Michel B NDE

Experience Description 4544 Translated to English by Kathy.

My NDE – Brain hemorrhage as a result of a stroke.

I began answering the NDERF questionnaire on February 25, 2004, some 3 years and a few months after my hemorrhagic stroke, which happened in late October 2000. I had nearly immediate coma, surgery, resuscitation and awakening 3 weeks later. Now, in 2010 I am changing nothing to my account.

Hemorrhagic Stroke occurred during the night of the 28th to October 29, 2000, around 10:30 pm. I had a feeling of discomfort while answering the telephone and an almost immediate loss of consciousness, a feeling of dizziness and the inability to speak. I mumbled a few incomprehensible words to my wife, and made some uncontrolled movements on my left side. My wife called for help (I ‘perceived’ her call). I saw a black hole. I ‘saw’ the firefighters arrive in my room. I saw a definite black hole.

I underwent immediate surgery and then about three weeks in a coma during which I was on a ventilator and was given different drugs. During this time, I had a few problems with oxygen deprivation (causing hypoxia / hypercapnia (?). It may be at this time that I had my experience(s).

My condition at the time of the experience was Clinical death (Cessation of respiratory, heart and brain function). I was on a respirator for 3 weeks.

I don't know if I was out of body, but I had the impression of lying on a very soft, warm substance (my mattress?); it was maybe a feeling of floating. I was looking downwards, arms held close to the body. I was very, very comfortable in this extended position. I was watching as a stranger (dispassionately) the scene unfolding about 50 meters away from me. At no time did I sense fear about what was going on outside. I was at peace, totally inaccessible; a simple observer, up high but not ‘flying’. I could see both my body and the outdoors. I could see myself ‘seeing’ (very difficult to explain). I could feel no pain. I was very, very comfortable, totally relaxed, bathed in softness and light. The feeling was of light, softness, peace and an absence of fear. It is all extraordinarily difficult to describe.

I saw a stranger, perhaps a nurse, or doctor, dressed in a white shirt.

There was a sense of tremendous brightness, but not dazzling, to my left. The scene was taking place in the morning, quite early, and I thought I could see a radiant sun illuminating everything. I could see the scene through what I believed to be the bay window in my room. The angle was very important every time I was looking down from above on this person dressed in a white shirt covering the arms all the way to the fingers. The legs were also covered to the tips of the toes. What is notable is the luminosity that enveloped everything and the impression of peace and tranquility.

The first time: The person, quite young, dark hair, stethoscope around the neck, white shirt (classic image of a doctor) very sympathetic, holding his head in his hands, is saying, ‘but it’s not possible.’ Strangely, there was no indication of worry about him. It was a strange contradiction between what he was saying and the look on his face.

I could clearly hear everything that was being said despite the relative distance between the glass separating us.

The second time: It was the same scene that I was observing ‘from above and without emotion’, a person (the same?) still dressed in white on the telephone saying, and ‘The first time he had one chance in a hundred of pulling through the second time, one in a thousand’. The person still had the same youthful look and I could hear perfectly clearly despite the distance (The bay window was not an obstacle) (hyper acoustics?). The sky was still exceptionally luminous but never dazzling.

Each time the ‘person’ was sitting on the steps, (very clean and brilliant). The stairway had about 15 steps and led to a great hall (glass doors reflecting the sun). The hall seemed to lead to or contain something darker, but not threatening, (difficult to describe) This scenery seemed to be a type of garden or prairie, very well groomed (very green grass cut short, white and yellow flowers with very luminous colors) Absolutely nothing out of place, the impression of a great cleanliness and of life. There were no faded flowers or dead branches. This whole landscape was bathed in light, which is difficult to describe correctly. According to my later research, I believe this is something close to the Garden of Eden.

I observed the scene as a stranger, with no particular emotion, except maybe the joy of being there. I was totally at peace.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: Octobre/Novembre 2000

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes hémorragie artère cérébale antérieure droite 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' There were serious consequences of my stroke. The surgeons had told my wife, 'He has a good heart, good lungs, good kidneys but he’s had it.'

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? Normal consciousness and alertness I never had the impression of losing control.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I never had the impression of losing control.

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

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. I had the impression of exceptional brightness, but never dazzling.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Maybe, hyper-hearing? I could clearly understand a conversation taking place 50 meters away.

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? Uncertain I had the impression of being enveloped by a light that was sexually attractive.

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 A being in white, who communicated nothing to 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? Yes Very bright light, not dazzling and very attractive.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm J'avais l'impression d'observer un jardin d'Eden.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Great happiness of being there.

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

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

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal

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? 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? No

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes

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 After a few years I started sharing my experience.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain Since my experience I have being doing research on the Net. I will also share my NDE with a young woman who had this experience after a traffic accident.

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

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