That is NOT a pleasant death. My sister gave an EEG to someone with rabies. He was in terrible shape and they couldn’t figure out what was wrong until too late. Since my sister touched him she had to get rabies shots.
You’re right, it’s a horrible way to die.
I think there has only been a couple of people who pulled through after the infection took hold. The body can launch an immune response, but not in time. One girl was put into an induced coma for awhile while her body was able to build up the antibodies. She had some brain damage but lived through it.