There are times during the process of an illness that the patient will experience "acceptance". During that time they may want to speak frankly about death and about the afterlife. Please listen to them, and discuss whatever is on their mind. If you don't know the answers, ask if you can bring someone who can to speak to them. It is not appropriate to dismiss the person's feelings by saying, "don't talk like that." It's been my experience that people know when the time is near, sometimes…