In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife

by Sebastian Junger

At 40 percent blood loss, the body starts to cross over into a state from which it cannot recover on its own. All organs need oxygen to function, including the heart, and if blood pressure drops too far, the heart can’t beat fast enough to maintain sufficient blood pressure for survival. At that point, the person goes from compensatory to hemorrhagic shock and actively starts dying. He or she may start shaking convulsively and slip in and out of consciousness. The person will be hallucinatory and delusional; in fact, they may have no idea they are dying. They may try to joke with the doctors or ask them why they look so worried. The brain, heart, and vital organs are not getting enough oxygen and are beginning to shut down, which accelerates a process of acid toxicity triggered by the initial shock of blood loss. Acidosis can kill people even though they received enough blood to keep their heart beating.