John H NDE

Experience Description

I was extremely sick. I was brought down from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas and was taken to the emergency room. I was examined and I was diagnosed with the following: Nuchal Rigidity, Pyrexic 109F, Abdominal Rigidity. Was taken to the operating room and a laparoscope was performed. Removed my appendix - acute focal resolving appendicitis, also spleen and liver were greatly enlarged. The surgeon had a terrible time closing me but finally did. Moved to the surgical intensive care unit and was there for two days. Moved to the Medicine floor where I remained acutely ill. Next day threw the fat embolus and arrested. I watched myself from the ceiling as they moved me from my room to the elevator up to surgery and then waited for them perform my tracheotomy. I saw them take me back to my room where they proceeded to hook me up to a breathing machine which I remained on for three weeks. The next thing I knew it was April and I was in the hospital. The biopsy from my liver came back as Gaucher's disease

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 'March 9, 1968'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Had laparotomy three days earlier where they manipulated a fatty liver. The fat embolus occurred three days later. Ran PO2 of 24 and PCO2 of 86 for over a week after arrest. Moved me to the OR where they performed a tracheotomy. Other Fat Embolis to the Pulmonary Artery Followed by arrest

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 Right after my arrest until they hooked me up to the Bennett respirator.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Right after my arrest until they hooked me up to the Bennett respirator.

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

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I seem to remember people talking but couldn't understand them.

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? No

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? No

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Did not understand what was going on.

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? 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? Liberal Jewish

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal Jewish

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? No

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? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Was amazed to see my body just lying there and people running about working on me.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes

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 Everything that I saw actually happened.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real Again, because everything I saw happen to me really 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 was very interesting to say the least.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? None that I can think of at this time.