End of care doctor says there's three common phrases patients often say before they die
Unless there's an astonishing breakthrough in medical science, death is the one universal experience everyone on the planet will go through.
Despite dying being a natural part of life, its often incredibly difficult to talk about as most people - religious or not - prefer not to think about their last few moments on earth.
The finality of death is also unnerving, with many people who have experienced the loss of a loved one often re-evaluating their own lives and priorities. Therefore it's not a stretch to assume someone at the end of their life would be thinking about how they spent their years.
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Although we'll never know for certain what goes through someone's mind as their dying, the last words of a loved one can often be an indication of their thoughts - and it turns out there's a few common phrases people say when they die.
Speaking about her experience working as an end of life carer, San Francisco-based Dr Mina Chang revealed to DailyMail the three most common things she hears from dying patients.
Dr Chang explained that dying patients will often attempt to comfort loved ones during their final moments.
"They will sometimes say words like, 'I am ready,' or, 'I have no regrets'," Chang, who shares her experiences with her 1.2 million TikTok followers said.
"Being with and supporting patients toward the end of their life is a very special moment," she continued.
"They invite you into their journey even as this life comes to an end. When we are lucky, we may be a part of the moment when a patient feels ready to end this chapter of their life."
Regrets are another thing often shared by dying patients, with palliative care nurse Julie McFadden explaining dying patients will usually reflect on their life.
"Speaking with people daily who are dying, the biggest thing is not appreciating their health," she told the outlet.
"We take a lot of things for granted — being able to see being able to eat, swallow, walk, live completely pain free. A lot of people say they didn't appreciate that and they wish they would have."
The nurse went on to add that death in real-life is vastly different to how it is depicted in TV and film, with patients offering words of comfort instead of scandalous revelations.
She added: "Most people aren't speaking their last breath, but if they are, or close to it, it's usually 'I love you'."
Perhaps advice to consider next time you find yourself worrying about eating the last slice of pizza or feuding with a family member.
Brenna Cooper