Mary L NDE

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

I was in my grandmother's kitchen. She was doing the dishes and I was sitting at the table eating a piece of cinnamon disk candy. Grandma left the room and somehow I began choking on the piece of candy. It became lodged in my throat and I couldn't breathe. My vision became blurry and I started to pass out, knocking a cup to the floor. Upon hearing the sound of the cup crashing to the floor my grandmother rushed in and performed the Heimlich maneuver. 

I remember passing out briefly, almost as if I were drifting off to sleep. Then I opened my eyes and somehow found myself looking at the scene unfold...as if I were a spectator at my own performance. I saw my grandmother rush in with a horrified look on her face and pick me up off of the floor. I saw her attempts to get the candy out of my throat. I didn't feel alarm, just an overall sense of numb curiosity. I remember a feeling that I had-it was almost one of indecision.  

On one hand I felt that I could leave the house, and everything I knew behind...on the other hand I felt that I could somehow go back and that things would be okay. I remember a growing sense of warmth and comfort that enveloped my body. I felt light and free, almost as if I could float away. I didn't recall a tunnel, or an intense light...but the scene around me seemed almost a fuzzy, out of focus environment...almost as if it were a painting in dreamy, pastel hues.  

I sensed that I needed to return to my body and I remember closing my eyes, then opening them to see the red disk of candy standing out against the cream linoleum tile. I looked up to see my grandmother sobbing with a sense of relief. She picked me up and held me for a long time. I'm not sure if I actually died or not, but judging by how frantic my grandma was, I'm sure that I was pretty close to it. For many years after that incident, grandmother didn't keep hard candy in the house.

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain      It was very difficult for me to describe being so young. I remember telling my grandmother that I felt "very warm and happy" when I "went to sleep." I can articulate what I felt better now, because I feel I better understand the event.

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes     I was in my grandmother's kitchen. She was doing the dishes and I was sitting at the table eating a piece of cinnamon disk candy. Grandma left the room and somehow I began choking on the piece of candy. It became lodged in my throat and I couldn't breathe. I started to pass out, knocking a cup to the floor. Upon hearing the sound of the cup crashing to the floor my grandmother rushed in and performed the Heimlich (sp?) maneuver.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    I felt a heightened sense of alertness/consciousness after I had passed out and began to watch the scene unfold. Before and after I "slipped away" it was a gradual loss, and after I came back I seemed almost normal again, as if nothing happened.

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 felt a heightened sense of alertness/consciousness after I had passed out and began to watch the scene unfold. Before and after I "slipped away" it was a gradual loss, and after I came back I seemed almost normal again, as if nothing happened.

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     It was almost a more developed sense of sight. Everything seemed more clear/stark. Everything seemed normally solid, except that the edges of objects were less defined...I liken it to an oil paining, where things somewhat run together.

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     Sounds were somewhat muffled, and the scene almost seemed to be playing out in slow-motion.

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

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

Did you see a light?           Uncertain      I wouldn't say that I encountered the proverbial "bright light" but the room seemed to be filled with a soft, warm light....as if a large candle were supplying the luminescence.

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No      

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     My grandmother asked if I remembered what happened. I told her in detail starting from when she rushed into the room, knocking over a plant...to the way she did the Heimlich (I was unfamiliar with this method being so young) What she was saying during the episode "Mary, Mary, please come back to gramma..Listen, you come back here right now" Actions and events that I would not have had knowledge of, being unconscious.

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     Time seemed to slow as I watched events unfold. The pace of my thoughts were normal, and I moved about the room in normal time...but the events around me seemed slow-motion-ish.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Uncertain            I was suddenly and acutely aware of a choice that I had to make.

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 seemed as if I had significantly more déjà-vu moments as I grew older, Seemed to know random things about people/their emotions, Random ideas flashed through my mind (Sometimes I'd instinctively grabbed the phone before it rang, could sing lyrics to songs I'd never heard before, etc). 

Also (I don't know how paranormal this is) but I have never been able to keep a watch for very long. It seems as if they always die right away, or need batteries. I'm not sure if that's something with ME or just my bad judgment in watch choice.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     Immediately following with my grandmother, then she told my parents. My grandmother didn't really seem that surprised for some reason, almost as if she knew what was happening. My parents freaked out a bit, but I think that was more to do with my almost dying than my purported NDE.

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    Being so young I really didn't think much of it, other than being annoyed by the fact that I was denied candy for a long time afterwards. I knew something very real and very strange happened to me and it wasn't a dream.