Experience description: 

I was in labor of my youngest daughter. I was partially anesthetized for I had an operation instead of a normal delivery. They anesthetized me more than necessary because the anesthesia did not work immediately. My blood pressure dropped and I started to feel very sick. After half an hour, my daughter was born. But then they continued. I did need a sterilization, because I could not have a third child. It was already my second child with an operation, doctors did not wanted to take the risk of a third. I was still conscious. While performing the sterilization, they discovered I had cancer and they had to cut it out. Anesthesia  did not work like it was meant to, and my body protested from pain. My heart stopped two times. They recovered me by putting adrenaline straight into my heart. I was back, did not felt anything strange at the time. After another two hours (they had a lot of problems with the cancer), I felt dizzy. My heart stopped for the third time. I started to feel little "shakes" inside of me and before I knew, I saw myself lying on the operation table. After a few seconds, I saw the doctors panic. One of them shouted that I lost too much blood.

Suddenly, all I saw was light. Not bright light, but soft, comforting light. I don't know how to explain it, like I said, it it too big for words : there was a peace coming over me. Rest, peace in it's greatest form. No worries, no problems, no bad feelings, no black thoughts. Only peace. Bigger than when you're in love, greater than when you hold your child for the first time, more beautiful than anyone can imagine. Only peace and rest and happiness. Nothing else. And I saw a woman. Beautiful, with a light blue long dress. Charming. At that time, I realized I was dead, or out of my body anyway. All I could think was : "ok, I saw my daughter. She is great, she's beautiful. She is healthy. I am gone now. she will be all right". It sounds egocentric, but i did not feel bad about this at the time. Strange. I was happy I have seen her, that was all that mattered at the time.

I kept looking at the light, at the woman. I was extremely happy. There was not a real face. She was blond, with a blue dress. She smiled. The white soft light changed into a landscape. Grass of the greenest green, with red roses, as for as the eye can reach. I knew the woman was beside me. I did not really see her, but I knew she was there. It was so beautiful. I cried from happiness.

From one moment to the other, I felt like someone or something was pulling me away. The landscape faded and I was back on the operation table. It sounds strange, but I felt like being born. Air came into my longs, with a lot of pain, and I shouted like hell. After a few seconds, I realized I was back and all I did was begging to let me go. Go back where I came from. I cursed, shouted at the doctors, I was extremely mad. (believe me, normally I am a very calm person.). I hit them, shouted at them, nothing mattered. I wanted to go back. Of course, this did not help. Afterwards, I heard they declared me dead a few minutes before.

Any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     No

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Yes

It is hard to explain to other people how beautiful it was. I did not know what "peace" and "rest" and "luck" was until the event. It was, and still is too beautiful for words. Beside that, a lot of people think you are crazy if you tell them a story like that.

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          No

What was your level of consciousness and alertness during the experience?           I was very conscious. I realized I was gone.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   No. I am sure, for 100%, that was not a dream. I saw myself lying there. Knew what was happening.

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes

I felt shaking, like I had two bodies instead of one.

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Only happiness, peace and rest.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?           Yes, I heard "clicking". Like tiny little bells. Afterwards, I heard the noise of soft wind.

LOCATION DESCRIPTION:  Did you recognize any familiar locations or any locations from familiar religious teachings or encounter any locations inhabited by incredible or amazing creatures?            Uncertain

No religious environment. Only a landscape. Grass, very green, with red roses, and the woman I described before.

Did you see a light?           Yes, When I went out of my body, the room changed into a soft white light. Not bright as I hear a lot from other people

Did you meet or see any other beings?           Yes

A tall blond woman, dressed in a bleu long dress. She did not really have a face, but I knew she was smiling. We did not talk, but she was peace herself.

Did you experiment while out of the body or in another, altered state? Yes

After this experience, I tried OBE. I tried to visit a few friends of mine. I mostly fall asleep while trying, but every time I try, people tell me they dreamed about me. A good friend of mine called me once and said : "damned Annick, stop visiting me in my dreams". Sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          Yes

I don't know if this is important, but as a child, I predicted of 3 of my 4 grandparents they would die very soon. I dreamed it, four days in a row. I was right.

Did you notice how your 5 senses were working, and if so, how were they different?          Uncertain, I saw better, heard better.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes

I felt like it took hours I was there, but they told me I was only gone like seven or eight minutes.

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    Uncertain

I knew there was something wrong with my husband. A very bad feeling, the moment I saw him with my newborn daughter in his arm. I do not know how or what, but I knew I had to be careful.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?             No

Did you become aware of future events?       No

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?       No

I only knew I was back the moment I opened my eyes at the operation table

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         Yes

My knowledge of people grew. I feel aura's, sometimes see them. I lay eyes on somebody and know what she/he is like, if he is sick. More and more, I even know what will happen in the near future. Simple things : answers I know in advance, just little things that happen.

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes

First of all : I am not afraid to die anymore. I always was. But if this is dying, fair is over.

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?       My daily life has changed a lot. I trust that "inner voice" more. I respect more what's around me, but mostly myself. I left my husband. The moment I came back that day, I knew there was something wrong with him. Has she told me and did I forget? Did I receive this feeling from "over there"? I do not know, but I laid eyes on him and knew there was something very wrong. He was standing there with our daughter in his arms and I knew I had to leave him. So I started to investigate some things. To make a long story short : he was deeply into drug dealing, dropped the children in a playschool without me knowing, had loans all over the city, also without me knowing. He had a second life. For years I discovered. He was clever enough to hide it for me. Do not ask me how, but the moment I saw him there, in that room with my child, I knew.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         Yes

My personal life has changed, like I said before. And I changed. I try to have freedom of mind : I do not explain or give responsibility for what I do, certainly not for what I think, as long as I can look myself and others straight in the eyes. Everybody deserves respect, but if they lose it, they lose it forever. I say what I want, do what I want, and left the prison of marriage (in my case of course), behind me.

Before the experience, I was always afraid : for my husband, my parents, my boss. Uncertain about myself. It all changed. not from one moment to another, but that was the day I started to realize I had to live instead of being afraid. Enjoy life.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes

I talked with somebody who has OBE since he was little. He also tried to kill himself because he claims you can do evil stuff during these events. Anyway, he believed me. Said I had to be careful with OBE, always thing about good things and so on.

Other people looked at me like I was crazy. So after talking to two or 3 more people, I did not talk anymore. I tried some chat sites, but there are a lot of fakes. I don't like playing games about these experiences.

What emotions did you experience following your experience?  At first, very disturbed. I did not understand. I never heard about these things in my environment. My parents were Catholics. OBE and after death were out of the order. By reading and searching I learnt myself. Realized I was not crazy. For years, I hoped to go back. It was so beautiful, so calm : if I did not have two daughters to take care off, I would have tried suicide, just to have this peace again. Now I realize, I CAN go back. With OBE, it is not the same, but I have my own world there, trying to go further and further.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      The best part : the moment I saw this field with the roses. It is so simple, but so great. The worst of course is the moment I came back.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         Yes

I tried OBE for a long time, read about it, learnt about it. The last months, I start to succeed. Have my own world out there. (or is it not only mine?). The same landscape, with unicorns and mermaids, planets and stars. And they are no real dreams. I leave my body.

Did the questions asked and information you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?               Yes, as far as it is explainable.