Preparing for dying

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What the other posters have said is spot on. Go see your parish priest as soon as you can. He is going to be able to help you through this horrible process.

Dying is not something any of us are meant for, but it is something we all have to face. I am close in age to you (low thirties) and I can’t fathom how I would react to what you are facing. I can only say to you what I think I’d want someone to remind me of if I were facing what you are. I’d take this time to draw close to The One who is waiting for you on the other side. You are going to Him who claims you as His choice, and loves you endlessly. He knows all, He knows YOU, and He loves YOU more than any human has ever loved anyone ever. He loves you so much that he joins you in death, even. He chose what you are facing to be with you when you have no choice. He will be with you no matter what, and I believe He is waiting for you with open arms. I’ve never faced death with any certainty, but I have had some terrifying times in my life where death seemed like a reality. I heard this song…it put things in perspective. Even if the worst happens, is it really a loss in the end?


What you are facing is scary, horrible, and a violation of our nature. God created us not to taste death, but it’s the way things are now. It’s awful. I’m going through a loss myself right now. It’s a grief we were never meant to bear. But you are not alone. God with with you in death through Jesus. The saints have gone before you, and we will walk with you in prayer and discussion as much as we can. You are loved.
 
Please consider offering all suffering, mental and physical, for those who truly need it. Many choose the holy souls in purgatory, but the conversion of sinners is also a great cause. Our baptism makes us living parts of Christ’s Body on earth. As such, we may spiritually join Him on the cross for the good of others. And, such a sacrifice will not go unrewarded.

The great Saints (and some regular folks) have actually desired an increase or a lengthening of their suffering if it might lead to even a single sinner converting. That is love and God is very close to those souls.

I have confronted death with the various cancers I have had. I found that accepting death was not so much an activity or “doing something” but a release - a relaxing, a letting go and trusting yourself and your eternity as completely as you can to a loving and merciful God.

EDIT: In my case, it became apparent that God was simply waiting for me to trust Him. And when I let go of all claim I thought I had on my life, and abandoned myself into His hands, He gave my life back to me. He revealed my purpose and even this is a part of it.
 
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I have faith that you have been and that you will continue to be. May your life continue to glorify Him. All things are possible with Christ.
 
Two things that I often think of:

“To die would be an awfully big adventure.” - Peter Pan (written by JM Barrie)

Also in “The Hiding Place”, Corrie Ten Boom as a child is asking her father about death and he reminds her that when she travels with him, he gives her her train ticket just before they get on the train. He explains that God prepares the faithful soul for death in the same way, by giving them their “ticket” right before they die, so they are ready for the journey. She remembers this throughout the book when she sees other family members dying, either natural deaths or killed in the prison camp by the Nazis.

The Ten Booms and Barrie weren’t Catholic, but these are good Christian ways of looking at death.
 
Ask for the priest to come, to give you the Last Rites including an Apostolic Pardon. Keep you heart focused on Jesus.
 
Thank you all very much! During my time on Earth, I did not become a father. For those of you raising families, please do what I could not and bring the blessings of parenthood and the joy of a Catholic upbringing to some lucky children.
 
Thank you for all your prayers, everyone. There is now at least a 40% chance I will be ok (could be even higher). Either way, this was a good experience for how to prepare. Thank you again!
 
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That’s Wonderful News!
 
I will pray for you at mass today. All the other posters have given good advice xx
 
Dugtrio1 said:
Thank you for all your prayers, everyone. There is now at least a 40% chance I will be ok (could be even higher). Either way, this was a good experience for how to prepare. Thank you again!
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Amen! Praise God! Never underestimate the mercy of God! Or the power of His Sacraments. Over the past 11 years, I was recently given a 99.5% chance of dying from one cancer three times (2008, 2009, 2013), then three cancers simultaneously (2015), then being essentially killed for a stem cell transplant that same year.

A little anecdote. Since those cancers were aggressive and had a poor prognosis under the best of circumstances, I have mentally prepared for death on several occasions. The most striking was at first relapse when I abandoned any and all claim which I thought I had on my life.

It was actually freeing, calming, peaceful. Yet, the Lord was waiting for me to simply trust Him as a child would. And, when I finally did, He handed my life back to me. Calling His mercy to mind now brings tears.
 
po18guy said:
Over the past 11 years, I was recently given a 99.5% chance of dying from one cancer three times (2008, 2009, 2013), then three cancers simultaneously (2015), then being essentially killed for a stem cell transplant that same year.
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That must happen only rarely to cancer patients? Seems to me God is saying your work is not done in this world. We are lucky to have you in this online community. God bless.
 
You are very kind. As odd as it sounds to us, only God can turn cancer unto a blessing. When I received communion this morning, the silent question was posed to me:

“What have I received?”

As usual these days, it brought tears.
 
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St. Alphonsis Liguoris Preparation for Death might be useful.
 
Being scared is only human. However, your faith and heeding the excellent advice given to you will, I am sure, ease your fear. You are in my prayers.
 
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