Clergy vs non-clergy reaction to personal terminal illness?

Question

This question is for nurses, doctors, and others who deal with end of life situations. In your experience, how does the reaction of a clergyperson compare with the reaction of the average person when faced with his/her own end of life? I am interested in first hand observations.

Answer 1

I am not a nurse or a doctor, but I am the daughter of a preacher, and my mother faced terminal cancer. My dad has to be strong for lots of people facing this situation. And he was strong in facing it himself. He took such great care of my mother in her final years up until those final moments. He was a rock for my sister and me. My mom's chart did have DNR on it. She had cancer and was in the hospital for a month before going home to die. She was never kept alive in any extraordinary way. We just kept her out of pain as much as we could until her time came. THey had been married for 33 years at the time of her passing. He drew such strength from his faith in God.
I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but it is a clergyman dealing with death of an extremely close family member.

Answer 2

I have seen a lot of people die and all of them need a hand to hold preferably a family member.

People left alone to die have a struggle and do not pass peacefully.

I will never allow a member of my family die alone.