Michael J Possible NDE

edited for clarity by Judy Shea 5/29/11

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

I was in extreme pain and feeling very weak, so my wife called my personal doctor, who instructed her (with the help of my priest-friend) to take me to the hospital emergency room immediately.

They put a tube in my nose and down my throat.  I continued to feel excruciating pain. My priest-friend was next to me holding my hand. Then I saw myself dying, my body deflating like a balloon. I was feeling good and relaxed, telling myself, "This is it; I am dead."

Then I felt myself rising up to where everything was bright white. Suddenly, I was in presence of a human form who was clothed in white. I couldn't see the face.  I told myself that this figure must be Saint Peter, holding the key to Heaven. Then the figure spoke to me in English, saying,

"What are you doing here?"

I answered, "I do not know."

The voice said to me, "Go back."

At that moment, I opened my eyes, and the excruciating pain returned. My priest-friend was next to me, still holding my hand.

A few days later, I was discharged from hospital so that I could have time to recover before having surgery, which took place in September of same year (1996).

Since then, my life goes on in the company of my dear wife.

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

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

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    Yes

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.

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:            Yes

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.)?  No      

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?     No

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            None, really. I was accepting the situation calmly. I was feeling good.

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

Did you see a light?           Yes.     I saw a very bright white light, much brighter than lights usually are.

Did you meet or see any other beings?           Yes.     I saw a human form whose face was concealed.  Since I did not know who it was, I assumed it was Saint Peter, whom I learned about in my youth - the one who holds the keys to Paradise.

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?   No      

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?       No           

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience you did not have prior to the experience?     Uncertain.      Although I am still unable to fully understand this religious experience, I have the strong feeling that it contained a message for me, something about achieving something in this life before the final call.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes.     I shared it with priests, my doctor and my wife.

They agreed with me that it may contain some kind of a sign for me.  They said that they have heard that other people have also had similar experiences - each one, perhaps unique in its own way. 

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    Yes            Yes.  During WWI, when I served as secourist [paramedic] in the Red Cross, and later on as soldier in Indochina (1946-1948)  I have seen death very closely, including when an enemy soldier put a gun to my back. I was waiting for the final shot with calm, not panic. 

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real.    The experience has always been very vividly in my mind and body since the day it happened, July 14, 1996. 

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?    Not really, except that now my faith is stronger. 

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real.            This transcendental experience I went through is definitely a reality and not a dream or a nightmare. I am convinced that there is a message in it for to me but I have not determined for sure what the message is. 

Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?           No        

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes     It reinforced my belief in my Church and in everything I learned from the religious education I received from my parents and my teachers, who were the Brothers de La Salle and the Jesuits. 

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

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?        I am glad to have had such an experience. 

Did the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?         Yes.     Since the day of this religious experience, I have related the facts of it truly, with sincerity and honesty.  At no time, have I ever tried to impress people or take advantage of it to glorify myself. When I share, I just share that facts that I talk about here.