Gregory T NDE

Experience Description

I was an ROTC cadet who went through U.S. Army ROTC basic training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. I graduated high school, and within a few weeks was sent to the ROTC basic training intake for that year. Training progressed fairly normally, until the third week or so. At that point, I had contracted a serious case of pneumonia. I was unable to get out of my rack one morning. I was weak, feverish, and delirious. I was coughing and bringing up pink foam. Since I missed formation, the Drill Sergeant came in to see what was going on. He called for a medic. Once the medic assessed me, I was sent to the base hospital via ambulance and admitted.

I spent three nights in the base hospital, with daily x-rays to assess how my treatment was going. I do remember IV fluids being pushed, but I have no recollection of specific antibiotics, or drugs administered. I do remember the last morning I was there. I was being pushed in a wheelchair to get an x-ray. The radiological tech looked at the film and noted both lungs involved. I remember looking at the film and thinking it looked like a bunch of nodes in my lungs that were connected by faint lines. Even with both lungs involved, I was released back into my unit. Even though I was still very ill, I managed to graduate training with my class.

After the training was done, I flew back home for a few weeks, prior to the Fall intake at school at the Military Institute. Since I was still pretty sick, I drove to the school two weeks prior to the start of classes. The trip took its toll on me. When I arrived after a couple of days of driving, I was again getting a high fever, and coughing pink sputum. After getting assigned to my room and talking to my tac officer, within a couple of days I was checked into the school hospital/infirmary. It's a small facility, maybe ten or fifteen beds.

I was examined, admitted, and put into a room and bed. I was hooked up to an IV, since I had severe diarrhea and dehydration. After the doctor visited, I was started on antibiotics, along with Lomotil (containing Atropine. I found out that I am hypersensitive to Atropine). I went to the infirmary in the morning. It was afternoon before I was put on the IV and given antibiotics and oral Lomotil. I was resting and went to sleep. I'm not clear on how long I was sleeping, but when I woke up it was nighttime. There was only a single nurse on staff.

I realized that something was very wrong. My heart was racing, my mouth was extremely dry, and I had serious vertigo. I've never felt that way before, or since. I really felt like I was in serious trouble and possibly dying. I tried contacting the nurses station via the call button, at least that's my recollection. I didn't get any response. I think I tried yelling for help, but again, my recollection is somewhat foggy from that entire event. After getting no response, I managed to roll myself out of the bed and hit the floor. I crawled out of the room towards the front of the infirmary. I knew there was a nurses station there and I could get help. I dragged the IV stand along with me and went on hands and knees to the station. I remember kneeling in front of the counter and getting a hand on top of the counter. I was trying to haul myself up. I watched the nurse run around the counter and got me back on the floor. I think she asked me what was wrong, but I'm not clear on what she was saying. I remember she left me and ran around the station. A bit later, she came back with a male nurse or attendant. He then went to get a gurney and with another man, they lifted me onto the gurney. They wheeled me into a room at the front of the facility. I remember it was across from the nurses station, and had a large window that faced the station.

I was becoming extremely weak and fading in and out of consciousness. I think they were hooking me up to another IV, but that's the last I remember while lying on the gurney.

At some point, I regained a sort of consciousness, but I had a completely different viewpoint. I was watching this activity, looking down from a point apparently below the ceiling. My viewpoint was maybe three feet behind my left shoulder, and above my body. I had a very good field of view, no tunnel vision, and I could see the entire room. I saw myself lying on the gurney. One of the Male attendants was performing CPR on me, while the other male attendant was bagging me. The Female nurse was leaving the room. A person wearing a blue jacket came into the room and seemed to take charge, while CPR continued being done.

The feeling I had at that time was extreme calm. I felt no fear whatsoever. I felt mild curiosity as to what was going on. I remember thinking that this isn't so bad, if this is death. I'm not clear how long I was in that state, but I felt no urgency. I felt like an observer, with little attachment to what was happening below me. I still had a sense of ‘self’ though. I was still ‘me’, just not attached to the world. I had no sense that there were any others in the room, other than myself and the people working on me. I saw no bright light, no tunnel, etc.

I woke up and found myself back on the gurney. I had an IV and monitor attached. The person in the blue jacket was in the room. I assume he was the doctor. The female nurse was also there. I can't recall if it was the same nurse, however. The person in the blue jacket explained to me that I had a serious reaction to a medication, probably the Lomotil. He told me I was lucky to be alive. He thought it was an allergic reaction, but later I was told it was probably a hypersensitive reaction.

From my recollection, I spent about five more days in the infirmary before being released. I was still feeling terribly weak. The cough was still very active and I made the decision that I would pass on this school year. I talked to the tac officer and school administration, got released for the year, drove home and recovered over the next six months or so. I went back to the Military Institute in 1981, attended for a year and a half, decided due to some other factors that this wasn't for me, and dropped out.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 10/1/1980

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness Allergic Reaction. Drug or medication overdose CPR given Hypersensitivity and extreme reaction to an administered drug. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function) I had an extreme reaction to an administered drug, related to treatment for pneumonia contracted at a U.S. Army ROTC Basic Training cycle.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I saw the team working on my body, but prior to that I didn't know of the attending physician in the blue jacket. He entered the room after I lost consciousness, but while I was in the altered state. He spoke with me afterwards. 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 normal Very hard to explain, but I had a sense of ‘knowing’ more of what was happening around me. Maybe best explained as a much larger field of view and awareness?

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was out of body, floating above the bed and observing myself and the people working on my body.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses More vivid than usual? More vivid than usual

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. The clarity was extreme, which is interesting, since my vision is 20/400. I could see everything perfectly.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. No difference, I heard what was happening, but it wasn't louder, softer, or really any different.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

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? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calm. Everything will be all right. I felt absolutely no fear, or anxiety, just a pure state of calm. Seeing the next question, calling it a feeling of peace is pretty accurate.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

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

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

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- Catholic Lapsed Roman Catholic, wasn't really practicing at the time, but have been baptized and attended services on and off.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated I still lean towards Catholicism, mostly because of early training and family tradition.

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I can't recall ever hearing about NDE at that time. Definitely had never heard about any after death direct experiences.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes A knowledge that death is not painful, in the end.

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? No

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? Uncertain Even while I was having CPR done, and had clinically died, I still was aware and alive.

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 A definite knowledge that death is peaceful, and nothing to fear.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes There is no way to explain the intensity of calmness.

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 Many things in my past are fuzzy, or forgotten. But this experience has staying with me so far. I've never felt anything like it since.

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? Not really, other than learning what death feels like.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Years late. I don't think it influenced them in any way.

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 experienced it directly. I verified it by direct observation and participation.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I experienced the beginning stages of death. I have no idea how the extra-corporeal viewpoint happened. It's a mystery to me. What I do know is that death is peaceful and calm, and in the end, nothing to fear.

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? No, I've covered it previously.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Nothing that I can think of.