I never thought I’d envy some of my patients of the IMC Unit for being so close to death. Nursing them, listening to their thoughts, regrets, wishes at the edge of life and holding their hand during the process of leaving somehow made me feel peaceful and relaxed as if I was not seeing a person die but rather a catterpillar metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly and leaving the cocoon back in this cruel world. It might not be my time, but I can’t wait to metamorphose one day.
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What’s IMC ? Does it have anything to do with “Death with dignity” ?
I don’t mean to bore you with my gospel, but you are in a uniquely privileged position to witness/experience the sacredness of death. While death can be heartbreaking, it can also be very spiritual and sacred if one accepts that all forms ultimately dissolve and that there is nothing unnatural or wrong about it.
IMC stands for intermediate care unit. I worked as an oncology nurse prior becoming an IMC nurse. As you can see I always were in contact with people at the edge of life. I was able to observe many people going through the five phases of dying according to Kübler-Ross. She was a psychiatrist who described the five phased a person goes through during the process of dying. She interviewed many people with a terminal illness just during the dying process and collected quite an amount of data, which she published in different novels and books. If you need some reading material I can recommend you some of her work. I heard of VSED before, but the clinic which I’m working for does not have a palliative care program specific for VSED. All I can say is that I had some patients who refused the food intake and they even were encouraged by the doctors or their relatives to do so to shorten their span of life.
Ah ok, thanks. I was just curious if you’ve gotten to witness VSED firsthand. I’ve heard of the 5 stage model, but don’t remember the details. I’ll look it up.
Can I ask where in the world you live ? Curious.
One more Q, sorry.
Does your hospital/clinic offer support / palliative care for VSED ? Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking, in case you didn’t know.
If so, do you get to witness it ? If so, what’s that like ?
What I nice way to look at it! I wish I shared your view 🙂
What an interesting post. I would like to have the opportunity you have, Ballerina.
Oh, there are times when I wish for an early death by outer causes. To be taken away by my Siren of Death – who often call to me: “Come, come to me, and I will take the away” – without it being by my own hand.
And how ready I know I will feel in the moment. Like the day when a truck almost ran me down and I though with calm: Now is my time; it’ll hit me in a second.
Or have the longer time of illness take me away with a decent time to say goodbye to my family and friends. My Death not being my own fault.