Experience description:
I was in the
hospital for almost two weeks after having a major heart attack. Approximately
one-fifth of my heart was damaged which caused bradycardia (a slow heart-rate).
The doctor decided to discharge me early. I was sitting on the bed waiting for
the discharge paperwork to sign when I arrested. If the arrest would have
happened a few minutes later my wife would have been driving me home and I would
not have probably survived.
This is my
perception of what happened when I arrested. If you can imagine a huge, tall
smoke stack (no heat or fire thank goodness - just a feeling of being in a
tunnel) and you are at the bottom facing upward. It is dark all around you
except at top of the stack there is a bright light in the distance. You are
rising rapidly up through the stack moving towards the light. There is no fear
in your mind at the time, just an awareness of flying toward the light. I
remember the light as being white and bright. As I reach the light I seem to
pass into a state of awareness that I have now transitioned into a room "filled"
with hospital staff. I look to my bedside and the nurse has tears in her eyes.
My wife was taken away into another room. I notice the burns on my chest and
that I have urine soaked jeans. Words can not describe the tunnel experience. It
was not bad and changed my life forever. Even five years later the emotion of
writing about the experience brings tears to my eyes. I am thankful for the
experience and to be alive with my family.
Was the
kind of experience difficult to express in words?
Yes The experience was not unpleasant. It is telling others after the
experience - it is emotional for me to describe to others and difficult to hold
back tears.
At the
time of this experience, was there an associated life threatening event?
Yes I had a cardiac arrest
At what
time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and
alertness?
When traveling through the tunnel.
How did
your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare
to your normal every day consciousness and alertness?
Normal consciousness and alertness
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 My field of vision was focused on the end of the tunnel.
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?
I was "flying" towards the end of the tunnel. I was not afraid. I was
almost memorized by the light and it's brightness.
Did you
pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?
Yes The
tunnel was dark and long with a bright light at the end. I was moving toward the
light and passed through it into a room, which turned out to be my hospital
room.
Did you
see a light?
Yes It was bright, white and circular - like looking through a long tunnel
with a light at the other end. It was not like looking at a light bulb. The
light was just white, no focused point.
Did you
have any sense of altered space or time?
Yes I remember the speed of flying toward the light was very fast and I
stopped immediately upon entering the hospital room. It was like moving from one
location to another within a eye blink.
Did you
have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?
No
Did you
reach a boundary or limiting physical structure?
Yes I crossed from the tunnel into the hospital room.
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?
Yes It was about a year before I told a co-worker about the experience. I
broke down and cried from the memory - something never done before by me.
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 am not sure what actually caused the
experience - whether it is the bodies way of "shutting down peacefully" or if we
do pass into another state of being. Either way, it was a profound experience to
me. I am not afraid to die at all and now try to live every day to its fullest.
Were
there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or
significant to you?
It was later
that evening when I was able to think about the event. I believe it was a
miracle or just one stroke of luck that my discharge was delayed just a few
minutes longer. Otherwise, I would have surely died in the car.
How do
you currently view the reality of your experience:
Experience was definitely real I was fully aware of what was happening and
feel no different than now. My thoughts were clear then as they are now. I was
just in a difference place momentarily - or at least that is what it felt like.
Have your
relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?
No
No - I always
put my family first and still do. I have changed in that there is little that
gets me upset anymore. I realize that day to day frustrations with work and so
on are nothing compared to what is important to me - my families happiness.
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
Is
there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?
Did the
questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and
comprehensively describe your experience?
Yes
Are
there any other questions we could ask to help you communicate your experience?
It might be neat if audio or even video recordings of the experience could be
added to the site. It is hard to write in detail about such an experience. It
would also be nice if you had the ability to IM other people who might be online
at the same time. It would be nice to ask other about their experience.
