I work as a private caregiver for a 91 year old man with dementia who has brain cancer and is on hospice. He has already lived months longer than predicted by his neuro oncologist.

He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day. The family and I believe he is very close to the end. Lately, he has been calling out for his wife who passed away 4 years ago. He also has been asking for his small dog who died last year.

Today I was sitting at his bedside, holding his hand and gently rubbing his head to calm him as he’d been agitated and anxious most of the day. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a white figure cross the room. I knew I had seen something, but I chalked it up to me just being overtired.

About an hour or so later, still at his bedside, I saw a similar white figure, but this one was very small and darted across the floor. At that point I truly believed I wasn’t just seeing things.

On days like this where we believe he’s barely clinging to life, he tends to get very scared and upset, and calls out to god for help. He will also call for his wife. There was one time he got upset with another caregiver for not opening the front door because he said his wife was waiting outside in the cold. He would not settle until the caregiver opened and closed the front door.

My theory is that he is afraid to cross over to the other side, so his wife and dog are trying to coax him over.

I hope he’s able to be at peace soon and be fully reunited with them.