Healing Touch for the Dying

Last Wednesday I was at Hospice of Cincinnati volunteering with some other Healing Touch Practitioners or Apprentices. Two of us serviced two out of the 4 wings of the facility. Our normal procedure is to get a patient list from the nurses and check with them to find out who, if any, would benefit from Healing Touch. Many times the nurses will recommend several patients for a variety of reasons. The last two patients for whom we provided Healing Touch were in the last stages of dying. Patient A had just been given a little medication to help her relax as the nurse told us she was somewhat restless. We went quietly into her room. This time in the dying process to me will always be a sacred time. When you think that the person in front of you will
soon "shuffle off this mortal coil," as Shakespeare once said and be in spirit form, you might feel somewhat envious as I did. Make no mistake that I love my life but there's something about that next step that, in some ways, I long for. As the Bible says, "there will be no more tears and no more fears." When I reflect upon that statement I know in the core of my being that there
is a great future for all of us. I think of heaven as a place that is beautiful beyond description, where learning continues and the soul really takes shape. When providing Healing Touch to someone such as this Hospice patient lying here, I think of all these things. I also think of the life she may have led, her family that is coming to say goodbye and all that her life may have been.

Patient B was also actively dying. As I've seen often the breathing changes and becomes very shallow and labored. If the person coughs I can hear the congestion in the chest. I know this person does not have long in this life and I want to be as respectful and kind as possible. I believe Healing Touch is a way to let the terminally ill feel the human touch that comforts them. I thank God for this time with this person, I bless and pray for him or her. I think of my own time of dying and I sincerely hope that there will be people around me who respect me as a child of God and all that my life has been and will be in heaven! We all must go through our passion and death but we all will be resurrected!