Joy B NDE

Experience Description

On January 27, 1997, while in my local hospital, I suffered a cardiac arrest. After five minutes of resuscitation, I was brought back to life. I was then shipped by helicopter to the Medical University of South Carolina. During the resuscitation, a blood clot went to my left hand, closing the circulation. Gangrene set in. On January 28, (the next day), the doctors attempted to find the blood clot by performing an arteriogram. I went back into cardiac arrest. (They think I was allergenic to the dye used in the procedure.) This arrest was more serious.

While in arrest, I could see myself floating in a gigantic bubble of light. I could see doctors and nurses all around the table, and my body was lying on the table. The room was very dimly lit. The next memory I have is that of a man talking to me. I KNEW it was God. I could not see His face because the light was so bright that encompassed Him. His voice was like none I had ever heard before -- so calm. I had a great sense of peace. I was not scared. He talked to me. He said that I was in heaven but that He was giving me a choice -- to either stay or return. He said, however that my work on earth was unfinished for Him, and that I was needed more on earth than in heaven. When He said that, I told Him I would return. At that point, He touched my left hand.

My next memory is floating downward and seeing a father holding a young child in his arms. A woman was standing beside them, but moved with some nurses to another room. The woman I sensed was the mother of the child. She was crying. The man, who I believe was the father, was holding the boy and gingerly talking to him. The room was dim. The nurses seem to be consoling the woman. For some reason, she was taking something off -- like a gown. The next thing I remember seeing was the little boy floating upward in the same kind of bubble I was in. He was happy and enjoyed playing in the bubble. I remember seeing him smile. Then, it seems like I was fighting to get back into my body, and I was frantic. All I could think about was getting 'back' to reality, to my family.

I was then in a coma for twelve days. When I woke-up, I had no memory of what had happened to me for weeks prior to my arrest, but I remembered what I just told you. I asked my parents (who had been with me through this entire ordeal) -- two days after being placed in my room from intensive care unit/coronary care unit -- 'What happened to the little boy?' My mother asked me what little boy I was talking about. I told her what I just told you. She began to cry. It seems that my family had met another family at the hospital. They had a little boy there who was dying. My sister found out that sometime during all this with me, he died. As I explained, what the child looked like and his age, it fitted exactly what they had been told about the little boy who died. I have questions: Was the little boy I saw leaving earth, the same one my family knew about? How could I even know anything about this -- I was in a coma? How could I remember what happened to me during this experience, but I couldn't remember what had happened prior to all this?

Oh, by the way -- my gangrene hand. The doctor who was taking care of that aspect, wanted to amputate it. The other doctors said I was going to die within hours, so why cut off my hand. The hours became days and they had to re-access my hand. It seems that 'on its own' the blockage was gone. Each day found healing in it without even one dose of any form of antibiotics. The doctor even took pictures -- he was so astounded. He said that in his entire medical career, and he was even now a professor at the Medical University, he had never seen such a thing. He later upon a return visit told me that I was the sickest patient he had ever seen who lived to tell the story. In my heart I believe and I tell others, it was because GOD touched my hand in my near-death experience.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: January 28, 1997

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Heart attackAllergic reaction Clinical death I was in full cardiac arrest and later went into a coma. I suffered two cardiac arrests, one day apart.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Disturbing

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I didn't really focus on my body as if looking at it as I floated. I could see my physical body on the table below. It was as if my body was a spirit.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Unconscious.

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning It seems like I have lapses from one event to another with time.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I heard music.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain I have no recollection of that.

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I saw the little boy. Somewhere in my memory, I see shadows standing near God, but I never saw faces. I did take them to be human beings.

The experience included: Light

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes I most definitely saw 'the light'. It was the presence of God. It was a most beautiful light, so warm and soothing.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm I know I was in heaven.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt a great peace. It was as if I was where I belonged. I was not afraid. I felt a longing to stay. Then I felt sadness of a sort seeing the little boy and the man and woman. Then when I saw him smiling, I felt peace again.

The experience included: Special Knowledge

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe I know from what God told me that I am on earth for a divine purpose for Him. I feel that when this purpose is fulfilled, I will know it.

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 gave me the decision as to whether to return.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Conservative/fundamentalist

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I used to fear death but now I do not. I also have a much stronger belief in God.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It all seems so real but yet strange in normal human understanding. I felt some may think I was crazy.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Yes It seems like I 'sense' things when I'm in the presence of some individual. It is like a discernment. I have predicted things that seem to happen.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The best was seeing God and the worse was having to return to my body.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I have given my testimony in many churches. Many, many people believe. Of course, there are some who don't, but in my circle, they believe.

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 real to me regardless of what some may think in our society. It is so real that if you held a gun to my head and said you would spare my life if I would say this is all a lie, you would have to shoot me!

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Not really. I would like to add that in writing my account, I had trouble with my computer. I could not see the completed description of my experience. If there are spelling errors, please forgive me.