From Sandra Pertot
For more than 30 years, whenever I talked about my near-death experience caused by an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts, I would emphasise how pleasant it was (28 June, p 17).
I remember feeling adrift and calm. My husband, who was present throughout the ordeal in the emergency ward, said what he saw was very different. According to him, I was very agitated as I struggled to breathe, and would go limp until the doctor called my name. Then I would start struggling to breathe again.
I tell my story as it may offer some comfort to anyone who is with a loved one in the final stages of their life. As your article suggests, the struggle to breathe is associated with increasing oxygen deprivation in the brain, which leads to those drifty, pleasant feelings, despite what it might look like to others.
Diamond Beach, New South Wales, Australia
