Her breathing is shallow now and her pulse is hard to find. At times I almost wonder if she has passed away, but no, she is still breathing. After a few minutes more I am sure the final moment is near - and am caught by surprise by a loud sharp breath. Then all is still again. Death is not instant, despite all the images in films.
Death is a gradual process.
She is still there, but over the next twenty minutes or so something has gone. Almost all the cells of her body are still alive, but her presence is no more. Her heart cells may still be contracting irregularly, her stomach is digesting food. Her skin cells are still living and her corneas could give a child sight. Her kidneys are still working, and her bone marrow is still producing red and white blood cells.