Maryann C's NDE

Experience description: 

I was dying from an allergic reaction to Rabies antitoxin.  I developed a life threatening case of serum sickness:  Makes childbirth pain look like a small tummy cramp relative to the intensity of the pain.  I did not know what drugs they gave me, except the one that helped the pain was in a purple topped syringe and the one they gave me with the red syringe did not hurt as much but it also did not help the pain. The pain was so intense no drug really relived it. 

The person next to me in the ER behind the curtain was very quiet.  I remember wondering who it was and next thing I knew I was floating above the room in the corner.  I had 360 degree vision, felt great and felt a light behind me. I also saw on the bed tray above my bed the nurse had prepared another purple and red needle.  The table was high so I could not see it lying down.  Next thing I knew I was back in bed and in pain.  The nurse gave me the purple needle that I saw on the table. 

During my recovery I was recruited to be a candy stripper and have been a nurse since.  The significance of the color of the needed caps on the syringes, I found to be significant because there is one standard color for the type of needle. A 1 and a half inch 19 gauge needle is color coded purple, it would be used for intramuscular shots for narcotic pain medication, the red code is for a smaller needle meant to give steroids.  I obtained my medical records when I was 27 years old.  I was receiving Demeral which would have been the purple top and steroids that would have been the red top.  I had no way of knowing the purple top meant anything until I became a nurse.  While I was out of body I saw they on the tray and later when I returned to my body they were still on the tray and I watched the nurse take them off and give them to me. 

I have not been able to wear a watch since then that doesn't go dead or runs really slow within a couple weeks or less.  I never thought much of the experience being a teenager I was just like Cool and never thought much about it until the interest in near death experiences of others started to appear.  I really don't think it was the Demerol because if you recall the nurse gave me an injection soon after I was back in my body.  So any previous doses would have been getting week.  I know it was not a dream either.  I just remember it as cool.  I was not afraid

Any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?     Yes

I was dying from an allergic reaction to Rabies antitoxin. 

Was the kind of experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain

I just thought it was a normal thing that happened because I was so young.  It was cool but when I came back I was still sick so I just never mentioned it.  I just assumed this was something that could happen to everyone.  I was impressed but I was 13.  It was neat that all it meant to me then and I never really talked to anyone about it until many years later, although it is as fresh in my mind as the day it happened.  It also made me not to afriad to die if my actions in life please the Lord.  At 13 there is very little sin you could have done to keep you out of heaven.  I assume I felt the beginnings of what happens when you go to that place we think of as heaven.  What concerns me is not that I am an adult I am not so innocent and what will I see and feel the next time if my soul is not as pure as a thirteen year old

At the time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?          Yes

See above for more description.  It was a serum sickness reaction to anti rabies toxin.  My parents were told I would not survive. After the experience I recovered quite quickly-within two weeks.

What was your level of consciousness and alertness during the experience?           Very alert, severe pain, meds were hardly touching.  Serum sickened cause plaques of collagen to be deposited in organs, joints, muscle.  There is no place on your body that anyone can even touch gentlely without making the person scream in pain and agony, not one spot.  Childbirth and I have had 4 natural is child's play ( and we know that is not) compared to this pain

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   No very clear vivid, neat and NO PAIN

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

Did you hear any unusual sounds or noises?           Seemed to be able to hear better, could see all over 360 degrees, but otherwise business as usual in the ER but they could not see me floating up in the corner of the room

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

            Describe:      There was a bright light way up in the corner of the ceiling, it seemed far away and I became more interested in what I could see in the ER from floating.  Then I didn't notice what happened to it. Soon I was back in my body.  The whole experience felt like about 3 minutes

Did you see a light?           Yes

Yes see above

Did you meet or see any other beings?           No

Did you experience a review of past events in your life?    No

I was recruited while in the hospital to be a volunteer and have been in the nursing field 21years of that as an RN since I was 13 and I am 49 now.  It is interesting I cannot where a watch.  As a nurse I need one but even the best watches stopped working so I just gave up and keep it in my pocket.  I recently read that many people with near death experiences, have this same difficulty with watches.

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          Yes

Yes, see above relative to the color of the needles I saw when I floated above.  When I got my medical records when I was 27 and a nurse, the color of the needles would have been correct for the type of medicine I was getting.  I would have no idea of any color coding needle system at the time of this incident.  I would not have know that until I became a nurse

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

Just could really see activity all over the ER, over the bed curtains etc

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   Yes

Sort felt time was at a standstill for me but not for anyone else.  I also had no body. The ER staff was all running around doing their jobs

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    No

No again being 13.  I thought it was cool and something that happened to everyone who gets sick and my parents just forgot to tell me about it.  I thought it was normal

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No

Did you become aware of future events?       No

Were you involved in or aware of a decision regarding your return to the body?       No

Just suddenly was back but feeling much better

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         Yes

I feel I have unnutured psychic power or some gift I haven't quite been able to bring to fruition.  I feel things that will happen even though I am not sure what I feel  Ex.  I looked at a picture of Princess Diana enjoying herself with Dodie in one of those Enquirer tabloids.  I got the weirdest feeling someone was going to kill her.  I could not shake it no matter how I tried.  I felt it had something to do with a conspiracy to make sure Diana never married him as he would be unacceptable.  Several weeks later she was dead and I along with Dodie's father will never be convinced this was not a very well planned and executed assassination. This is just one example but it is not something I can try to do it just happens

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   Yes

Developed empathy at a very young age

How has the experience affected your relationships? Daily life? Religious practices? Career choices?       See above I am still a nurse and was recruited as part of the entire illness experience.  I believe in life after death

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         No response

It has strengthened my belief in some type of existence after death and whether it is good or bad depends on the condition of your soul when you die.

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes

Most people go oh yeah and drop it.

What emotions did you experience following your experience?  I thought it was a normal thing that happened when you had pain

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      It was a great experience, nothing negative except I didn't share with anyone for many years

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         Yes

I had a very brief experience when giving birth to my 4th.  His cord was severely wrapped around his neck and I was pushing and in so much pain for 4 hours.  It only took me 2 hours to dilate for delivery but I could not push him out.  I briefly felt myself leaving my body and wanting to run down the hall but I realized I could not do that and was back.  I had no drugs for my kids birth

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