Roy F NDE

Experience Description

I do not know if my experience fits any of the other choices. The doctor diagnosed me with Spinal Polio at the Hospital in Texas. It was a late afternoon. My parents transferred me to another clinic because the doctor said the Hospital was not set up to care for polio patients. When we arrived in Houston, it was already after dark. I can barely remember this. However, I do remember wanting a hamburger. The doctor at the clinic, said, 'We'll get him one.' I could not swallow it. He then did some other tests and re-diagnosed my condition as Spinal/Bulbar Polio. The rest of this, I do not conscientiously remember because I became unconscious.

I do have a scar from a trachea tube. What I now know to be a NDE happened during the surgery to open my windpipe. I have a vivid recollection of being near the ceiling in what looked like a hallway of the hospital. The doctor and two nurses were working over my body furiously. The bed was slanted downward with my head lower than my feet. I was not fearful. I just waited - my brain paralyzed. I was in an iron lung when I did regain conscientiousness. My dad was there. I was later told that I was unconscious for several days.

After my recovery, which in itself is a miracle, I remember telling my mom about how the surgery was conducted. In fact, I told her and my dad many times while growing up. I would tell it in front of friends and visitors. Their response always was, 'Baby, there is no way that you could have known that, you were in a coma.' So, I finally gave up trying to get anyone to believe me.

Many years later, married, five children, one grandchild, living in Dayton, Ohio I was home sick.

I had the flu. I was so very sick at my stomach that while I was lying there in the bed, I was thinking, 'I have never been this sick before.' Instantly, I was back at the clinic, in a hallway with a doctor and two nurses.

I began calling for my wife who was downstairs. She came frantically up the stairway to get to me because she thought something terrible had happened to me.

When she got to my room, I was laughing and crying hysterically. Of course, she wanted to know what the matter was. Since I had talked with her many times about the experience, I told her, 'I've had an out of body experience.' She first thought I was delirious. Then I was able to remind her of the experience when I finally got my composure back. At that time, I was about forty-six or forty-seven.

The thing about this that is so amazing to me, is that it still is so vivid in my memory it is as if it only happened yesterday.

I was in no pain. I only can remember 'Being there'. As I have stated earlier, the memory is so very vivid that if I were a good artist, I could paint the scene. It started with the doctor and nurses working with me. The nurses were moving more frantically than was the doctor. He was bent over me, close to my shoulder on the left side. His back was to me (in my state of consciousness). The nurses were at my right side and one was by my right ear. I could actually see their faces. They were being very attentive to the doctor and what he was doing. I could not see all of my head because the doctor was in the way. However, he did reposition himself several times where I could see how I was positioned on the bed/table.

There were no strong lights. It was as if I was in a hallway. The area was narrow. My head was close to a corner, like the hallway turned left there and or at least another hallway intersected the one that I was actually in.

The bed I was on had a sheet on it but my body was not covered. I still had on the clothes that I had on when I arrived at the Hospital.

I also remember the traveling experience from Conroe to Houston, about forty miles. I was wrapped in a blanket because I felt as if I were freezing. My fever was very high. However, during the experience, I felt nothing except comfortable.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: June or July of 1952

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes IllnessSurgery-related 'I had polio, was unconscientious and was having surgery to open my throat so that I could breathe. I still have the scar.' Other . I could not breathe, I was paralyzed, I was unconscious and the doctor said that my brain was paralyzed and I should be dead within three minutes.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? While the doctor was actually doing the surgery on my neck. I realized that he was trying to save my life. I was not frightened. It was as if I was simply waiting there, near the ceiling, for him to get finished so I could get back. Evidently, when that did occur, I was in a coma and do not remember anything after that until I woke up in an Iron Lung with my dad nearby. (By the way, only four boys survived that summer. I have had the privilege of meeting one of the others and talking to another on the phone and Internet.) Oh yeah, I have forgotten to tell you that the doctor wrote on the front page of my medical record, 'Super Natural Intervention'. The only residual effect that I have from the Spinal/Bulbar Polio is the scar on my neck, as far as I know!

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? Incredibly more vivid

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? Peaceful, wellbeing, patient, waiting.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

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

The experience included: Special Knowledge

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 Even as a child, I have sung at funeral etc. I have never been afraid of death. I do not like the idea of dying and leaving my family and friends, but the actual passing experience does not seem frightened to me. I guess I look at it as I do being born. One we come, the other we go!

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? Conservative/fundamentalist United Pentecostal My father was a preacher.

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No

What is your religion now? Conservative/fundamentalist I do not now attend church regularly but I am still a strong believer.

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? Uncertain I have always been told that I have ESP. I can 'read' people very well. This helped me in teaching teenagers. Ha! Being only seven years old when this happened, it is kind of hard to really know that this had anything to do with my 'gift of discernment' as my dad called it.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I know that my dad was a praying man. Even the doctor told my dad that the man upstairs was in control of the situation because he had done all that he could do for me and that my dad knew more about the man upstairs than he did, so to keep doing what he had been doing. You have to realize that all this occurred while I was unconscious with a paralyzed brain.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes I began telling mom and dad shortly after I got home from the hospital. They were skeptical. Mom always said that there was no way that I could know what I was talking about. However, in writing this, I now recall that my dad never made a comment like that. He would kind of nod and smile. Since the time that I had the revelation as to what had happened to me, I have never hesitated to tell my story to anyone. My students always loved to hear about it because to them it was 'freaky'. Family and friends know me so well and many know of my illness and miraculous recovery to the point that they all seem to understand. I've never had anyone call me a liar and say that I'm crazy!

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real. I knew! That is why I tried so hard to make mom and dad understand. They just seemed to not be able to comprehend. But I KNEW what had happened to me and no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real. Since my awakening in about 1993 or 1994, I have read, listened to and discussed with anyone or thing that I could find on this subject. I know that my perceptions a very keen. I have been able to compose music, write papers 'off the top of my head' and talk with people on varied topics. This is all a result of my experience and its effect on me. When it is my time to go permanently, I know what to expect because I have almost been there before.

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? I have found one thing that I would like to get confirmed. I am extremely susceptible to hypnosis. Does this have anything to do with my experience? I do not know. When under hypnosis, I am really 'out'. Maybe it is because I know what really 'out' is and am not afraid to let go. I feel that anyone who has had an experience as I did, cannot say that they do not believe in the actuality of this experience. When you know something or have experienced it, there is no denying it!

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I would suggest that in the Form Instructions, you have people read the entire questionnaire before beginning to write in the answers. Knowing ahead of time what is going to be asked might cut down on the repetition of statements.