lie at death's door
To be on the brink of dying. A case of untreated rabies left me lying at death's door all of a sudden. My father lay at death's door with the infection, but he managed to fight his way back to good health. I'm afraid your grandmother is lying at death's door, so you had best say your goodbyes while you can.
lie at death's door
Fig. to be close to dying. She lay at death's door for over a month. I do not want to lie at death's door suffering. I hope to pass on quickly.