One story I often remember was shared with me while interviewing people for my book. The woman’s whole family had gathered by her father’s bedside. It had been days for some, hours for others, but they had all arrived. Their father had been withdrawing into himself, and they knew that his time to leave would soon come. Then, he rallied. He was able to sit up and even talk a bit. There was a spark in his eye. He told his family to leave and get something to eat. During the time it took the family to grab some fast food at a nearby restaurant, the father died.
This family was understandably upset, but the primary nurse told them that some people feel it is too hard on their family to watch them die, so they wait until they have a moment alone. Others have said that the person who is dying needs time alone to prepare, so they encourage those around to leave. No one knows why rallies occur, or why some people wait to die until they are alone, while others wait for someone to arrive before letting go. Since we are each unique, our deaths will be unique as well.
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