Hope C NDE

Experience Description

On the morning of my event I had just taken a shower and was getting ready to take my mother, who had cancer at the time, for a blood transfusion. Right after I took my shower, I became short of breath. I decided to take a nebulizer treatment. I seemed to be better and got up to get dress. Suddenly I just couldn’t breathe. I barely was able to call for my husband. When he came to my side, I told him to call 911. When the paramedics arrived, they placed an oxygen mask on me. I don't remember saying anything, but my husband said I indicated it wasn't working. My husband said I went into a seizure and became unconscious. They put me in an ambulance and rushed me to a hospital approximately five miles away. Later, I found out through the paramedics that they had given me several shots of epinephrine but my heart rate became slower and slower. They also said that because I went into the seizure they could not put a tube in my throat for me to breathe and manually did cardiopulmonary resuscitation on me. When I got to the hospital, my heart stopped.

At that point, I became aware that I was in the hospital, or somewhere. I could not see but I heard commotion and people. The next thing I knew I was in a space and I felt the presence of my Father on my right. Also a male friend of mine on my left. They were both deceased. I wanted to turn and look at them, but I couldn't. I felt calm. There was no pain. I was peaceful and wondered what was happening. All the while, I was still hearing people talking in the distance. In front of me were ten boxes in brightly illuminated colors. Each box was a different color. I would walk up to each one and it would open. I would look inside. My Father and friend stayed at my side at each one. I can't remember what I saw, but I know it had to do with me. When I came to the last box, I didn't want to go near it because I knew it wasn't completed. I felt frightened of it. I stopped and it was the first time I thought about my husband, two daughters and my mother. I worried about my mother and that she was dying. I needed to be there for her. My one daughter has cerebral palsy and needed me. My husband and other daughter needed me, too.

At that moment, I could hear the doctor say I was going to be all right, and that my heart was as strong as an ox. I realized I was back. However, due to what happened, they put me in a medically induced coma for two days. They put me into a hypothermic state to make sure that I did not sustain brain or organ damage. When I was removed from the intensive care unit and put into a regular room, I became upset that I didn't seem to have the near death experiences I had heard about. I didn't float above myself even though I could hear everyone trying to resuscitate me. I didn't see a bright light. But I feel it was real. I also felt I had a choice. I could have continued on and my friend and Father were there to support me. They would guide me if I wanted to go on. I just felt it wasn't my time yet. My mother died a few months later on April 15, 2013. I eventually told her what had happened to me. And a few days after that, she died. I hope it helped her know that everything would be ok. I feel that I still have something to do.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 02/16/2013

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes CPR give.n Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) Due to a severe asthma attack, my lungs and heart became flooded with carbon dioxide. My heart and lungs shut down.

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

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I could hear them speaking in the emergency room. At first, I wanted to listen to them, then when I felt the presence of my Father and my friend, I ignored the voices. I became more distant until I decided I wanted to go back. 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 I could hear everyone in the background like they were far away. The area I was present in with my Father and friend was very real too.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I felt very conscious and alert through the whole experience.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning It seemed that I was looking into each box a long time, but went through them quickly. Almost like things were slow and calm but done quickly, in a blink of an eye.

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 colors of the boxes were very bright. So bright, they illuminated everything before me. Around them was dark and shadows.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I could hear everything in the far distance, like voices speaking. In my immediate surroundings it was quiet and peaceful.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, but the facts have not been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

Did you see any beings in your experience? I sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes My father and friend Frank, both deceased.

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? Some unfamiliar and strange place was in a space that was dark but peaceful and the color boxes before me were so bright that I could make out things around me just by shadows.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I was happy and peaceful at first. When I started to think about my family and what my leaving them at that moment meant, I became sad. And with that feeling I returned.

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

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about myself or others

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? I remembered many past events

The experience included: Awareness of the future

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 When I thought of my family needing me, I became sad. With that sadness, I felt I was still tied to them. I also feel if I was ready to leave this earth, I wouldn't be able to feel that sadness. Just the calm peace I first felt when I died. With that I won't return.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Greatly important to me

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No I have always felt God is always present and that this life is a gift for our souls to grow and help others grow. Every experience good or bad helps us to spiritually learn and grow.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Catholic

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. Being catholic I was always of the belief that when we died we saw a bright light and that we would reunite with love ones who had past before us. I did feel the presents of my Father and my friend Frank but didn't see them. Also, I was in a space but didn't see anything but the 10 boxes that were bight and I felt that I saw this life and past lives which did not connect with my religious upbringing.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I have felt close to God for a very long time. I didn't feel a great alteration in my belief or how I live my life. I feel I need to still do something before I can move on. I feel that when it comes to me I will know. I feel that God sends us messages or signs and we just need to be open to receive them. Not to just hear, but listen.

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

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I sensed their presence

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? Yes I felt that when I was looking into the boxes, I was also looking not only at my present life but past lives.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God definitely exists

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

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

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

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife probably exists┬

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists No

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I slightly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are probably meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

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

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Slight changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No No I don't think my relationships have changed.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

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 I remember the experience probably more accurately hten if you asked me what took place the day before this happened.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes Right after my experience I would think of something and it would take place. For example, I went into a store restroom and went to wash my hands. I actively thought I needed a piece of paper towel and before I knew it a stranger handed me a paper towel to wipe my hands.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I first told my husband. Then after about a week in the hospital, I told some of the medical staff. I was uncertain at first to tell anyone. However, I found those I did tell were open and interested.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes Probably in articles and programs on television, however, my experience was different then what it seems most people have.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I feel I can still see it in my mind’s eye, like a real experience.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I feel just the same as when it took place. I know that it was real.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No Nothing could ever reproduce the feeling I felt.