On wednesday I held the hand of a close family friend as he died from lung/heart cancer. He was brain dead by then (by the time he was 'dying', so he was already clinically dead) but the machines hooked up to him were keeping him alive.
You know how they make death look so pleasant in movies? I really doubt it after this experience.
His chest was spasaming up and down so violently while he struggled just to breathe. They had to tie him up to the bed to keep him from flying out of it. He was yellow and cold as ice and his pupils were completely dilated..he had no control of his own muscles...
It was pretty graphic and horrible.
Two lessons can be learned:
1) Smoking is going to catch up to you eventually (thank god I don't smoke) and your death will be EXTREMELY painful.
2) Life is short- the guy was only 29 years old. As I held his hand I couldn't help thinking that one day I will be there in that bed, and all the money, work, family or women or whatever it is you prize in life will count for nothing.
Poor guy.