David L NDE

Experience Description

I am not sure what to make of the events. I had a colonoscopy on Wednesday. Felt okay afterwards. Friday, about 10:30 am I was at a professional meeting and told a longtime friend I did not feel well and had to go. I drove home and found myself sitting on the couch, not remembering how I got there. I did not think I had 'passed out' or anything. I called the doctor's office and told them what was going on. The doctor said to get to his office NOW. I managed to drive up there and proceeded to pass out in his waiting room. I woke up in the intensive care unit at the hospital. This was about noon on September 12, 2001. According to my wife, I was 'in and out of it' all afternoon.

The reason I am writing you is that at one point I had a lot of pain and remember the 'room around me' was bright white. I knew I was in pain, but was trying very hard to recite the Lord's Prayer. I distinctly remember being irritated because someone 'did something' that interrupted my prayer. I started the prayer again. During this time, I saw my recently deceased mother's face and I think she spoke to me. I cannot remember for sure.

Only after I 'woke up' did I find that my heart rate was down to around twenty and my wife (who was in the room when it happened) says I looked dead. After thanking her for her candor (and mentally reminding myself to change my will) I continued passing out. We found out that I had lost approximately two pints of blood in about twenty-nine hours (from the colonoscopy on Wednesday). I have not been more specific as to HOW I lost the blood, but I am sure you can tie it all together.

My experience is certainly not earth-shattering, but I was curious as to what the 'norm' is for a NDE. I was not scared - I was not even conscious. I think I am trying to sort things out at this time. This was my first experience passing out and being in an intensive care unit. It is not anything I would care to repeat.

If you could shed some light on this experience, I would appreciate it. One more thing - everyone in my family has died of heart attacks and strokes, including an uncle at about the age of fifty. This may be why I am trying to figure it out. If I had a NDE - I would probably take it more seriously.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Sept. 14, 2001

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related Vaso-Vagal down is what the doctor called it. I am not sure what to make of the events. I had a colonoscopy on Wednesday. Felt ok afterwards. Friday, about 10:30 am I was at a professional meeting and told a longtime friend I did not feel well and had to go. I drove home and found myself sitting on I was in an intensive care unit (see above).

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain I don't think so. But I am not certain. I just remember being in a 'room' - a large room that was BRIGHT WHITE. No other people were there with me. Somewhere in this time frame I saw my mom's face and I cannot remember if she spoke to me or not.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? My wife says I was 'out of it' and the heart monitor was going crazy. The top two lines were going up and down, crossing over each other. She says the intensive care unit nurses ran her out of there about that time. My wife says my lips turned blue, my face lost its color and I looked like her mom when she died a few weeks earlier (of cancer).

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. AN ABSENCE OF NOISE. No noise. Just me trying to say 'Our Father, who art in heaven...'

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain I saw my mom.

The experience included: Light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Very bright white room.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I have never been in a room that was this bright. It was not white from a light, yet, it was like the walls themselves were - what is the word - the walls were very bright white. And the brightness seemed to come from the walls themselves.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? The nurse said I was asking for my wife. I think my wife says I had tears running down my face when she came back in. But I don't remember any pain.

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will I don't think so, but not sure.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Conservative/fundamentalist I am conservative, but not what I would refer to as a Bible thumper. I probably should be. As a child I drank Drano when I was 3, had false teeth when I was 4...hung myself from a tree playing cowboys and Indians at about 6 years old, and this type of behavior has continued throughout my life. My friends say I should have been killed several times, based on the goofy things I did.

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Very emotional for me.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I am alive is the best. Not getting to talk to my mom.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes My wife.

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? I hope I have not wasted your time. An expert might pull more out of me concerning this experience, but this is about it from my perspective.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? It feels like you are asking the same question in different ways, to check our consistency? Veracity?