May I Have Your “TENSION”, Please?

My most memorable experience with “helping” a dying patient was when I was a paramedic. We responded to a call in one of the so-called “projects”. As we entered the front door, we saw an elderly black man lying motionless on a hospital bed in the living room. His family was gathered around him, heads bowed and weeping softly.

His wife explained that he had a long bout with cancer and had been recently sent home from the hospital. Several attempts were made, but the patient was unresponsive to verbal or painful stimuli.

When we contacted the man’s physician on the phone, we were told that he was sent home to die in peace, but that his family was not prepared for that event. The doctor instructed us to transport the man to the hospital so that he could die there, and added, “No heroics”.

The patient remained totally unresponsive while we transferred him from the bed onto our stretcher, and was not aroused at all as we rolled him out to the ambulance, lifted him into the back, locked the stretcher in place, and closed the back doors. I rode in the back with him while my partner drove at normal speed (no lights or sirens).

I continued my attempts to stimulate him by calling his name several times, while gently pressing a knuckle into his sternum (that normally hurts a LOT). Still no response. I decided that my written report could wait until after our arrival at the hospital.

Then, something deep within me told me, “He’s not responding to words or pain. Try love.” I picked up his hand and held it in mine. With my very next breath, I focused on the primordial vibration within me and FELT this precious gift of life flow through my body. At that exact MOMENT, the man opened his eyes, turned his head, looked into my eyes and smiled. He then closed his eyes, and died.

I wasn’t saddened, I was humbled. I felt grateful and fortunate that I was “used” to comfort and assist this man during his transition from this life to whatever happens next.

People who are dying are spiritually attuned, and their need is for that to be validated. My patient was oblivious to verbal and painful stimuli. But, somehow, he was awakened by an unseen force that can only be FELT. Although no words were exchanged, there is no doubt that his smile was his way of saying “Thank you”. It was as if he was waiting for that affirmation of Love, God, Truth - whatever you want to call it - before leaving his body.

This one incident was a gentle reminder to trust in the ONLY thing that is worthy of our trust: The one Love that connects us all.