Ned D NDE

Experience Description

On a Thursday I went to my car, opened the door and sat when I felt a strong pain in my abdomen. I thought it was indigestion or food poisoning. Later I started to feel a bit weak and wan. I took various homemade recipes for indigestion and food poisoning but nothing seemed to work. The next day I was feeling the same and somewhat groggy. On this day, Friday, my family decided they would spend the weekend at the holiday house but I decided not to go as I didn't feel very well and I didn't want to spoil their fun. They set off on Friday afternoon. I awoke on Saturday morning at about 07:30 feeling much better but with a splitting headache, (I never get headaches), so I took a couple of pills and went back to bed.

At mid-day I woke up and felt great - all my discomforts had gone. I went to get out of bed but, as I swung my legs out of the bed, I was hit by the most incredible bolt of pain from the tips of my toes to the top of my head, and then it disappeared almost as fast as it had come. I knew I was not right. I was sweating, felt sick, cold, I was in shock. A sharp pain had reappeared which seemed to be at the base of my penis and I thought that I had a kidney stone which had been lodged there. So I went to the toilet, (very slowly), to try and 'pee' it out. As I was standing at the toilet I realized I was about to pass out and something was telling me to lie down on the cold tiles of the floor. I lowered myself slowly to the floor.

I don't remember because I must have semi-passed out but I also crawled from the bathroom to the hallway where the telephone was situated. I must have pulled the telephone from the telephone table to the floor and then I dialed my relative's mobile phone number (I don't remember this clearly either). (This is amazing in itself because I if I was asked for his number I wouldn't have known what it was; I always use the names in the contacts page of my phone and these phones do not display the number). He answered the phone, which is also amazing as he was on his speedboat pulling another relative along on his water skis and never normally took his phone onto the boat. I told my relative that I didn't know how long I had, but that I thought I was dying. I said to him that I was about to pass out but I was in no pain, which I wasn't by this time.

In fact, I felt at peace. I felt as if I was floating, I think I had passed out by this stage. In the corner of the hallway, up at ceiling level is a movement sensor for the alarm system, (though I wasn't particularly aware of it at the time). The next thing I was aware of was looking down at me from the position of this movement sensor, as if I were inside it looking down at myself. Everything was still, very peaceful and calm, almost ethereal. I remember thinking that if this is dying then it wasn't so bad at all, in fact it was really rather pleasant.

The next thing I was aware of was partially coming-to in the back of a neighbor's car, (my relative had called him and he had broken into my house get me out). I asked him how long it would take to get to the hospital, when he told me, and I said that maybe I wouldn't last that long, (which I later found out I had horrified him); but I remember that I really wasn't that bothered. I was no longer scared of dying, and I am not to this day.

When I awoke in the Intensive Treatment Unit of the hospital the doctors told me they had taken out my intestines, washed them with 88 liters of sterilized water, removed about 14 inches of my intestines and then popped it all back in again. The doctors told me that another hour, tops, and it would have been a mortuary slab and not an operating table. The main organs of my body had already started closing down and a lung collapsed during the operation. I am a fairly hardy fellow, after the Saturday operation, I discharged myself the following Thursday and was back on my ship the next week. I was feeling a bit tender so I took things a bit easy.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: April 2005

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness I had passed out and do not honestly know if my breathing or heart stopped at any time but I presume this was not the case. Other I had passed out and do not honestly know if my breathing or heart stopped at any time but I presume this was not the case. I was told by the doctors who operated on me that my body had already started to 'shut down' when I arrived at the hospital, some 15 minutes after the event.

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? No 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? More consciousness and alertness than normal I seemed more aware of the 'feeling' of my surroundings, if that makes any sense.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? It was when I was perched inside the security light looking at me. It was very clear but there was a bit of a 'soft focus' to everything.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Time seemed to go faster or slower than usual I felt I was floating in time.

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 could see everything very clearly but there seemed to be a 'soft focus' to everything, not a huge softness but a little.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. There was nothing to hear during the experience. It must have finished by the time the neighbor broke into the house, as I definitely didn't hear any of that noise.

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

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No Not that I am aware of but the softness might have been caused by some other light that is not normally present in the hallway. That would explain the softness, maybe.

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Uncertain I think I remembered a past girlfriend, yes, I am clear on that. But she is alive and well, (as far as I know).

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? Uncertain In the softness I describe above, the light level was higher than normal for an area that is not the brightest in the house. I hadn't thought about it until your question, but I believe that the term 'ethereal glow' would fit the bill, so to speak.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt the most wonderful peace, tranquility and calmness.

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 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? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

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

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Protestant I am not a practicing Christian, though I do have my beliefs

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I ask more questions to which I am still seeking answers.

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

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

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 had heard of this type of thing but didn't really belive it but i do believe in some sort of supreme being or God.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I had heard of this type of thing but didn't really believe it but I do believe in some sort of supreme being or God. I am more curious about the possibility of God, how religions operate, and if with all the main religions there could be just one God with different names.

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? Uncertain I felt that I had nothing to fear. I did not feel that this was the 'end of the road.' In fact, I felt the opposite, but it is difficult to put into words.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

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 Uncertain I felt that I had nothing to fear. I did not feel that this was the 'end of the road', in fact I felt the opposite - but it is difficult to put into words.

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

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

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Not 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 possibly meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are probably 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? Uncertain I remebered this past girl friend - it was an image of my favorite picture of her.

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 Many changes in my life. I am not scared of dying. I ask more questions of myself now. I am more tolerant of others.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I am more tolerant of others.

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 It is something I will never forget and has removed my previous 'fear' of dying.

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? Not really, it was amazing, private and I have rarely discussed it before.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Only one or two people several years after the event.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain I had heard of it and maybe seen a TV program about it.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real There was/is, no doubt in my mind as to the events that took place and I am of sound mind and body. In my work, I am paid to make sound judgments all the time that could have far-reaching consequences. I do not suffer from delusions.

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

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? Not really.