William Brahms's anthology, "Last Words of Notable People," reveals a notable gap between idealized final utterances and the confusing realities of death. Many readers whimsically ponder their possible last words, often leaning toward profound or loving sentiments. However, Brahms's experience with his dying mother highlighted a different truth: her communication became a gradual, fragmented dialogue due to illness. Research shows that a significant percentage of cancer patients experience delirium in their final days, complicating the understanding of dying and diminishing the clarity of final words.
On one hand, there's a very good chance that a dying person will be delirious at the end of life. In fact, in palliative care and hospice spaces, 58 to 88 percent of cancer patients are delirious in the last week to hours before death.
Brahms witnessed this firsthand at the bedside of his dying mother. Even though she'd spent years helping him edit his book, they'd never discussed what they thought their last words would be.
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