Thoughts on death and dying

[Just Plain Ruff]

Hey all, I was in my sunday school class and we discussed what happens to us after we die. NOW I do not want this going down the road of religious arguments although those are completely allowed here, I am just curious about some things.

We've all seen countless people pass on. Some witnessed and we attempted to save them, some witnessed and we let them go due to DNR's and such.

Others we have seen that have died horrible deaths and some who seem to have died very peacefully.

What are your thoughts of what happens to you after you die?

I know that according to my beliefs that I'm going to heaven. I have no doubts about that.

But what I do have doubts about is what happens the moment I die. I cannot explain it and I don't think it's going to be like the movies or like the movie Ghost where the bad people get attacked by the shadows and the good people hit the light.

The sunday school lesson just got me to thinking about what happens after we die.

Feel free to discuss.

Again, do not make this wholly about your religion or lack of religion. That's not the point of this thread.

[spenac]

You asked what happens immediately at death. From the bible comes this answer.

“For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

[Just Plain Ruff]

You asked what happens immediately at death. From the bible comes this answer.

“For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

Good answer spenac, but I specifically left out the bible verses on this thread. I know(believe) what will happen after I die but will it be like the movies or will it be a instantaneous thing, I die, I wind up in heaven?

I can't really get a grasp on that part.

There are some really great thinkers on this site and I'm curious to see what the following people have to say

Richard B

Dwayne

AK

EMTAnnie

Dust if he ever shows back up

and many others.

[akflightmedic]

What are your thoughts of what happens to you after you die?

I begin to decompose...content in the knowledge I led a good life to the best of my ability and left my mark on the world by raising morally correct, intelligent, kind children who will do the same as their Dad did. And the circle of life goes on...

[Just Plain Ruff]

I begin to decompose...content in the knowledge I led a good life to the best of my ability and left my mark on the world by raising morally correct, intelligent, kind children who will do the same as their Dad did. And the circle of life goes on...

I met both your kids and I have no doubt that you will fulfill your legacy above with your children.

[akflightmedic]

I met both your kids and I have no doubt that you will fulfill your legacy above with your children.

Thanks bro but there was third one in there....LOL!

Quote from Epicurus about 2000 years ago: "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not".

Death begins the day we are born, it is a precondition for living. I can not concern my time in the here and now for what may be, I know an end will come, therefore I need to live today for what it is. This does not mean total anarchy or hedonistic activities, but enjoy everything all around,appreciate it, respect it and live in the moment. Enjoy this life! It is ours for the taking!

[Richard B the EMT]

From the allegedly humorous:

If I can't take it with me when I go, I ain't going!

With all the people telling me they are going to dance on my grave, I've left orders to be buried at sea!

An acquaintance of mine says he's coming back from the grave to "get me". I'm going to have him buried face down, so let him dig!

At age 110, I'm going to be shot in bed, with someone else's wife, by the jealous husband.

From the more realistic:

I'm signed up as an organ donor. When I go, the transplanted parts will live on in someone else, therefore I have a small chance at some immortality.

[Chief1C]

I'm not feeling all that great - heat + reactive hypoglycemia = depressing way to go through my favorite season. In all honesty.. I'm agnostic, questionable. Being in a rural area, I spend a lot of time looking at my patients, or holding hands waiting to see what happens next. I've worked on hundreds of folks that I grew up with, known all my life. I've done a lot of praying that this man that was like a dad to me would just be the one patient who we'd resuscitate, or this priest wouldn't die on me. That leaves a lot of time for a person to wonder about God, Heaven and Hell, and what prayer is really about. I mean, yeah, in a sense, talking out your problems, or the trials of my day makes me feel better. Even if I'm just talking to myself, in prayer that is, but as to who I'm praying to, I don't know. I was thinking about dabbling in the God of Sun, you know, since that's probably what will kill us all, if North Korea doesn't first. I was being facetious on the latter part of that sentence. I fear what lies beyond life, I was raised in a Roman Catholic house, I went to church, I've read the bible.. I own a 150y/o bible, but any more, the only comfort I find in it, is the smell of my great grandmother's perfume which had been spilled on it. I also don't want to know why we exist, or what our purpose is. I'm comfortable with believing that, if there wasn't some distinct, even unknown purpose for each of us, we'd just die off.

I don't want to be embalmed, or boxed up.. Nor do I want to be cut up for science. Dump me in the woods, and let nature take it's course. Seriously. Like the body farm thing for science. If I knew I was going to die, I'd probably donate everything to a charity to auction off, travel to someplace I've always wanted to go, and wander into my own demise.. like the wilderness.

[HERBIE1]

Interesting you should post this. I believe I have an interesting perspective on the issue. Recently(less than a month ago) I went through MI #2, and had a second stent put in. Here's the deal:

Went to the ER, c/o some heartburn- similar to last time. Sat on the ER bed, took off my shirt, and the nurse began hooking me up for a 12 lead EKG. She was asking another nurse if the EKG machine was working, and was assured it was. The next memory I have is lying flat on my back on the bed with a nonrebreather on my face, with a whole bunch of people surrounding me.

MD: Welcome back!

Me: Where did I go?

MD: You went away for a little awhile.

Me: Huh?

Rn: You were in V-tach for approximately 4 minutes.

Doctor: We had to defribrillate you- and I apologize because your chest is so hairy, I burned you a bit.

Me: That's OK- I'll let you slide on that.

Doctor: You are having a heart attack and we're taking you to the cath lab. You gave us quite a scare.

Me: Sorry. Didn't mean to.

The stent went well, echo showed no damage, and a recent stress test was not just good, but EXCELLENT per the cardiologist. Starting rehab next week.

So, what do I recall from my ordeal? Absolutely nothing other than what I related above. No white lights, no glows, no watching them work on me- NADA. I told the department chaplain I felt swindled. No near death, out of body experience to relate. No earth shattering revelations. No epiphany. NADA.

Is it because there is nothing?

Is it because I simply do no remember yet and maybe I will someday? I dunno.

I am not too concerned- I am what I would call a recovering Catholic. Grew up doing all the rites and sacrements, but no longer practice. Do I believe in God- sure, or some ominpotent being, but I am not yet worried that I had a near death experience and have nothing to show for it.

I feel exactly the same as I did before the event- physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Other than being MAD AS HELL that I had another MI- despite losing 25 pounds, working out cardio and weights 3x's/week, cooking a heart healthy diet, and getting my cholesterol down to a normal level- I feel fine. The day before I had the MI I was at the gym, did 7 miles on a bike, 2 miles on a treadmill, and 45 minutes of weights- as I have done 2-3 x's /week since the last event.

So- to answer the question-

I came as close as I want to taking a dirt nap, but I am ambivalent about the whole thing- especially since there's not really a lot we can do about it anyway.

[Lone Star]

Interesting you should post this. I believe I have an interesting perspective on the issue. Recently(less than a month ago) I went through MI #2, and had a second stent put in. Here's the deal:

Went to the ER, c/o some heartburn- similar to last time. Sat on the ER bed, took off my shirt, and the nurse began hooking me up for a 12 lead EKG. She was asking another nurse if the EKG machine was working, and was assured it was. The next memory I have is lying flat on my back on the bed with a nonrebreather on my face, with a whole bunch of people surrounding me.

MD: Welcome back!

Me: Where did I go?

MD: You went away for a little awhile.

Me: Huh?

Rn: You were in V-tach for approximately 4 minutes.

Doctor: We had to defribrillate you- and I apologize because your chest is so hairy, I burned you a bit.

Me: That's OK- I'll let you slide on that.

Doctor: You are having a heart attack and we're taking you to the cath lab. You gave us quite a scare.

Me: Sorry. Didn't mean to.

The stent went well, echo showed no damage, and a recent stress test was not just good, but EXCELLENT per the cardiologist. Starting rehab next week.

So, what do I recall from my ordeal? Absolutely nothing other than what I related above. No white lights, no glows, no watching them work on me- NADA. I told the department chaplain I felt swindled. No near death, out of body experience to relate. No earth shattering revelations. No epiphany. NADA.

Is it because there is nothing?

Is it because I simply do no remember yet and maybe I will someday? I dunno.

I am not too concerned- I am what I would call a recovering Catholic. Grew up doing all the rites and sacrements, but no longer practice. Do I believe in God- sure, or some ominpotent being, but I am not yet worried that I had a near death experience and have nothing to show for it.

I feel exactly the same as I did before the event- physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Other than being MAD AS HELL that I had another MI- despite losing 25 pounds, working out cardio and weights 3x's/week, cooking a heart healthy diet, and getting my cholesterol down to a normal level- I feel fine. The day before I had the MI I was at the gym, did 7 miles on a bike, 2 miles on a treadmill, and 45 minutes of weights- as I have done 2-3 x's /week since the last event.

So- to answer the question-

I came as close as I want to taking a dirt nap, but I am ambivalent about the whole thing- especially since there's not really a lot we can do about it anyway.

When I went in for surgery to treat a giant cerebral aneurysm, the neurologist clinically induced hypothermia, so that he would have an extra 30 minutes with the skull open.

During the 'rewarming period' I went into cardiac arrest not once, but twice. I ended up getting zapped twice during the ordeal. (Yes, it friggin HURTS!).

I don't recall any 'white lights', no 'beckoning late relatives' and no voice 'calling me home'. I didn't have any 'out of body experience' and never got to watch them working on me. None of the stuff that we see claimed on television. I was kind of bummed because of it!

*Edited to correct spelling error

Edited July 26, 2010 by Lone Star