Elizabeth S NDE

Experience Description

I was in the delivery room of the hospital with a doctor, nurses, and an anesthetist giving me small intermittent doses of anesthesia with a mask he placed over my nose and mouth. I was having contractions that were weak compared to my three previous deliveries. The first twin was presented seat first and the doctor was struggling to deliver her when I experienced difficulty getting air, I felt like I was choking and began struggling, thinking it was the mask over my mouth that prevented me from breathing. Then I saw people around me, but they acted as if I was not there and said things like, 'Is the priest gone?' 'Where is her husband?' 'I would be gone too if I did this to her.' I assumed the delivery was over, and the twins had been born, and I wanted to see them. I felt no discomfort at this time and went to sleep.

The next thing I was aware of was lying on my back on some type of bed, within a dimly lit room. I noticed the window that looked like the one in the delivery room, but I recalled it had been shaded and now was not shaded. It looked like the sun was rising and that too seemed strange since it was close to noon when I went into the delivery room. Then as I gazed at the sun, it kept coming closer to the window, getting larger, speeding up, and getting brighter. My thought was that the earth and the sun were about to collide and I was witnessing the end of the world. The ball of light came through the window with the sound of a swift wind, and I saw an awesome image of illuminating white light who was Jesus. I was afraid because I felt unprepared to be judged. I wanted to speak but was unable to do so. I noticed his youthful appearance and thought him to be near my age. I saw his sandals were old and worn and wondered why he would not have newer ones to wear. He took steps suspended in mid-air. His arms were reaching out to me, and then he spoke. He said, 'You are not ready to die, you still have work to do.' He hesitated, and then said 'And don't be afraid, I will be with you.' I watched him back up toward the window and leave just as he had entered. The bright light then returned to the sky.

I woke up gasping for air, just like I had earlier. There was a blanket covering my face and over my head. I was in a most comfortable position with my arms at my side, and my legs lying flat, but I was not able to move any part of my body. My hands and feet felt like chunks of ice. Again, I thought the twins had been born, as I did not feel pregnant, or feel life in me. I wanted to get the blanket off my face and began to try to blow it off. The only person nearby was a nun, as everyone else had gone to lunch or to the chapel. She heard me making noises and came rushing into the room, calling out as she came ' Help! Someone help! I need help in here!' She removed the cover from my face and began pushing on my stomach, and then proceeded to attempt to deliver the unborn twin with the protruding buttocks, and as she accomplished this, I fell to the floor, as I was on a gurney and no longer strapped to the delivery table. As I hit the floor, landing on my lower back and my head hitting the floor, I was knocked unconscious and my next conscious event was being wheeled down a hospital hallway to a room where I remained paralyzed for several weeks, from the fall causing a spinal injury. The twin girls were in relatively good health and today they have college degrees, are married, and have children of their own.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1960

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Childbirth. Heart attack Cardiac arrest while being given anesthesia during delivery of twins nearly full term and both breach. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) Extremely high blood pressure with prolonged light labor, about ten days or more. I had a small physical frame with almost no wiggle room for babies. I had two children, one weighing 5 lbs and the other weighing 4 lbs 12 ozs.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I lost awareness of my body

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Normal consciousness and alertness As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I felt a high level of alertness throughout the experience, and have relived it throughout my life since then, almost on a daily basis.

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 believed I was experiencing judgment and the end of time.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I believed the image I saw was Jesus, and believe it to this day.

The experience included: Light

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

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt fear, awe, and relief.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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 the universe

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? Scenes from the world's future

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

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate Catholic since birth

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Moderate Catholic

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

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes I felt I was being offered a second chance at life on earth, and that I needed to offer my life for the good of others.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes I am able to accept adversity with knowledge that Jesus is near when I seek his aide.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I don't need to be perfect to be forgiven by God. I do need to believe in Him and His forgiveness, and work towards perfection by seeing the good in others and being forgiving of their transgressions.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It is only in the past ten years that I have been able to talk about my experience. I did not think people would believe it, and some still do not.

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 never thought it did not happen.

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

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? It is so good to know that others have had the experience. I wish every living person could experience this before they finally die.