Babett W STE

Experience Description

My husband, Mike, and I wished to have a family. But during the first six years of our marriage, I experienced five miscarriages. We moved to Tennessee and I was blessed to have Dr. Frank as my obstetrician. At the 29th week of gestation I began to dilate and efface prematurely, so I was placed in the hospital. While there, I began having swelling of my feet and hands with extraordinary pain to my upper back and upper abdominal area. I also had an increase of protein in my urine. My daughter needed to come early, so she was born at 31 weeks. The delivery was normal. I was kept in labor and delivery for observation. I had been in terrible upper abdominal pain for over 18 hours without sleep because of the expansion of my swollen liver, which made breathing very difficult.

Immediately prior to my daughter's birth, I was unable to see and could not think clearly to speak. The doctors and nurses were absolutely wonderful. They introduced themselves to me and told me what was happening all through the delivery. Later that evening, I was sleeping very well. Yet, I was experiencing terrible pain in my legs and arms. It felt like what I imagined a hammer hitting my legs and arms might feel like.

I heard a Male voice call my nickname, 'Babs.' I opened my eyes and asked, 'Who is it? What do you want?' I was not very congenial because I was in so much pain and felt incredibly weak. He kept calling my name and telling me to wake up. I opened my eyes completely and looked around. I didn't see anyone, but the voice kept talking to me. I asked, 'Where are you? Who are you?' He began telling me that I must call for the nurse. He continued to explain that I was hemorrhaging and that I needed help in order to live. It was at this point that I no longer felt any pain. There was no fear. While he spoke to me, I heard and felt him in my brain, ears, and body.

I saw a white, bright light enter the room at the ceiling over my right side. I remember thinking, 'This is going to hurt my eyes,' because it was such an intense light. But it didn't hurt my eyes and his voice became stronger. I questioned, 'Is this real? What is happening to me?' I made the fingers on my left hand pinch my left thigh and it hurt. I thought, 'Yes, I am awake.' At that point I looked for the call button. I saw it on the right side of my pillow. I tried to reach it with my left hand, but I was too weak. I could not lift my left arm to reach across myself to lift the button. My left arm simply fell to my side. My right arm was unusable because it had IVs in it and my arm was tied to a board that was tied to the bed.

His voice was so calm, so loving, so reassuring. I have never felt so much love and peace in my whole life, not before or after that event. It rewrote my entire life. Everything I felt, believed, and hoped was all changed by His presence. I began asking Him questions and He was answering them faster than I could form the questions in my mind. He told me to vocally call for the nurse. So called for the nurse. I could hear two nurses talking outside my room, not 6 feet from my door. One of the nurses asked if the other nurse could hear someone calling. My voice was so weak that when she got up, she began going door to door at the end of the corridor.

I was so excited for her to come in and see the light so I could tell her that Jesus was in my room. He had already told me who He was. He told me not to frighten her, so I asked her to check my urinary catheter because I was wet and lying in it. He said she would be very upset. In actuality, I was lying in blood from my shoulders to my calves that squished when I moved. It was cold, but there was no pain anymore. When she came in, I was so disappointed that she did not see the light. I saw the light, but she did not. She became highly alarmed when she saw the blood. I was taken immediately to surgery. While I was being wheeled down the corridor to the surgical suite, He told me I would be fine. I could feel Him pull away from me. I didn’t want Him to go. The light left as it came.

During the time I was waiting for the nurse to enter my room, I was told that I would live to raise my children. This was an important comfort as I was to experience breast cancer and a stroke. I had been told by the doctors that it would be very unlikely for me to ever have any more children. I went on to have two more children, which made three in all. I was also told that I would become a registered nurse. I laughed to myself and thought, 'How, When? But twenty years later, I went back to school and graduated top of my class to become a registered nurse. Because of my own experiences I have always been very careful to watch what I say around patients who are unconscious. Patients can hear us.

Early the next morning three men entered my room in the labor and delivery corridor. The head surgeon who had operated on me, and the hospital attorney stood at my doorway. They told me that they had heard that I had a sentinel event the evening before and wondered if I intended to sue the hospital. I told them that the surgeon saved my life and to leave my room. No more was said. I will always be grateful for the loving care I received at the hospital and for the event that changed my life.


Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: February 23,24, 1984

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Childbirth Life threatening event, but not clinical death. Not only did I experience acute fulminating toxemia which necessitated the early delivery of our first daughter, but the actual life-threatening event was post-delivery hemorrhaging.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I heard the two nurses talking and watching the TV. One was Female and the other was Male. I could hear their conversations and the television.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal. The light, the voice without a person with it, and the pain all came together to heighten my awareness.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I pinched by left thigh.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning. Everything was happening at the same time; His voice, the light, and our conversation. I would be trying to formulate a question in my mind and He would already be answering it.

Were your senses More vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My eyes were working perfectly during my experience. Immediately prior to my daughter's birth I could not see. Then I saw the bright light and thought it would hurt my eyes, because of its intensity. But, it did not. I had no trouble seeing the nurse when she entered my room.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I had no trouble speaking to the nurse or hearing her when she entered my room to check on my calling. My hearing was always normal prior to, during and after the experience.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere, as if by ESP? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes The light began at the ceiling at my right side and came into the room. It spread out and encased the entire room. The little light over the sink in the room was yellow and then became dark as the brightness of the light engulfed the room. I have never seen a light so bright.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Excitement, joy, peace, love.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe. He answered questions that I had and told me many wonderful things but I was asked not to share. I was told if I tried to share the knowledge, that it would be taken from my memory. My father was very ill at that time and I wanted to tell him things to comfort him. When I tried, I suddenly couldn't remember the answers.

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Mormon We were Mormons for 10 years then changed to Roman Catholic when our children were older.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes The basics are about the same, but I continue to become the person I was meant to be.

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant In our quest to become as close to the first Christian Community we are meeting with Evangelical Christians with an affiliation to Messianic Jews.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience. I believed in God and His Son, Jesus. That was consistent. I was brought up to believe that there was only one true religion and we needed to find it. The one thing I have been allowed to remember was the answer to my question about which is the true Church on earth. He told me it didn't matter the name on the church door, the only thing that mattered was my personal relationship to him. That was something inconsistent with my raising.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I became a more tolerant and loving person. I had a desire to service others. I wanted a closer walk with Christ while on earth.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin. At first the voice was just a Male voice. Then as he continued to speak with me I realized who he was and He confirmed it. His voice was quiet but strong. When he was trying to awaken me, his voice was insistent and persistent.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? Yes I told him, I know who you are. You are Jesus and He said yes.

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I was speaking with Him. He acknowledged my awareness of His Divinity.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes He shared many things with me, especially though answering my questions about life, death, purpose, meanings. But I was emphatically warned to not speak of them or I would lose what I was told. I tried to tell my father to comfort him during his cancer treatment and the knowledge instantly left my memory.

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes I was told many lovely things that made me praise Him in my bed, but when I tried to share some of the comforting things to my father the information left my memory, just as I was warned it would.

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? An afterlife definitely exists No

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes Nothing was spoken about love. I just felt surrounded by love and totally accepted.

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life My husband and I continue our walk to learning and improving our walk of service and love for others through understanding more about Christ's walk and teaching while on earth. We have left the Catholic Faith and are Evangelical Christians with many friends who are Messianic Jews.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I am more loving and try to be more understanding and accepting.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It was real but so unusual and unexpected it has taken me years to put words to the experience and feelings.

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience. This was the most precious event of my life. I remember it better than anything else in life I have experienced.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Jesus, who is the Christ, knew me. He came to help me. He was there with me. Wow! That is the most meaningful thing that can ever happen to anyone. The Creator of the World, know me!

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I told my father right away. It was a few weeks before I told my husband. After that I told my children when they were in their early teens, who were all born at Vanderbilt. I took them up to labor and delivery and showed them the room I was in and the closest proximity of the nurses desk.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes My father had a massive heart attack in 1979. His experience was different than mine. But very amazing. His spirit left his body, and hovered near the ceiling. He watched the doctor work on him and he had no pain. He was in a tunnel and was told to go back. He said he knew when he was back in his body because when he went in it was hard and fast and the pain returned.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. It was the most real thing I have ever experienced.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. This experience has changed my life and directed the course of my life through raising my children, helping others, personal illness and hopes for the future.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? If everyone could have a NDE, then I think the world would be a better place.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I believe your questionnaire is quite thorough.