This week, I stood the closest to death as I ever have been. I witnessed how American medicine functioned at the end of life. It was loving and caring. My lover was a dear friend of the dying; I, a friend through her. When the time came, the doctor asked if the family was on the way and was assured they were. She administered a drug that wouldn’t prolong life but would allow the heart to continue to work for a little longer, hoping all the loved ones could arrive. I was deeply moved. The monitor immediately reflected the dying heart's change from an occasional weak beat to a steady rhythm. We said our goodbyes to a renewing beloved. The family began to arrive. We left. They died an hour later and, in a twinkling, arrived in paradise, where they were welcomed home.
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