It can be hard to know what to expect or what to say when it becomes clear that a loved one's final days are probably approaching. How will you know when it's almost time? What are the most helpful and important things to express? How will the grief you feel after death compare with the sadness, worry, fear, or other emotions you're experiencing now? Nothing will ever make this transition easy. But the insights of others who've been through it may offer comfort and kinship.