Mary P NDE

Experience Description

I came into the emergency room with bad chest pains. After being initially evaluated, one of the Emergency Medical Technicians was trying to put in an IV into my vein (my veins are hard to get). The part I remember was telling him that I felt a bit sheepish, as the pain was almost gone. He assured me I was doing the right thing. The part I don't remember, and what the hospital staff told me later, is that I arched my back, saying, 'Oh God, it's happening again!' I was hooked up to an electrocardiogram and the alarm went off then.

As this was going on, I found myself sitting at an almost picnic-looking table and bench. We were near some trees I'd never seen, which I found out much later were olive trees. Sitting to my side were people that I felt I was supposed to know, but couldn't make out their features. The colors I saw were beyond description, as if color had tone, touch, and meaning. Across from me sat a man, who I could see much more clearly than everything else did. He looked Mediterranean - black hair, and the most gentle dark brown eyes I had ever seen (on Earth at least). When he began communicating with me, it wasn't verbal. I could hear him in my mind. He explained he came to me dressed as a modern, clean-cut human because he knew me, and (he made a bit of a joke) that if he had come in the 'Robes' (his words) that I wouldn't have believed it and would have thought I had gone crazy. It seems we started having a laughing argument over something, and I realize I was asking to stay. He was laughing and smiling, and he pointed his finger at me.

The next I knew the world looked horribly dull, and there was a person's face close up to mine, asking if I knew my name. At that point, I still wasn't sure of anything. Then she asked if I knew where I was. I looked beyond her and saw many people wearing medical gear, and I said, 'No.' When she told me the name of the hospital, however, it clicked. I said, 'Yes, I came because my chest hurt', and they all looked relieved. The doctor that took over said I had only been 'gone' about 30 seconds. I didn't tell her, but I was thinking, 'How could that have been? It seemed longer!'

I feel that this happened to prepare me for my daughter trying to kill herself nearly a year later, after her dad tried to re-marry. They say she took too much Tylenol for her liver, and they gave up on her. Her stepfather and I prayed over her all night. My faith in Christ had been renewed by his gentle smile and him 'winning' (as he said) whether I stayed or went. My daughter made, as they put in her records, a miraculous recovery. She is still alive and still healthy.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1998

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Uncertain 'Chest pains, but no indication of heart attack' Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) If you consider unknown chest pain 'life threatening'.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Not sure what you mean.

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 I felt more inclined to talk to Jesus than worry about anything around me.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Color seemed to sing, as if alive.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It seemed like I had no use for sounds.

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

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

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 There were some folks off to my left whom I felt I knew, sitting with Christ and me.

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

The experience included: A landscape or city

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Beautiful olive grove

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Elated and humbled at the same time.

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? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control It was as if he just came to remind me of the faith I had had as a child.

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 'Liberal, moderate'

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I became more Christian.

What is your religion now? Liberal Methodist

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I became more Christian.

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

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? Yes I got a divorce, and became much more religious.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes It seemed too real, like it was a level above what we're used to.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain Healing.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? The fact Jesus dressed and looked, modern, because he knew my doubts.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes After a few weeks, and I figured no one would believe me.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had heard of it.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I wondered what it meant.

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

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