EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION:
I recall that it was like a portion of me floated out of my body and was looking
down at myself on the bed. But the strange thing is that I was also in the bed,
looking up at myself floating over top of me. It was very strange, I was in two
places as the same time observing myself from both vantage points.
This lasted maybe a few
minutes. There wasn't anything like a shock, or a sensation of being "pulled"
back. It just ended. Abruptly.
There were no lights or tunnels or anything like that. But there was a sense of
calm. I wasn't scared, but I wasn't happy either. Hard to describe.
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 I was shot on January 5th, 1981. I was rushed to the hospital where
they immediately operated. The bullet had gone through my liver, diaphragm,
both lungs, shattered 3 of my vertebrae, exited my torso and lodged into my
arm. The actual experience I had was in the ICU after the surgery. I don't
know if it was one day or two or three, but it was after surgery and I was
becoming more stabilized.
At
what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness
and alertness?
Throughout the experience.
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:
Throughout the experience.
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.)?
No
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?
A sense of calm.
Did
you pass into or through a tunnel or enclosure?
No
Did
you see a light?
No
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 At the time this occurred, there was a nurse standing over my bed and I
recalled next to my bed a machine that seemed out of place. After I got out of
the hospital and told my mother about the event, she told me I was crazy or that
I had saw myself in a mirror. She figured there was one of those convex
supermarket type of mirrors up on the ceiling. I insisted she take me back to
the hospital and I asked the nurse who attended me (he and I bonded during the
time I was in the hospital) and he took me to where I was originally at in the
ICU. Exact surroundings as I had saw during the encounter. And there was no
mirror. In fact, there was no place a mirror could even be placed. I asked the
nurse about this white machine shaped like a box and he told me that it sounded
like I was describing the machine they hooked up my chest tubes to. He showed
me one and that was the machine I had saw.
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?
No
Did
you have a sense of knowing special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?
Yes It's hard to describe. The only thing I can say is that it was like it
was impossible to lie to myself any longer. I know that sounds strange, but it
was like a total truthfulness hit my life experiences.
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 was still in the hospital when I first told one of my sisters about
it. After I got out I told my family at dinner one night. They all thought I
was crazy. They said it was the morphine giving me hallucinations. Or a mirror
on the ceiling. To this day (nearly 30 years later) they still think I imagined
the whole thing.
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 It was real. No doubt in my mind.
Were there one or several parts of the experience especially meaningful or
significant to you?
No.
How
do you currently view the reality of your experience:
Experience was definitely real It was real. No doubt in my mind.
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?
No,
I guess this interview covered it all.
Did
the questions asked and information you provided so far accurately and
comprehensively describe your experience?
Yes
