Dying for a drink

My mate Dave is in a hospice on his last legs. He's 62 and has had Multiple Sclerosis for ages. He also has bone spread from prostate cancer.
Dave has been an inspiration during his journey towards his existance as a head. he now can't swallow without drowning a bit and is on loads of drugs for bone pain
When he wakes from his sleep he says "water, water!" and the nurses say we can't give him any because he might choke.
This terminal care in this country is quite deranged, I think. Anyway, I gave him some water and he didn't choke.