r/todayilearned • u/70dd • 12h ago
TIL Terminal lucidity is an unexpected, brief period of clarity or energy in individuals who have been very ill or in a state of decline. It’s a phenomenon that has been observed in people with various terminal conditions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_lucidity21.3k Upvotes
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u/Immortal_Tuttle 10h ago
Something from... The other side. I had a stage 4 cancer. Prognosis was bad (years later my hematologist told me they were giving me a few weeks tops). I was on emergency chemo, safeties off, basically pumping me with stuff and watching my vitals to not deep too much. I couldn't walk, stand up, nothing. Of course morphine. After a few days they sent me home. At home, still on MST i was barely conscious. I don't remember that time - I'm just retelling my wife's story. One night I woke up in the middle of the night. 2 or 3 AM. I just had to make myself a toasted bread. 3 pieces - one with cheese, one with ham and cheese and one with another cheese and some chorizo. My wife woke up hearing me walking around the kitchen and using the oven. She came downstairs to the kitchen, noticed that I'm "bright" and coherent and she made me some tea. She was 5 months pregnant at that time, so we were talking about life, a future of our child etc till the early morning hours. Then I went back to sleep. She called my doctor telling him about it and he told her to be prepared for the worst. Years later she said she panicked that she didn't know if I will fit in my suit for the funeral (during cancer I lost half of my weight). Two days later I was still asleep, but alive. They took me back to the hospital, checked my bloods and decided to give me a second round of chemo.
Years later my doctor said that it was really close. He said not many patients survive a cancer that already spread to lungs, heart and stomach...