Debby Ellen M NDE

Experience Description

The incident happened in 1979, when I was 15 years old. I was in the operating room, getting ready to have my tonsils removed. When the anesthesiologist gave me an IV dose of sodium pentothal (thiopental sodium), I had a horrible allergic reaction to it. I went into immediate respiratory arrest as soon as the drug hit my system. As I was gasping for breath, my ears started ringing so loudly that it drowned out all other sound. Almost instantaneously, I was sucked backward at what felt like light speed. I traveled backward through the dark tunnel for what could have been several minutes. All of a sudden, my journey down the tunnel stopped abruptly. I had the sensation that I was floating in the air.

It was my consciousness that was experiencing everything in that reality. Although I had no physical body, I could still 'see' everything as if I had physical eyes. I had no awareness of what was happening with my physical body as I was totally untethered from it. I was clearly someplace else. I looked down and saw what can best be described as small vignettes of my life. I saw images like separate acts of a stage play. I saw my sister and me playing. Some of the vignettes showed my mother, my father, my sister and I engaged in everyday life events such as eating dinner as a family, watching TV, and sightseeing. As I floated by the last 'life vignette' I began to be slowly pulled upward. I gently floated higher and higher until I could see the earth below me. I was being pulled higher and higher toward the vastness of the stars in the galaxy. I had awareness that the stars/galaxy was my destination and felt drawn to them. I literally felt one with the universe. I was not afraid at all. In fact, the sensations I had and the scenes I was seeing were very calming.

I felt as if I was connected to the earth by an invisible, silver thread. However, I suddenly became aware that if I continued on my journey to the stars the connection would eventually be broken. I would be unable to return to the earth and be with my family again. As soon as I came to this understanding, I realized I was not ready to leave my family. In order to stop myself from reaching that point of no return and becoming one with the universe, I began saying/thinking forcefully and with every bit of my consciousness, 'I’m Debby, I’m Debby, I’m Debby.' As soon as I did that, I was suddenly slammed back into my physical body. My throat burned and I was in terrible pain.

After I was discharged from the hospital, I remember trying to explain the profoundness of that experience to my family. They were looking at me in confusion. Several years later after TV cable became prevalent and we got the internet, I realized what happened to me was called a near death experience. Before I had this experience, I was extremely afraid of dying. However, after the experience, my fears regarding death completely went away. I know I will move on to another reality, and that our physical bodies are just vessels for us to inhabit while we are alive on earth.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1981

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related Allergic Reaction Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) I was in the operating room getting ready to have my tonsils removed. When the anesthesiologist gave me an IV dose of the drug sodium pentothal, I had a horrible allergic reaction to it and went into immediate respiratory arrest as soon as the drug hit my system.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? No. I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness. During the experience, my consciousness and alertness was the same as my normal everyday consciousness and alertness.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Throughout the entire experience.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

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. It was the same.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It was the same.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes Almost instantaneously, I was sucked backward at what felt like light speed. I traveled backward through the dark tunnel for what could have been several minutes. All of a sudden, my journey down the tunnel stopped abruptly.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm. I did not have a physical body. It was my consciousness that was experiencing everything in that reality.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Mostly a profound sense of well-being and a oneness with the universe.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? Happiness

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

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 definite conscious decision to return to life I felt as if I was connected to the earth by an invisible, silver thread. However, I suddenly became aware that if I continued on my journey to the stars the connection would eventually be broken, and I would be unable to return to the earth and be with my family again. As soon as I came to this understanding, I realized I was not ready to leave my family. In order to stop myself from reaching that point of no return and becoming 'one with the universe' I began saying/thinking forcefully and with every bit of my consciousness 'I’m Debby, I’m Debby, I’m Debby' As soon as I did that I was suddenly slammed back into my physical body.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic

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

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I don't worry so much about everyday things that used to stress me out.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? No

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.)? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes I was being pulled higher and higher toward the vastness of the stars in the galaxy. I had awareness that the stars/galaxy was my destination and felt drawn to them. I literally felt one with the universe. I was not afraid at all. In fact, the sensations I had and the scenes I was seeing were very calming. I felt as if I was connected to the earth by an invisible 'silver' thread.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? No

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

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

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life. Before I had this experience, I was extremely afraid of dying. However, after the experience, my fears regarding death completely went away because I know I will move on to another reality, and that our physical bodies are just vessels for us to inhabit while we are alive on earth.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? I believe the love I have/feel for my family and friends is the most important thing in life. Material things and not very important to me anymore.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes After I was discharged from the hospital, I remember trying to explain the profoundness of that experience to my family and them looking at me in confusion.

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 experience was so profound and unexpected that my memory of it is as vivid now as it was when I experienced it.

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? As I floated by the last 'life vignette' I began to be slowly pulled upward. I gently floated higher and higher until I could see the earth below me. I was being pulled higher and higher toward the vastness of the stars in the galaxy. I had awareness that the stars/galaxy was my destination and felt drawn to them. I literally felt one with the universe. I was not afraid at all. In fact, the sensations I had and the scenes I was seeing were very calming.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes After I was discharged from the hospital, I remember trying to explain the profoundness of that experience to my family and them looking at me in confusion.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

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 profound experience I have ever had. I believed then, just as I do now, that the Experience was definitely real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I believed then, just as I do now, that the Experience was definitely real.

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

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