[azasadny]

From my experience, I would say that there isn't "constant pain" like we assume there would be. Why do we assume that dying is painful? By the time the disease process has gotten the person to the end, the pain is gone and there is an opportunity to hold their hand, tell them how much you love them and just be there. The sense of hearing is supposed to be the last sense to go, so I always make it a point to talk to the person, even if I don't think they can hear me.