Laura C NDE

Experience Description

I had an MRI to look for problems with my spinal cord. For this test, a very small amount of MRI contrast is injected into the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) space. I was given an incorrect dose (way more than I should have gotten). This caused me to start vomiting and to be unable to talk, walk, or move. I was unconscious much of the time until several hours later a drain was put in that drained the contrast out.

During this unconscious time, I started floating around in darkness. In the darkness, I could see two lights. They were both shaped the same and one was under the other. They looked like arcs of light, the left side being more rounded and the right side more pointed. They weren't labeled and had nothing visible to distinguish them. I floated over to the top beam of light. It seemed to represent positive things like love, kindness, gratitude and warmth. In my mind I labeled it 'the positive'. I then floated down to the lower beam of light. It seemed to represent negative things like greed, hate, terror, dishonesty, etc. I labeled it 'the negative'. When I was close to the negative, I saw another beam of light inside it that looked just like the other ones and was connected to the negative. I floated over to it and saw 5 or 6 beings there. I quickly realized I was on the other. side. The beings were each in a lighted compartment. I couldn't see their faces, but I could tell they were people. They were gray all over. I also realized that I wasn't supposed to be there and it wasn't up to me to decide. It was very clearly communicated to me. I could also feel that it would be a beautiful place to be whenever that time came that I was supposed to be there. I backed out of this space and the negative space and went back up to the positive. I decided to stay with the positive and not go back to the negative. This took some concentration, but I felt it would be the best way to survive.

After the drain was put in and it started draining the excess contrast, I started to come around. At that point, the beams of light faded and my attention was turned to the nurses and doctors taking care of me.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 8/25/15

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Life threatening event, but not clinical death. I was given an accidental overdose of MRI contrast (gadolinium). This caused me to become unable to talk, walk, or move. A few hours later, a drain was inserted to drain the contrast, and a few hours after that I started to come back into myself.

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

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? No 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? Less consciousness and alertness than normal I was very sleepy and tired from the previous events and also from medicine that was given to me.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? At the very end, after the drain had been in several hours.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? No

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It seemed the same.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. I don't remember hearing anything during my experience.

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? Uncertain I felt like the beings I saw were my deceased relatives, but that was a logical conclusion. I couldn't see their faces or any identifying characteristics.

The experience included: Darkness

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes I saw lights in the darkness. The lights were shaped kind of like an eyebrow - round on the left side and softly pointed on the right.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Some unfamiliar and strange place When I saw the light inside the negative, I floated to it and there I could feel I was on the other side. I only saw the five or six beings in their compartments. I didn't see anything else.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? When I first saw the lights, I was curious. When I realized the positive represented good things, I felt good whenever I was near it, and I wanted to be near it. It was almost as if it was giving me energy. Mostly though, I felt it would help me survive. When I was in the negative, I was a bit scared and anxious to get away from it. When I was in the other side, I was reverent. I knew the beings were people and suspected they were my relatives, but I never saw any proof of that. I was also reassured that this was a very good place to be when the time comes.

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 no longer in conflict with nature

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about myself or others Going into the other side helped me see that I was not supposed to be there. It was going to be best by staying by the positive.

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 definite conscious decision to return to life When I was in the other side, it was clearly communicated to me that I was not supposed to be there. There were no words or sound, it was more as if they were communicating telepathically. I realized that I needed to back out and return to the positive. I didn't call it 'life' in my mind, but it definitely represented life.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

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

What is your religion now? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Religious unaffiliated

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 have always been told there is a 'heaven,' but I never knew whether to believe that or not. In the moment I realized where I was that there is an afterlife and that it is a beautiful place to be.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

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 I saw five or six beings. They were gray all over and each one was standing in lighted compartments, which were all in a row. The beings were motionless and their heads were bowed down.

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

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

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes …that there is an afterlife.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes I felt like I needed to go back to the positive and stay there. I felt like it was important then, but also a metaphor for my continuing life on Earth - to surround myself with the positive and help others find it, too.

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 As soon as I entered the other side, I knew without doubt that there was life after death. I was looking at it. It was a huge validation for me. I could also feel strongly that it would be a beautiful and amazing place to be.

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? 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 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? Greatly compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes Yes, that the other side it full of love, and that we should give love and kindness to each other here on Earth.

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? I don't fear death now, I think when my time comes I will be unafraid. I don't fear death now, I think when my time comes I will be unafraid.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? No

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.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain I haven't noticed anything yet.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? When I looked in the other side and realized what it was. It was a very pivotal moment for me. In that moment, all my questions about whether there was an afterlife or not were answered.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I wrote an account of it and actually even drew what I saw, I could send it in to you if you'd like, although it's not very sophisticated. I shared this account with close family members and some have said it's changed or affirmed their belief in the afterlife.

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'm a very logical person. I believe it when I see it. I saw the other side.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real It's only been a couple of weeks since it 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? I can't think of anything.

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