Thomas S NDE

Edited for clarity by Judy Shea 12/16/12

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

It was early in the morning at Good Samaritan Hospital (7:30 AM.) The nurse in the room asked me if I wanted to sit in the chair prior to breakfast (the day before I had had a "fem-pop" done in my right leg.) [editor's note: Femoropopliteal Bypass surgery is used to bypass diseased blood vessels above or below the knee. Heart attack is cited as one of the risks of this surgery.]

The nurse aided me in getting into the chair. About three minutes after sitting down in the chair, I felt my eyeballs roll back into my head, and I heard the nurse say to me repeatedly, "Mr. Thomas, please do not do this to me."

The next thing I knew, I was in this beautiful room filled with the most gorgeous white light shining all about. I could feel a loving, comfortable, non-fearful, feeling, and I felt no pain whatsoever. It was easy for me to breathe, and I felt so comfortable. In front of me there was a bed made of stone with beautiful white sheets and a pillow clad in a white pillow-case. I could see the stone corners of the bed. There were three stone steps to climb up to the bed.

I started (or at least I thought I did) to push myself up to get into the bed by going up the stone steps. Some type of force kept me back – the force was so strong that I could not even move my shoulders.

From the direction of the light source came a voice that said to me, "Thomas, you have lived a good life, but I have something even more important for you to do. I do not want you now."

After that I heard my daughter on the telephone yelling, "This is baloney!" at someone. After that, I looked down and saw a nurse hitting me in the chest and yelling for the paddles.

The next thing that I knew, the doctor was there to my right. I asked him, "Why is everybody getting so nervous and excited?" The doctor shouted, "He is alive!" and told me that he was taking me to the OR.

The doctor told me that he was going to do open heart surgery on me immediately.

I did not have any sense of time or vision, during the experience. Later I found out that my lungs had collapsed and I had flat-lined.

At the time of your experience was there an associated life-threatening event?   Uncertain.  I do not understand the question. When I was out of my body, I saw/heard the doctor communicating something to the nurse.

Was the experience difficult to express in words?  Yes.     The parts that were difficult to express in words were the feelings about both the environment, and about my internal feelings. They were confident, non-defiant, and extremely comforting and so I did not feel fear.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    I would have to say it would have been during the last part of the experience including when I came back to myself – I asked the doctor what everyone was so excited about, before he took me to the OR for heart surgery. Later when I met that doctor, he said that I had scared the hell out of him because one minute they are yelling for the paddles, and the next, I am asking him questions.

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

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   My vision seemed to go blank and then came into full focus. The last thing that I saw was the inside of my eyelids, then all of a sudden everything went blank/ black, and then I saw that beautiful light in the room with the stone bed.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience.   My vision went blank, but I could still hear the nurse. It seemed that the voices in the background faded away when the voice from the light talked to me.

Did you see or hear any earthly events that were occurring during a time that your consciousness / awareness was apart from your physical / earthly body?   No  

What emotions did you feel during the experience?   My emotions were mostly flat; I felt no fear, no excitement, and yet I felt a longing to stay.  

Did you pass into or through a tunnel?   No  

Did you see an unearthly light?   Yes.   The most beautiful white light that just filled the room and gave off a loving feeling.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice?   I heard a voice I could not identify.
The voice was comforting, non-aggressive and exciting. The voice made me feel comfortable with the situation, and he stressed that more was wanted from me.

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)?   No  

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?   No  

Did you become aware of past events in your life during your experience?   No  

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?   No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down?   No

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?   No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?   No

Did you come to a border or point of no return?   No

Did scenes from the future come to you?  No 

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness suggesting that there either is (or is not) continued existence after earthly life (“life after death”)?   Yes.   The voice told me that he did not want me now because he had something more important for me to do.

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that God or a supreme being either does (or does not) exist?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that you either did (or did not) exist prior to this lifetime?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness that a mystical universal connection or unity/oneness either does (or does not) exist?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s meaning or purpose?   Uncertain  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding earthly life’s difficulties, challenges, or hardships?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any specific information / awareness regarding love?   No  

During your experience, did you encounter any other specific information / awareness that you have not shared in other questions that is relevant to living our earthly lives?   No  

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge or purpose?   No  

What occurred during your experience included:   Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs I had at the time of my experience.  

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience?   I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience.   I have developed a keen sense for detail because of my job through the years. I don't have to try to recall the experience, it is just there. It is automatic. 

Discuss any changes that might have occurred in your life after your experience:  People that I knew in the past have said that I have changed and I appear to be at peace with myself. But I asked them for detail and received none.  I do feel at peace with myself – and I am waiting for an event or sign.

My experience directly resulted in:   Large changes in my life. 

Did you have any changes in your values or beliefs after the experience that occurred as a result of the experience?   Yes.   More patient and understanding.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?   Yes.   I have a feeling for what is coming up in the future, sometimes including specific events.      

Have you ever shared this experience with others?   Yes.  I first shared it about six months after it happened. Reactions included people being interested and then seeming to become more aware of their surroundings. I do not share with all, only when I have a sense of inner comfort. 

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

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:   Experience was definitely real.   I believe the message was real, but I do not know as of yet what is being asked of me. 

What do you believe about the reality of your experience at the current time:   Experience was definitely real.   I view my experience as real and currently feel myself as more passive, as I am searching for the voice's will, not my will. I will not try to make my thoughts be his thoughts. 

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

Have your religious beliefs/spiritual practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?   No    

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?   No       

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?   Yes.   I feel just as at peace with myself now as I did when I came to after the heart surgery, when the first thing that I remembered was the experience.