Recently, we featured Hospice Nurse Julie, aka @hospicenursejulie, who educates about death and dying on TikTok. We covered her viral video where she teaches us about the actively dying phase, which is the last phase of life.
Julie discussed symptoms someone in the actively dying phase might experience that may look scary, but are completely normal — like the death rattle, the "rally," and "fish-out-of-water" breathing.
Hundreds of people thanked Julie for giving them peace about their own experiences, and many felt comforted knowing what to expect in the last stage of life.
Now that Hospice Nurse Julie has educated about the actively dying phase (I recommend you read the article or watch her video if you haven't yet), and hundreds from the BuzzFeed Community have also shared what they wish they knew about death and dying beforehand, we want to hear what lingering questions you still have. Hospice Nurse Julie will answer the most frequently asked questions in an upcoming article.
So, what questions do you have about death and dying? It can be anything from the taboo — like what does the body physically do after death — to the practical, like how does a hospital handle my loved one's body after death?
Maybe for you, you've followed Hospice Nurse Julie and know what the actively dying phase entails, but there's still some symptoms you experienced with a loved one that are on your mind and leaving you questioning. You'd like to ask Julie about these symptoms to gain some clarity and closure.
Maybe you're more curious about hospice care itself and how it differs for someone in their last phase of life versus a patient not in hospice.
Perhaps for you, you're just looking for advice from a hospice nurse on how to handle grief after losing a loved one — what has helped families after their loved one passed on?
