Ken L's ICU Experience (Intensive Care Unit) 2816

Ken L's ICU Experience
(Intensive Care Unit)

I'm writing this because my experience is very different than anything I've heard from anyone else in regard to near death and coma and I think I should at least put it out there for comparison purposes.

I cannot remember the accident which caused my coma. For some reason I spent (from my perspective) what seemed to me to be several months to a year in what I can only describe as a kind of Parallel world. Things were similar but very different. I remember being a prisoner much of this time while constantly plotting and even sometimes attempting and succeeding to escape. It may be that while I was in this coma my injured brain was trying to make sense of whatever input it was getting from the hospital room and operating room. I remember being drugged ostensibly from some some sort of tube in my mouth that also provided my limited sustenance (kind of like what was occurring in reality in the hospital room). I'm on this site writing not because I think this apparent coma/dream world in any way is comparable to other's more traditional NDE experiences but to explain that it may be possible to experience a sort of time expansion while in a coma.

I do not wish to go into most details of what happened over those (apparent) many months since some of it is rather personal but will mention some of the unusual features.

I spent many weeks in a seemingly desperate struggle to fight for circulation in whatever cramped, confined place I was being kept. This was so I could retain some motive ability if the chance for escape occurred. It was an intense and a so very slow and tedious a process of attempting to flex and move in a confined space. Also I would experience periods of loss of consciousness (in this other dream/coma world) with a sense of time passed upon regaining consciousness (in this other place). I have never had a passing out or falling asleep occurrence within a dream before nor have I heard of this from someone else especially as it seemingly occurred many times. While in this immobile state in this coma dream world I constantly sought any kind of information to figure out how I ended up in this condition.

I noticed I had some areas missing from my timeline of memory while in this place. Missing was the time period which would explain how I got there. It seemed real to me. It was my world. I spent much time listening for sounds it was usually dark so there was nothing to see. I even convinced myself that if tried hard enough I could begin to sense things, usually vague conversations with senses other than my ears. Eventually I gained the ability (in this likely imagined dream/coma world) to travel while in the otherworld's sleep state outside of my own body. From my point of view this was to gather information to try and find out what was going on. This was my primary method for gaining information about this other place/world due to my confinement.

One thing I remember that stood out was after escaping and getting recaptured was when I was in a hospital. I sensed a tremendous long-term despairing hopelessness around me. This didn't come from me but from others in this hospital like place who had been there a very long time. I rejected taking any of this onto myself. I have never experienced anything like this feeling in life and this was very odd. I do remember hearing a voice saying "its new years' around this time and I remember answering "I know. I heard' in the coma world after hearing it more than once. This phrase was completely out of place for this other world and I suspect I had heard someone actually say it in my real hospital room since my coma lasted from Dec 15 2005 to Jan 5 or Jan 6 2006 and an unexpected New Years did occur.

There were many other experiences to numerous to mention without writing a very long and likely very tedious book. one thing which stood out was the concept of Spirit Power which I think was instrumental in my recovery. A lot of what occurred there involved the use of spirit energy to see, sense and persevere.

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    3 week coma. Medically managed/induced coma due to massive head trauma to reduce brain swelling though I was in initial coma upon arrival at trauma center. Had side of head removed and stored in a freezer to allow brain to swell to reduce damage. Doctors seemed very surprised I was in such good condition after coming out of coma. I don't think they expected me to live or at least not with my mental faculties intact. A succession of 4 neurosurgeons one at a time would visit and just say "You're doing Amazingly well!" Some of them did so with somewhat shocked or bemused expressions.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Not sure what is meant by highest level. I remember in the latter stages in the weird place trying to design in my mind some sort of audio interphase to bridge the equipment from one civilization to another preparatory to a mass audience speech of critical importance. I had some difficulty with holding the details of it all together in my mind.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?          Less 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 frequently seemed as if I was drugged sluggish. Since I was in a barbiturate induced coma to reduce brain swelling this is not unexpected.

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

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.)?          Uncertain

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

What emotions did you feel during the experience?          Desperation to escape in at least one instance. A pervading sense of despair around me but not within me in another instance. Anger and a consistent iron resolve to persevere. A sense of empowerment of spirit energy as well as a challenge to it.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?        Uncertain     Way too many situations to describe with any justice here.

Did you see a light?         Yes    In one instance but it did not have the semblance of afterlife or NDE. I had no knowledge at the time that I was in any way that I was in the severe condition I was in.

Did you meet or see any other beings?         Uncertain     Not in any direct of conventional sense.

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?         Yes    New years occurred while in coma.

Did you see or visit any beautiful or otherwise distinctive locations, levels or dimensions?          Uncertain

Did you have any sense of altered space or time? Yes    Time in this state was different than real world time. I was in a coma for 3 weeks but seemed to be somewhere for many months.

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

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? Uncertain

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?       No

Have you shared this experience with others?        No

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:   Experience was probably not real        It seemed so real it took some time after coming out of the coma before i was reasonably sure this world was not same as the place I had just been.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you? The concept of spirit power.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:          Experience was probably not real

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? No

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? No      Evens were extremely complex and detailed. It would take a long and boring books worth of writing to convey it all if I could even remember it all.

Are there any other questions we could ask to help you communicate your experience? I don't feel my experience was typical. It may have more relevance as a medical issue regarding patients who have experieced comas and severe brain injuries and how to deal with their mental state.