Hospice nurse shares four confessions people often make on their deathbed
A hospice nurse of 20 years has detailed the four confessions people often make on their deathbed having sat with many patients in their final moments.
Suzanne B. O’Brien wrote in a first-person piece for CNBC that it's not death that worries people nearing the end of their life, but instead the regrets they are leaving the world with.
It can be very easy to insist you have no regrets, but the reality is that most people wish they had done things differently at some point in their life.
O'Brien has heard it all, but there are four specific phrases that seemed to be uttered time and time again.
The regret of love
The hospice nurse explained in the CNBC piece that a 69-year-old man who had achieved so much in his life and was very wealthy had one regret about not having the 'courage to love others fully'.
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"On his deathbed, he talked about all the family and friends with whom he had cut ties over money, jealousy and petty arguments," O'Brien wrote.
The man is believed to have said: "I held on to anger and cut people off for stupid things, and I can’t even remember why. At the time, I thought it was easier, but I ended up sad, lonely and alone for most of my life.
"I never found love. I never gave myself the chance to experience it, and now I know this is the entire point of life. I get it now! Please tell others my story."
'Not following my heart'
I think we're all guilty of this from time to time and it appears some of O'Brien's patients feel the same.
The health expert stated how one patient said: "I regret not following my heart and finding my true purpose."
Go out and listen to your heart, guys.
'I regret not having the courage to let others love me fully'
A rather hard-hitting confession this one, with O'Brien explaining how 'when people reach the end of life, they regret that prison they built and wish they had shown more courage to open their heart and let others in'.
'I regret I didn't love myself more'.
When people are on their deathbed, O'Brien explained how some would express their regret at not loving themselves enough.
The hospice nurse tries to reassure the patient in this situation though, as she asks the following questions: "What was your job? Where did you live? Who was in your life? What struggles or challenges were you experiencing?"
O'Brien then puts to them: "Considering where you were and what you were going through, were you doing the best you could?"
She went on to say the answer is usually a 'yes'.
Topics: Life
Callum Jones