Kate L NDE

Experience Description

I was rushed to the surgical theatre.

On arrival at the public hospital, I remember being on the ceiling looking down at the surgery taking place. I was not at all distressed. The surgeon asked for an instrument. He was given the wrong one, so he threw it on the floor. Then I went down a long tunnel that got brighter and brighter. I could hear music that was unbelievable. I have loved music ever since. I came out into a place so bright with flowers and trees and a stream with a bridge over it. The bridge appeared to be made of tree trunks that were sort of entwined.

At the other side of the bridge were my Grandma. Next to her was another woman who had brilliant blue eyes and a dark mole near her mouth with an indent in her chin. I had never seen her before. I went to step onto the bridge and my Grandma told me to go back, that it was not my time. She said I would come there eventually. I felt so sad as I desperately wanted to go to her. She was always there for me as a child. I felt a huge whoosh.

The next thing I knew was that I was conscious. My mother, whom I was never close to, was sitting by my bed crying. She said, 'We nearly lost you. You have been so sick and been unconscious for several days.' I said, 'I want to tell you something.' She said, 'No, just rest.' I insisted. I told her about this experience and I could see she did not believe me until I came to the bridge part. My grandma was her mother. Anyway I described the lady with my Grandma, my Mother said that she was her grandma and that she died long before I was born.

When the surgeon came around to see me he started telling me how sick I had been and how I died on the table. I told him that I was watching and I saw him throw the instrument on the floor. Then I told him the story and he asked who had I been talking to? I said, 'No one.'

Since my experience, I tend to believe in God more, but I am still uncertain about my Church beliefs because I think so many of them are man-made. Surely God would not insist on things like the pill being illegal in our church and that we should just abstain from sex if we do not want more children.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1970 approximately

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-related. Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) I had a hysterectomy and as a consequence developed paralytic iliac. My bowel was paralyzed. I was in a private hospital and in a single room and the nursing care was not the best. The Matron did a round and found me very ill and I was transferred to a large public hospital.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I was on the ceiling and clearly saw the surgeon throw an instrument on the floor that was the wrong one. He verified this with me when I discussed this with him. No

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 I was more aware of this than I have been before or since about anything.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I feel I was alert the whole time.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Time definitely had no meaning to me.

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. I was so ill, just before this experience, but it remains clearer than anything else in my life before or since. I think my vision was more alerted to the color and peace, if that does not sound silly, at the time of this.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My hearing was always good prior to this, but it seems my hearing was more alert especially to the music but also to my Grandma's voice.

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

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes I passed down this long tunnel with light that got brighter and brighter as I came towards the end of it. I also heard incredible music.

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 saw my Grandma and also her Mother, but at the time I did not know my Great Grandmother, as she died before I was born. It was only when I described her to my Mother she told me it was her Grandma and explained she died long before I was born.

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? An unusually bright light

Did you see an unearthly light? Uncertain The light was incredibly bright but I do not know if it was unearthly.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm The place I was in was full of brightness, I could smell the perfume of flowers and everything was so much 'better' and brighter than here on earth.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Absolute peace

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

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? 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? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will I came to this decision after being told by my Grandma that it was not yet my time.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Catholic I was bought up a Catholic but was not a real believer in my religion due to a bad experience at a Catholic School when I was about 8

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes See above.

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

What is your religion now? Do not know I do believe in God yet have trouble believing a lot of the teachings of the Catholic Church

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I was always unsure of Heaven. It sounded so mystical to me yet somehow that has completely diminished now.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes My beliefs have changed. Whilst I do believe in God and an afterlife, I still question some of the teachings of the Catholic Church.

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 At the end of the bridge I saw my Grandma with another lady whom I can still remember. It seems like a photo in my head. My mother later told me it was her Grandma I described, who died long before I was born.

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

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 was unsure when we died if there was a heaven or an after life. This experienced for me confirmed that there is definitely a heaven/afterlife.

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes I saw my Grandma alive and talking to me. This definitely made me aware that there is a universal connection. She knew it was not my time to die and told me to go back.

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? I was uncertain if God exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes Whilst I did not receive any specific information/awareness part of me knew it was heaven because my Grandma died yet she was alive and looking wonderful - absolutely shining as in good health. She had died from a fatal heart attack.

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? Yes I no longer feel scared of death. I feel it is just a door that opens for us to another chapter or place for us.

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are not meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes I believe I learnt that we all have a specific time to live and die.

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes I loved my Grandma and was closer to her than any other adult from the time I was a child. I was the eldest Grandchild and stayed all school holidays with her. She had died about 6 years earlier and I mourned her loss deeply. By seeing her I knew there was a "heaven"/

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

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Slightly 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 not 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? Slightly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes I felt the connection and indeed a deep love from my Grandma. I was very aware of this.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life. Large changes in my life.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes I hope I am more patient and understanding. I do not dread death and thus am not afraid when friends/relatives die.

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 more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience

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? Most meaningful to me is my lack of fear of death and I am much more comfortable with myself. I used to need people around me all the time, but I am much more comfortable now and do not have these needs.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Firstly I shared this with my Mother who did not believe me at first but then when I described the second lady she knew immediately it was her mother. The surgeon told me that I had died during surgery and that I had what he described as 'an out of body experience' as a result.

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 knew and loved my Grandma. I knew she had died earlier and she was so alive at this time.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It still remains so very real to me all these years later.

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? I have not discussed this with anyone in years. Today I watched a DVD my daughter sent me called 'Heaven is real' which is a real story and on watching it felt like I really understood this. I decided to come on the web to see if there was any information on it in this respect and thus found your site.