Robert S NDE

EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:

Upon passing out in shower I fell forward and struck  my face between the eyes on a small retaining wall between the shower and bathroom floor. I experienced a view of myself from outside of the shower on the bathroom floor looking back into the shower at myself laying there. As I looked up I could see an image of an individual in a glowing gown. The image was slowly raising upward. As I panned up further I saw a very bright silver/metallic like button in the middle of the chest of this robe/gown. The robe/gown was lightly illuminated and the button was laser like in the center of chest. I noticed that as I panned up further the image had its hands stretched out to the sides with the palms up. The final pan upward I saw myself with a smile on my face. The image continued to rise and was extremely peaceful. Immediately I experienced being above my prone body looking down at my self laying in the shower, then it was over and I was awake looking at my wife who was actually there immediately after she heard the accident. It took me 5 days to process this info before I shared it with my wife. I remember being in the ER thinking about what I thought was so funny and why I had a smile on my face. I remember thinking what a smartass I was.

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     syncopal episode in shower resulting in severe facial trauma.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?    I was in the experience totally. I have no other cognizant remembrance but how vivid the experience was until I woke up.

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

If your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience was different from your normal every day consciousness and alertness, please explain:            I was in the experience totally. I have no other cognizant remembrance but how vivid the experience was until I woke up.

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     just the brightness of the lone button-like symbol in the middle of the images chest.

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?     Yes

What emotions did you feel during the experience?            peace....just overwhelming peace, especially upon seeing the image's face was my own and it had a large grin on it. The whole experience was like everything was going to be ok....there was no fear.

Did you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?          Uncertain      no real tunnel....just the whole image was slowly moving upward, with arms stretched out to the sides and palms up. Over the 5 days after before I told my wife about it ,it almost seemed kind of corny. And I couldn't figure out why it was me grinning and going up....then I realized, who else should it of been.

Did you see a light?           Yes     the image was in a lightly glowing white gown. the most intense light was a button-like object in mid-upper chest that shown like a laser. it didn't emit light, it just glowed.

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?          No      

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 distorted when I realize that my wife was there within seconds and my experience seemed in slow motion.

Did you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?     Uncertain            I've tried since to figure out what it meant. In relaying story to others ive found that some people were moved by my story as it relates to the passing of one of their loved ones.  I've felt certain in telling these people that their loved one was ok and I'm only able to say that in that I saw something most people don't and it was very serene.

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?     No      

Have you shared this experience with others?         Yes     I told my wife 5 days later. It as very quiet and we were getting ready to go to Dr. and I asked her if she believed in these things. She's very religious, much more then I, and she was stunned by it. She was a believer before. I shared the story several times since but not in a "preachy" sort of way. Mostly it came up as part of explaining the accident which required surgery etc.  I'm very matter of fact about it and I think part of why I was able to experience it was that by sharing it with others some were moved profoundly. By bringing peace to them partly explains to me why it happened. I however am not convinced that there is a deeper meaning that just hasn't been revealed to me yet.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience?    Yes     I had a patient one time who had an out of body experience during surgery. I had him share it at a healing service at our church one night. Again I'm not overly religious and I as pretty open minded about this. I felt if that was someone's experience who am I to discount it. So I'm not really concerned if when I'm recounting my experience that someone thinks I'm a little kooky. I couldn't care less what someone else thinks, I know what I saw and that's that. If you don't believe move on, I don't think more or less of an individual either way. Though I have to say ive not found anybody that tried to challenge me but again I don't beat people over the head with it.

How did you view the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened:            Experience was definitely real    It just confused me as to why it was me until I realized who else should it be. I realized how close I must of been to crossing over. The accident was very violent though so it took 5 days to process it and tell my wife.

Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or significant to you?    I thought it odd at first. It took me several days to process it. After that I felt like I've seen something not many people get to see.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience:            Experience was definitely real    Its as vivid today as it was 3 years ago. I think it will be that vivid the rest of my life.

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      

Is there anything else you would like to add concerning the experience?        Think ive said it all. Maybe that it took me a few days to figure out what it was all about before I ran it by my wife for her response was illuminating.

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?   Very thorough.