Jim B NDE

Submitted 4/6/10

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION

I laid down for a nap, with a request to my wife to wake me at 3pm if she didn't hear me up before then - I vividly remember noticing the digital clock in our bedroom showing 1:50pm.  I had to be at work at 4pm. 

My next recollection was being near the ceiling in our home's entry-way.  I saw a uniformed policeman just inside the door directing traffic coming into the house - towards the kitchen for other than medical personnel; towards our bedroom for medical personnel.  I was experiencing no pain, nor was I hearing anything - everything was eerily silent. 

In an instant, I was in a corner of our bedroom observing paramedics tending to someone at the foot of our bed.  Again, total silence.  I remember not being able to force myself to look down to see who was being treated.  In another instant, I regained consciousness, lying on the floor at the foot of our bed, with paramedics trying to revive me.  I remember hearing the paramedics describe me as an "agitated" patient - my vivid recollection was of coming-to with a large paramedic sitting on my chest to hold me down, while the other two were holding my legs and arms still.  I couldn't breathe.  I remember gathering what strength I could, then breaking loose from the paramedics and standing up.  The paramedics immediately put me on a gurney, and they strapped me down.  I was airlifted from my home to Osborn Hospital, which is one of two head-injury facilities in the area.  I had tripped getting out of bed, hit my head on the ceramic-tiled floor, and I had suffered severe bruising to my brain.  I was hospitalized for nine days, six of which were in the ICU. 

During my NDE/OBE, I felt no pain, nor did I hear anything - total silence.  I saw no lighted tunnel, or bright lights of any sort.  I was not given a choice of returning to my life or going forth with the death process.

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

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? No      

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes    

What was your level of consciousness and alertness during the experience?           From a medical standpoint, I was unconscious.  But, as stated above, I have vivid memory of being near the ceiling in the entry-way of our house, then in the corner of our bedroom watching paramedics treat someone lying on the floor at the foot of our bed.  I remember vividly not being able to look down to see who the paramedics were tending to.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   no

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     Yes     I did not see myself in any form.  I was just "there"!

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            I felt no emotion, per se, more a feeling of questioning what was happening.

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?           no

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?            Yes     I recognized the interior of my home, nothing else.

Did you see a light?           No      

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No      

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

From a corner in our bedroom, I vividly recollect watching paramedics come-and-go - their primary focus was on someone lying on the floor at the foot of our bed.  I remember not being able to force myself to look down to see who they were tending to.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No      

Did you notice how your 5 senses were working, and if so, how were they different?          No       I visually saw - first from the ceiling in our entry-way, then from a corner in our bedroom - but I felt nothing physically, nor did I hear any spoken words.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes     why was this happening?

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    No      

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?             No      

Did you become aware of future events?       Yes     From observing paramedics treating someone, I was instantly transformed to that person being tended-to, with all the pain that such an injury involves.

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?       No       Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?   No      

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes     I now believe that we are all spiritual beings in human form, and that we will return to the spiritual world upon our death as humans.  I believe that our existence in the spiritual world will be as an aura, not physically seen, but felt.

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?       I can't say that I fully understand why my NDE/OBE happened.  Because of my experience and further study on the subject, I no longer have a real fear of dying, though I still wonder.  I no longer go to church.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         No response           

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     Mainly disbelief, though most have tried to be sympathetic and understanding.  Some have tried to poke holes in my narrative.  Organized religion - heaven and hell - have a hold on the vast majority in this world.

What emotions did you experience following your experience?  I haven't felt any special emotion, per se, more a questioning of what happened and why.  I lost my mother - Alzheimer's/Parkinson's - shortly after my experience. Because of my NDE/OBE, and what my mother experienced re Alzheimer's, I read many books on these subjects.  Thus, my new-found belief in spirits and the spiritual world.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      Best - absolutely no pain of any sort; total freedom to move about with no boundaries. 

Submitted 4/1/2005

Experience description: 

I was going to nap.  I instructed my wife to wake me by 3 PM if she didn't hear me up at that time.  I laid on the bed and noted that the clock read 1:50.  My next memory was being in the corner of my bedroom watching people come and go.  It was eerily quiet.  In an instant I found myself near the ceiling in our entryway.  I was watching and listening to a gentleman standing there directing people where to go:  the wife was in the kitchen being questioned; the victim was in the bedroom. 

In another instant I was lying on the floor of the bedroom with a paramedic literally sitting on my chest:  I couldn't draw a breath to tell him to get off; I thought I was going to die from being unable to breathe.  I remember calling on all my strength to throw him off.  I was successful.  I managed to stand, and was immediately restrained by three paramedics.  I was then strapped to a gurney, and taken to a hospital.  I had evidently risen from bed, and in going out into the hallway tripped and cracked my head on the ceramic tile in the hallway. 

As a result of the fall, I suffered a broken toe when I tripped, and sub-dural and sub-arachnid hematomas to my head.  While I was in the corner of the bedroom and the ceiling in the entryway, I never saw my body being worked-on.  The paramedics reported to my wife that I was being "combative" - trying to crawl back into the bedroom.  Other than throwing off the paramedic because I couldn't breathe, I have no recollection of being "combative".

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? No      

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes    

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    I have no recollection of being able to understand what was happening.  I vividly remember being in the corner of the bedroom watching people come and go; then, I remember being overhead in the entryway watching and listening to a gentleman "direct traffic".  I did not observe my body.  While overhead in the entryway, I was not given a choice as to whether I wanted to stay there or return to my body.  One instant I was observing; the next instant I was lying on the bedroom floor with a paramedic sitting on my chest.  Only after the experience was I able to reflect on what had happened.  When I say afterwards, I mean almost immediately.  I shared the experience immediately and often with my family.

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

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     It was like watching High Definition TV, as compared to normal:  all people and things were vivid; there was no darkness or shadows.

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.)?
            No      

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            I felt a calmness and serenity I had never experienced before.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes     I had no idea as to what was happening.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     As quickly as I could, I told my family.  They were supportive.  As time has gone by, my wife seems to be somewhat skeptical.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    Yes     I had read and seen on TV reports of experiences such as I experienced.

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real    Immediately afterwards, I was mystified and in a hurry to share the experience with my loved ones.  I didn't know what to make of it.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?            The church to which I go teaches that we are all spiritual beings.  I can understand this now, as I feel my spirit is what observed the happenings in both the bedroom and entryway.  There was a feeling of calmness and serenity I had never felt before.  Those feelings ended when my spirit rejoined my body.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real    I have lost a fear of dying as a result of the calmness and serenity I felt while out of my body.

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           Yes     I do not let a day go by without telling my loved ones that I love them.

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes            The experience solidified my belief that we are all spiritual beings in human bodies for a time.

Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?         Yes