Barrowgirl, I was with my MIL when she died, I was holding her hand and stroking her hair, so I could see what happened. For a few hours she had been taking several breaths then there would be a long gap and I wondered if she had gone, only for her to take another large breath and the same cycle would start again. Right at the end she too went blue round her lips and made a noise in her throat - then her face lit up in an enormous smile. She never took another breath and soon started to go white. I was told that the noise she made (the so called "death rattle") didnt mean she was in pain, it was just the way the breathing was stopping.
I hope I havnt upset anyone by posting this.
I hope I havnt upset anyone by posting this.