Elizabeth A Probable NDE

Experience Description

I saw the movie 'Mary Poppins' and thought how much I hated myself and my life. My dad had just had knee surgery. My mom had high-blood pressure and many other health issues. I went to my parent's house and they weren't home. So, I took every pill in the house. I went to bed with the expectation that I wouldn't wake up. Unfortunately, I did wake up around noon the next day. I was very groggy and very upset. My mom calling for me to get up because we had guests. I couldn't fully wake-up. I phoned a friend, and all I could say was, 'I am sorry.' He phoned my parents and told them I had taken the pills.

I was taken to the hospital and was almost unconscious. They couldn't pump my stomach because all the drugs were in my bloodstream. They didn't do a blood transfusion because they were afraid of sending me into shock. I was had a high fever and the nurses kept checking on me. My mom kept my fever down by giving me sponge baths all night long.

I lost consciousness during the night. I went up a white tunnel and saw my Godfather who sent me back. He said, 'It is not your time yet.' Then, I was floating above the hospital room. I saw my mom and her best friend, who had come to offer support. They were both very upset.

I woke up on the table and was wheeled up to the upper floor of the hospital. I was in the hallway and the orderly woke me up by tapping my shoulder. He said, You took enough pills to kill an elephant. Don't do that again!' I nodded as much as I was able. He replied, 'Promise me.' He made me nod again. I was in critical condition for three days. I don't remember after that until the next day.

The next day, I woke up and couldn't hear because I had taken so much aspirin. My heart rate was low, but strong. The medical personel concluded that the exercise induced by the medications had made my heart super-fit because it had been beating so fast and so hard for so many days. They were asking me cognitive questions to determine my mental status. I told a nurse about my experience in the tunnel. She said to not say anything like that to anyone because they would think I was crazy. I didn't mention it again.

I made sense of my experience eventually and decided that God is in control. I have had waxing and waning faith over the years but because of my experience, my faith is strong today.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1983

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Suicide attempt Life threatening event, but not clinical death. I had taken hundreds if pills in an attempt to end my life.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

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? More consciousness and alertness than norma. There is a sense of freedom over there that is not found in this world. I was planning to go up all the way to the light and was stopped. I didn't talk, but there was communication. Hard to explain

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Reaching my Godfather up the tunnel passageway. I felt like I was flying and had complete freedom.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning. I had no awareness of time

Were your senses More vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. The extreme sensory overload was very memorable.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I didn't really hear. I think I had more if a knowing.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes White light filled tunnel that was pulling me up.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes. Godfather

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes White very bright but I wasn't blinded by it

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Joy, disappointment, understanding, and hopefulness

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? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about myself or others. I understood that God was in control. I remember bargaining with him by saying I would serve him if he let me live. I knew I was dying. The white tunnel was there. I was still disappointed that I was told to turn back just when I accepted that I was on my way to the other side.

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? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back aginst my will. It was not my choice. I went to the ceiling and then the table. I was not aware of how I got there.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? I was raised in United Church but had stepped away from it

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? It took a long time for me to trust God with my life.

What is your religion now? Christian- Other Christian

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 wasn't sure what to make of it.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain. I didn't get involved in a relationship with God until I was around 40 years old.

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. My Godfather was there even thought he was still alive at the time.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? No

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

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Uncertain I came back changed and didn't fit in with anyone afterwards. I felt different, like people didn't understand me.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Uncertain. I felt afterwards that God must be in control.

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? Uncertain. I was only 19 years old but I felt uncertain about my purpose for a long time after that.

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? An afterlife probably exists. Not sure what was in the other side up the tunnel

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? Slight changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes I still remember this clearly, although it is hard to explain. I remember the feeling of being disappointed that I couldn't go all the way up towards the light. I didn't have a choice and don't know how I got to the hospital room after the tunnel.

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.

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? Life is important: We are here for a purpose.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes The nurse said not to share. I shared a brief version of the story.

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. I felt it was real and kept my thoughts to myself

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. I know it was real

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Yes

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Uncertain. Possibly

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I value people