Ellen C Probable NDE

Experience Description

I was in the same hospital for a second time with pneumonia. I recall being in old fashioned oxygen tent with heavy plastic tucked in around bed. There was a zipper for staff to work with noisy machine and me. My parents were away on vacation and had been called back because 'she may not make it'. Grandmother had been caring for me.

At time of the experience, I no longer had the sensation of not being able to breathe. I felt no pain and had a sensation of floating. Everything was very bright. There was a feeling of softness on clouds. The clouds parted and revealed large, white gates opening at the end of the experience.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 1946

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Illness 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was in old fashioned oxygen tent unable to breathe.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Wonderful

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I lost awareness of my body

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal When the white gates opened.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? When the white gates opened.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Brightness.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Uncertain

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

The experience included: Light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes Bright lights got brighter.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Felt nice.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Moderate

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Uncertain Not sure at young age what my beliefs were.

What is your religion now? Moderate

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Uncertain Not sure at young age what my beliefs were.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Perhaps, in the process of dying, pain and discomfort disappear and a sense of peace takes over.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes Probably about fifteen years.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real A bit haunting as I was only a child. Didn't think anyone would believe me. It was my experience and I needed to keep it to myself. Likely parents and others were worried enough without talking about this.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real I know more about death and dying. I was with my mother as she was dying. I experienced some unusual phenomenon in her room as she took her last breath and for a few days after. There were bright lights, mist or fog, like an aura in the room (a caregiver remarked on this also and nothing to explain this).

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Have had a few episodes of optic migraine with lights brightening and prism like visual flashes.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I talked with a co-worker who was an MD Psychiatrist at the University of Michigan Neuropsychiatric Institute who was doing some research on near death for a paper. Not sure what happened to all of that.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? An acknowledgement that these events do occur and to let people who have experienced them have some validation as to reality of it. For me the experience was nice and comforting and for others maybe a nightmare.