said Mama wanted to ask me something, I went in and asked what she needed and she said "I need you to take me home!" .... Little did I know/understand what she was asking!

She knew everybody that came. About 3 in the afternoon, my sister in law came in the kitchen (I was cooking) and told me Mama had asked her not to leave but to hold her hand and Mama wouldn't let her leave. By 3pm she had went to slepp and that is when my sister in law decided to leave. After she had slept awhile, she started that gurgeling sound that she use to call the "death rattle". As time went on, it got worse and worse, those breaths started being spaced further and further apart and I knew her time was near so I left her to go call my brother to tell him he better come. I hung up the phone and went back and she was gone. After I called hospice, I called my brother back and told him she was already gone...

Hospice had to come and verify she had died and then the funeral home had to be called once that was verified so we had a house full of people that got to come say their final good byes to her in her house, in her own bed. I think THAT did more for the ones she left behind than anything. Just spending that time with her after she had left. I tell everybody, that HELPS and it is the only way to go!