Lauren NDE

Experience Description

I remember being taken into the operating room for a cesarean section but remember nothing after being given medication. My epidural was not working at the level needed for surgery and so I was given general anesthesia.

I remember nothing other than flying out of body through the top of my head. I floated around for a bit, everything was blue and was I unsure where I was. I looked down at my son in his incubator and remember thinking 'Am I dead? If I am dead, it's okay because the baby is alright.' (I later saw my son's picture from the same point in time it matched exactly what I saw, even though the incubator was on the other side of the curtain.) I floated out of the hospital and remember looking at the yellow bricks outside. I was flying around and I started looking for my great-grandmother, who was terminally ill at the time, to see if she had 'arrived yet'. I just felt free and peaceful, until sometime later (not sure how long in actual minutes, just 'a while'). I floated back down and then I don't remember anything else until I woke up.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 6/24/06

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Surgery-related. Childbirth. While under general anesthesia. Life threatening event, but not clinical death Undergoing an emergency cesarean section that required general anesthesia. Lost a large amount of blood, was medically unstable. Required two blood transfusions after surgery (event happened during surgery).

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? Yes I saw my son in his incubator, even though I was under anesthesia and the incubator was on the other side of the operating room. I later was given a Polaroid photograph of him post-birth that looked exactly the same as what I saw. 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? Normal consciousness and alertness

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was looking at my son.

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

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. I don't remember.

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.

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? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

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

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Confusion, Peacefulness, Calm.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

The experience included: Special knowledge or purpose

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

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? No

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes

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

What is your religion now? Other faiths- New age

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience

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? No

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? No

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 didn't care about myself, on my son's well-being.

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? An afterlife definitely 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? Greatly fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Moderately 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? Slightly compassionate toward others

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

Were you compassionate after your experience? Moderately 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

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes

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? No

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I told my mom and husband at the time immediately afterward. I've told others here and there, as I've gotten to know them and the subject has come up, or if it comes up in a group setting that seems accepting. I told my current boyfriend/soulmate shortly into our relationship as he holds similar beliefs. I only told people I knew would respond positively.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No Read many books on it.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was probably real

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was probably real

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No