EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

My cardiologist ordered an outpatient catheterization Wednesday January 30. I entered the hospital at 11:30 a.m. and the doctor administered local anesthesia in the right groin.  He started to work with his instruments and we were having a normal conversation. 

In an instant, I found myself in a patio of a two-story house and at the bottom at about 30 meters there were many people; there must have been 50; all were very happy.  They were listening to party music and all of them chanted my name:  "Jaime, Jaime".  It seemed to be a "welcome" party; the place was very beautiful with much light.  I was imbued with a sense of fortune and happiness that I'd never before felt with such intensity; without doubt the most pleasant sensation of my life, as was the feeling of being welcomed--the strongest of my life.  I was able to recognize my deceased mother among all those persons. 

But when I advanced towards her, I felt my chest burned with the electric shock of 300 joules.  I returned to the operating room.  I asked the doctor what had happened and he said I'd had a small cardiac arrest, normal in my condition, as they uncapped the vein during the rapid resuscitation.

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?    I remember the whole experience.

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.  I remember the whole experience.

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     The brightness of the light was very intense but without causing damage.  Very pleasant.

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?           Happiness, peace, qualities (?), happiness.

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

Did you see a light?           Yes     Light was very golden, intense, it imbued everything but it didn't blind one, as looking at the sun would have done.

Did you meet or see any other beings?           Yes     Many people whom I didn't recognize. I was able to meet my mother, but when I started to walk towards her I felt the electric shock.

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?            Yes     The place was a patio near a beautiful two-story house, with very pretty colors.

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes    It seemed that 1 or 2 minutes passed and it really was 30 seconds.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Yes            We are immortal.

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      It seems that I understand mankind's destiny as a spiritual one.  That is why Jesus Christ came.  Before, it did not interest me in the least.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     Three days after I read the web page by you, and others.  At the beginning I believed that it was craziness--due to my skepticism.   I learned that we are many, those who have passed through this experience. I read, also, the non-believers, but their arguments of chemical reactions due to lack of oxygen in the brain don't convince me; it doesn't explain why we all coincide with the same hallucination and it doesn't explain why some brains see the vision and others--in the same circumstances--don't.

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   

I felt it with all my senses and my remembrance is not like that of a dream.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?    The welcoming party was very significant.

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     I try to be more tolerant.  I am a personality type A but I'd like to be a type B. I passed from being a skeptic to being a believer.  To do good in the most ways that I can.

Have your religious beliefs/practices changed specifically as a result of your experience?            Yes     I am a believer but not in the churches.

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?        No   I am not afraid of death.  But I am afraid of the punishment of the soul for bad actions in this earthly life.  I try to explain this to my friend, associates and family members.  And I would like to do so to all human beings.

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