Nettie P NDE

Experience Description

I had a terrible childbirth that should have been a cesarean section, but when the doctor arrived and realized it was too late, and both the baby and I were already in danger. It was too late for a cesarean section so they did a quick forceps delivery and apparently, I was 'dead' at the time.

I clearly remember floating above and watching them work on my son to get him breathing, cleaning him up and passing him from relative to relative while they worked on me, and I kept asking people to hand me my baby but nobody answered me.

The following day they gave me three units of blood when they realized they had not given me any transfusions and I could not sit up without fainting. My mother insisted I had not been speaking to anyone and could not have seen anyone doing anything to my son because I had been 'dead' at the time.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1/28/97

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Childbirth Other not sure if they pronounced me dead or not. Baby and I were both in distress, I lost a lot of blood and there was some mention of one of us having a low heart rate and the other having low blood pressure. My mother tells the story and swears I was dead. I still don't know if anyone pronounced me dead, but I clearly recall floating over my body and witnessing everything that went on, and having people tell me there was no way I could have seen the things I saw.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 When I was floating above the whole scene.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I was floating above the whole scene.

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. Only that I was floating above everyone.

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? I actually saw them

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

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

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

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

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 no religion

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Liberal no organized religion

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? No

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? Mostly it just kind of confirmed stuff that I already knew was true.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Immediately. No real reaction, other than to tell me what they witnessed, or to relate similar experiences.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I've known other people or read about NDE before.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real No difference, really.

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

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