Jodi S NDE

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

On 12-16-1996, I was driving to work with my sister. It was about 8:00 am and it was rainy and foggy that morning. We came to the stop sign at the intersection of Creek Road and Route 194. The intersection has a bridge off to the left and it sits on a rise preventing me from seeing any oncoming traffic.  Two previous vehicles had their headlights on and passed by me without any problem, so I thought it was clear to pull out and I did. Unfortunately, there was another car traveling at about 60mph directly behind the bridge at the time of me pulling out. He did not have his headlights on and was driving a dark colored Honda Civic which had a low profile, making it even more difficult to see from where I was sitting. My car was t-boned at about 60 mph. I was taken to the York Hospital where I was found to have a lacerated spleen and liver as well as 3 spinal fractures, 3 pelvic fractures, a collar bone fracture, left leg fracture, all ribs on my right side were fractured and I also had a head injury. The doctors were unsure if I would walk again or even if I would survive the next 24 hours. My sister was unharmed because my body had taken most of the impact.  Fortunately my spleen and liver lacerations had clotted off and the trauma surgeon felt I would be okay without surgery. I was in and out of consciousness for the next 5 days. 

On 12-21-1996,  I woke up in the trauma unit and the doctor felt I was stable enough for the staff to make me get out of bed to a bedside lounge chair for a few minutes. I was not at all in agreement with the decision but with enough pain medicine on board they used a mechanical lift and got me into the chair where I remained for the next 20 minutes. The staff then returned me to my bed, much to my relief. About 2 minutes after the nurses left the room I started having difficulty breathing and having severe pain in my chest. I rang the call bell for the nurse and the next thing I remember is the staff all running around me yelling. They put the head of my bed down and the foot of my bed up so I was in a slanted position.

A tall bald black man was wheeling me into the operating room because I started bleeding internally. I remember telling him through difficult breaths "Don't let me die!"  He looked right into my eyes and said, "You're not going to die today!" That was the last words I heard. I remember seeing this bright beautiful light that started out in front of me and quickly was all around me. It was so intensely bright and white, but it did not hurt my eyes or make me squint. It was so bright white it had almost a blue hue to it. There is nothing on Earth I can compare it to, so it is very difficult for me to explain. But it was the most welcoming and  beautiful feeling I ever had. I felt so incredibly free and I was intensely happy and felt no need for anything. There was no sense of time during this period. I just knew I never wanted to leave this sense of peace and wellbeing. One thing is for sure, I was NOT dead! I was more alive than I had ever been before. I saw a figure of light come towards me out of the light. This figure was very tall. I am guessing it was about 8 feet tall or so. I am saying "it" because I could not tell if it was male or female. The "being" spoke to me although the words were not heard with my ears.  It was as if someone was speaking in my head, although it was not my voice I heard. Everything was so crystal clear and seemed to make perfect sense although logically it was impossible.  The figure told me "You must go back, we are not ready for you yet." I remember feeling  like I did not want to leave. I kept saying "Why?" "I don't want to go." But I was already leaving. I started to feel like I was falling from the ceiling back into my body and I remember landing with such a big jolt that I woke up.

I saw the surgeons standing around me for just a second. They were talking about "feeling a burn." The next thing I remember was waking up after surgery the next day in intensive care. My family was crying and standing over me. I woke up and told them I saw an angel. They told me I had died on the operating table but that the doctors had brought me back. I thought they were nuts! I didn't believe I was ever dead. It took 2 doctors showing me paddle burn marks on my chest to convince me that I had ever been gone. I had lost 3/4 of my total blood volume and my heart had failed. I was without a heart beat for 11 minutes until they brought me back through shocking my heart. I then had undergone surgery to repair the bleeding coming from my spleen and liver. I had such a hard time believing that I was ever dead  because I was never more alive.

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Yes     the feelings of overwhelming joy i felt during the experience and the light that i saw...compared to anything on earth

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 was most alert when the light came all around me. I have a hard time explaining what it felt like, but it was like everything was crystal clear and I heard silence and everything at the same time. It was like I had complete and total awareness for the first time in my life. It was as if I was reborn.

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:            I was most alert when the light came all around me. I have a hard time explaining what it felt like, but it was like everything was crystal clear and I heard silence and everything at the same time. It was like I had complete and total awareness for the first time in my life. It was as if I was reborn.

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     Everything was incredibly clear and vivid.

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     It was as if I was hearing someone elses voice in my head. I was not hearing with my ears any longer. It was so clear and perfect.

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            I was the happiest I ever was during my experience. I felt warm and free from any need or pain I had ever felt. There was no pain, hunger, thirst, or time.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          Uncertain      The light I saw started out in front of me and was almost immediately all around me, enveloping me in its warmth.

Did you see a light?           Yes     It was the most intense brilliant white light I had ever seen before or since. It was so white it was almost blue, like the center of a flame.

Did you meet or see any other beings?           Yes     I was approached by a tall figure of light. I believe the figure to be around 8 feet tall. I could not tell if the figure was a male or a female because it did not have a gender. I also could not tell by the voice which seems to sound strange but it just did not seem as if gender were present.

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?    No      

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

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     There was no sense of time anymore.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Yes     I remember feeling as if I knew the answer to every question I ever had.

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No      

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?     Uncertain      I feel as if I am able to sense spiritual activity and am more aware of my place in the world.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     I started telling my family as soon as I woke up. It was if I HAD to tell people even if they thought I was crazy. It was a force out of my control.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    Yes     I had heard about people saying they went through a tunnel and saw people that had died before them when they had a near death experience, but not much more than that. The topic never really interested me too much.

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real    I knew it was difficult to explain but I knew it had happened.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?   

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real   

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           Yes     My family is much closer and I am more open with my loved ones than before.

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes     While I was raised in the church and believed in God, more belief was validated and I am sure that we do not die but go on to exist elsewhere.

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No                  

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