Connie V's NDE

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

            Even though I was only five years of age when this NDE took place, I can still see the intensity of the bright light of the room.  For years I discussed this with my mother, wondering if it was just the brightness of an operating room but it was so very intense that I have dismissed that aspect. 

I went into the operating room in Dodge City, Kansas, 1950 for a tonsillectomy.

It was to be a simple surgery and a short stay with a promise of a very sore throat. Note:  tonsillectomies were very common in the 1950's. 

Sometime during the surgery I found my self on the ceiling in the corner of the room watching the doctor and his surgery room staff frantic about "stop the bleeding," and "we are loosing her," statements.  I was only 5 yrs. old but I can still hear the words and see the intense bright light and the red blood on the little body below as I watched them from above. 

It was only a short time for my experience though I understand later that I was in surgery much longer than expected because of a "few" complications. 

I didn't see Jesus, a higher power, relatives or go through a tunnel but I thought it was a strange being up in the corner of the room at the ceiling.

Note: I was a child that believed in Jesus as my parents were Roman Catholic. 

The next thing I remember is waking up with a very sore throat and telling my mother this story.  The physician thought it was a great imaginative story until I told him what he spoke out loud to his surgical staff.  He stated that yes, there had been some problems with a nicked artery but that it wasn't life threatening.

My mother told me to never tell anyone of this occurrence.  Dodge city is a very small town and I belonged to a Roman Catholic church. 

As I grew up, I investigated everything I could find on anything of this nature and found nothing until Dr. Moody's publication - "Life After Life."  Even though I didn't go through a tunnel, see relatives, see my tiny short life passing before my eyes, or a sense of GOD; I knew that this had happened to me and can see the scene in my minds eye as if it were yesterday.  I have always been open to "more" than hard facts and know that there is "more" for us after we die.  That death is not a horrible, bad thing to experience and that we go on to another dimension.

No one will ever get me to say it was just a dream or that I imagined the whole scene.  It's as real today as it was 57 years ago.  And at my age...I don't really care who believes me any longer. 

Connie

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Yes     As a 5 yr. old it went something like this..."mommy, I heard the doctor talking during surgery."  "Connie, you were dreaming."  "I was near the ceiling and saw what the people were doing."  "Connie, you just imagined it."  "How come I could hear them talking?"  "You must have woke up for a second."

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes     I could hear the doctor and nurses talking about saving me during surgery and I could see all the blood.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    see the comment above.  As a small child I don't recall "time."

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?    More consciousness and alertness than normal

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:            see the comment above.  As a small child I don't recall "time."

Did your vision differ in any way from your normal, everyday vision (in any aspect, such as clarity, field of vision, colors, brightness, depth perception degree of solidness/transparency of objects, etc.)?  Yes     Intense Brightness, color of white and a gold, vivid red blood as watching the scene.  Hearing was acute.

Did your hearing differ in any way from your normal, everyday hearing (in any aspect, such as clarity, ability to recognize source of sound, pitch, loudness, etc.)?            Yes     Hearing was extremely acute but not loud.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            I wonder how I got up here near the ceiling?  It sure is bright in here.

How can I be up here watching what is going on below?  Not sure I thought -  Is that me?

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          No      

Did you see a light?           Yes     The room that I was in was extremely bright but didn't hurt my eyes.

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No      

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?    No       I was only 5 years old so I didn't have much of a life to review.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          Yes     I could hear the physician discussing my "situation" to his surgical staff about "loosing me" and the need to "stop the bleeding.

Did you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or dimensions?           No           

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes     It was strange to be suspended near the ceiling and watching the panic going on below.  It didn't seem to bother me at all.  Of course maybe a 5 year old wouldn't be too bothered by this and just find it facinating.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Uncertain            I knew that this was real and not a dream but didn't know why.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Uncertain      I left the ceiling area to return to my body.  However, I don't remember entering my body.

Did you become aware of future events?       No           

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?     Yes     I started dreaming intensely and many of these dreams involving family members came true.

These dreams became even more intense as I got older.  By the time I was in high school, I dreaded going to sleep. One of the dreams were about my older brother having something in his eye.  The next day, he walked into a boiler shop and an 1/8" piece of steel was projected into his eye, which blinded him.  I also had short visions of  future occurrences i.e., seeing a woman before she was hit by a van and stating that she would be hit by a van.  I asked God to take away this "ability."

I also am fairly intuitive at the present time and my visions and thoughts are accurate at least 85-90% of the time.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     I shared the beginning of the experiences with my mother and she seemed to be quite accepting though she may have just been humoring me at that age.  My parents believed in re-incarnation so maybe they understood more than I realized.  I don't think they wanted me to go around talking about it since it was such a small town and my father had a family business.

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

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real    Even at such a young age, I thought about it often as I was growing-up and never forgot the experience.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?            The extreme bright light seemed warm and comforting.  It had a warm glow.  I was not frightened and even as a small child I was afraid of heights.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real    I'm much older now and feel I understand a lot of things that are unexplained.  The experience has made me much more open to paranormal views and ideas.  I don't "poo-poo" anyone's vision, experiences, or life because it is different than mine.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           Yes     My first marriage was a disaster with my ex-husband saying I was a "crazy broad" and I made sure that before I got married again that this person would understand and believe in me.  And he does.

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            No            Though I switched to Catholic Light (Episcopal-Anglican), I am never too far from the Liturgy of the mass that I love.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         Uncertain      I have not had another NDE but I have had many paranormal experiences.

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?        Even though I was a small child when my NDE took place, I remember it as if it was yesterday and try to live my life with two rules:  Love (kindness) and Forgiveness for all.