Sandra J NDE

Experience Description:

After 12:00 midnight I was taken to the operating room and put under anesthesia. I wasn't really informed as to my condition as being life threatening. I guess I was young and uninformed since I was aware as to the bleeding all day but since this was my first child I did not know what to expect. While I was under the anesthesia, I found myself in a very bright warm area high over the operating table. I could hear people talking about the fact that they didn't know what happened. Also, they said that they knew that I had just given birth to a child the day before and they were sure that I would like to be there with my child. The peaceful location, the warmth, the brightness, the calmness of the voices made it a very comfortable experience. While looking down I really wasn't that aware that it was me on the operating table, but, I knew it was me. After the voices said that they knew I would want to be with my child, everything faded. I guess I was sent back. The next thing I remembered was waking up in the recovery room. The doctor told me several days later that they had lost me on the operating room table and they didn't know what had happened. I just sort of accepted that explanation since I had remembered the incident of the light, warmth, calm voices and being over the table.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'August 19, 1962'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Surgery-relatedChildbirth '24 hours after childbirth, unable to stop the bleeding I was taken to surgery where I died on the table.' Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) Uncontrolled bleeding and I was under anesthesia.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes 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 When I found myself looking down, I was in awe of everything, the bright light, the warmth, peace, the voices. No pain or uncomfortable feeling. Just peace.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When I found myself looking down, I was in awe of everything, the bright light, the warmth, peace, and the voices. No pain or uncomfortable feeling. Just peace.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Neither

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Neither

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Neither

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Neither

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? Neither

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? Yes Surrounded by light.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? Neither

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Peace and awe.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? Neither

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? United, one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? Neither

Did scenes from the future come to you? From personal future

Did you come to a border or point of no return? A conscious decision to 'return' to life

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain When I was in Third Grade I attended Church. I haven't been a consistent church goer. I believe that we should be about caring and helping others. Sometimes and usually putting myself last. After this experience I just know that I trust in my intuitions and always am aware of everything and interested in everything.

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain When I was in Third Grade I attended Church. I haven't been a consistent church goer. I believe that we should be about caring and helping others. Sometimes and usually putting myself last. After this experience I just know that I trust in my intuitions and always am aware of everything and interested in everything.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? Unidentifiable voice

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? Neither

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'm not afraid. I always feel that I know when something or someone has a problem with something, which I feel compelled to try to help them.

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've always had unexplained experiences. I didn't realize that everyone didn't have these feeling of knowing things as to the reactions of people. I've always be very cautious even as a small child. As a small child of four or five I was awakened in the middle of the night with a vision in the sky of people walking up a stair of clouds, angels singing. I sat on my bed looking out of the window. After a while, I became so tired I laid back and even though I was trying not to go to sleep, I did. When I realized I had dozed off I jumped up to look out the window again and the scene was the same except the clouds had changed a little and the singing was gone. I knew then that I had been awake because the moon was in the same location surrounded by the same type of clouds. I can picture that today. This experience I never discussed until I was maybe thirty. My experiences have been knowing the sex of my children (six) before they were born (told in a dream), saw the face of my first child prior to birth. Have always had experiences of events in my personal life prior to happening. Mainly positive, especially when I was able to avoid a serious auto accident with my grandchildren in a car when I slowed down and stopped on a green light and seconds later a car shot out into the intersection and would have hit me broadside. These things have happened so much that I had forgotten about most of them.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? I'm just happy to realize that this is something that other people have experienced.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Twenty-plus years. I still don't really discuss it. I'm a person that feels that it was a very private experience. I may have discussed it in private company to my children at some time or other. During 1962 NDEs were not really talked about and if they were people assumed you were on drugs. (Smile.)

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No 1962, definitely not.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real I just accepted it matter-of-factly.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I know it was real. This has not changed.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No I don't take medications that would elevate me.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? Can't think of any.