Erin H NDE

Experience Description

Every time I begin to tell the story one more time I am grasped by the numbness I seem to feel. I have a series of mixed emotions over the whole issue and am experiencing several emotions.

The tornadoes across Lake Michigan came as I sat watching the TV. Storms excite me in scary but curious ways due to a previous experience. As the storm grew closer and closer, and bigger and bigger, I felt myself drawn to watch it out the window. I sat listening and checking the internet eagerly to see if this time, I would have to return to the basement. The skies grew dark and storm was headed straight for us. Remembering how the winds blew the first time and rain, I was getting impatient. When the time came, there was nothing. No wind, barely rain and the skies didn't look the way they did last time. The storm came, uprooting many lives and then continued upon its path. A few hours past and my parents called to see if everything was all right. They had pretty bad damage and were pretty shaken up. I was shocked because they live three blocks away and from where I stood, there was little if no wind. The storms came and went and the city came to help everyone clean up. I was helping my parents baby sit my nephews during this next week. Three hours had passed after the chippers came for the wood. We sat watching a rather large and scary machine grind these huge trunks into the smallest pieces of mulch and spit it back out into the back of a truck. I was reminded that day by my father of the time, 2:58 pm, because I had to run to get the kids from school.

As I began to get up my chest began to tighten as it always does when I begin some difficulty breathing with my asthma. At this moment I had no idea whether it was what I had just eaten or the dust in the air from the trees. I figured it must be the dust in the air, so I began to gather myself around and got in my car and left. My father noticed I wasn't breathing really well and saw that I had taken my inhaler several times. He seemed concerned, but didn't say very much. I began down the road and my chest became tighter and tighter, but it wasn't until I looked down at my speedometer that I realized that I was doing only twenty miles an hour and it was requiring more energy to push on the accelerator. I was holding my chest as close to the steering wheel as possible, sitting upright to catch my breath and increase my oxygen levels by lengthening my torso. Nothing was working. I grabbed my phone to call my husband and he noticed immediately that I was in distress. He suggested that I pull over and asked where I was, I told him what street I was on when my phone went dead. I couldn't believe it! How ironic is it that you are in distress calling for help when your phone dies? I was upset and threw my phone into the seat next to me. I knew I had to get off the road before I hurt someone or myself and the last thing we needed was to crash the car that I was borrowing because mine was having a new engine being put in it. I pulled into a golf course parking lot and with very little energy, I grabbed my epi-pen out of my purse and fumbled to figure out how to work it.

I had done this a million times before with the practice pen, why can't I get this damn thing open? Finally, the needle pops out directly into my right thumb, fumbling some more to re-grab the medicine I punctured myself again in the side of my thumb. At this time I have blood oozing out of my thumb and I didn't care I just needed to the needle into my leg. I stab myself in the right thigh realizing that I didn't even feel the needle. My adrenaline must be so high that I am not able to feel any pain at all. Realizing what was really going on, and I would need to call 911 without a phone I began looking around to find someone. At this time, I began to pray because my chest and throat were so tight and I was sweating in a hot car trying not to pass out. I began to honk my horn at the gentleman that standing about fifty yards in front of me trying to get his golf clubs either into or out of his back hatch. He was very hesitant at first because he wasn't sure why I was honking my horn, but I pressed the button on the door to roll the window down further so that I could lean out and call for help. He started to move closer to the car and realized I had blood coming off my hand. He asked if I was all right and I instructed him to call 911 because I really needed an ambulance. The epi-pen made me very agitated almost angry-like. I wanted to punch something and at the same time, I was scared. The gentleman was quite calm for what was going on and became very frustrated when 911 put him on hold. I wanted to cry at that point because I couldn't believe my luck. He then called a different phone number and introduced himself as a 'Doctor', but I can't remember his name for the life of me.

He explained to the other person on the line to call dispatch and to get an ambulance out to us 'now'. He was my angel that day. Shortly after he got off the phone, my husband and a police officer arrived. I was instructed to give myself the epi-pen again, the officer believe there was still some medicine left over in the syringe. This time I gave it to myself in the left leg, and later my husband had stated that he thought I was going to break the needle off into my leg. I didn't feel anything at this time. I was very frustrated that the ambulance was not there yet and still praying, thinking in shock that 'today may be the day that is inscribed on my tombstone'. It was a few minutes later when the ambulance arrived and they were assisting me over and onto the stretcher. They lifted me into the back of the ambulance and my husband was instructed to get in. He grabbed a few things out of the car, locked them and got into the back of the ambulance. I remember feeling really weak and tired, but I was fighting to stay awake. I was scared and didn't want to lose consciousness. I remember feeling like if I lost consciousness I would die. They kept asking me all these questions and my brain felt like it was shutting down. I was still agitated from the epi-shot and I asked them if they could ask my husband those questions because I couldn't think at that moment. I was confused and with a lack of oxygen to the brain, I felt in a 'duh' state. I remember relaxing back and feeling, 'I have help, it's okay to let go.' This irritated me, but I went with it.

I shut my eyes and blackness came with a million different pictures flashing very quickly before my eyes. I felt light and at peace and there was no pain. It was a beautiful feeling. At the same time I became mad I had a million voices talking to me, and I could hear them all but now, I don't remember a dang thing they were saying. I thought, 'Am I dying?' I was mad, it's not fair! My kids cannot grow up without a mother! They need me, damn it I need them! I remember screaming on the inside and at that moment my eyes opened and I sat forward really quickly. This sent the emergency medical technician workers into grabbing me to try to hold me onto the stretcher. I grabbed my husband by both shoulders and told him that he might not believe in God but he better start. I told him, 'You have to - you have to believe.' Everyone was looking at me like I was crazy. I knew my memory wouldn't hold. I remember telling everyone, 'they won't let me remember; I need to try and remember.' I loved the feeling I had just experienced but I wasn't about to leave my kids for it.

Not yet, I had to fight. I kept asking them to keep talking to me so that I would stay awake. I had to stay awake. I was in shock with my experience and happy that I was right. There is life after death. I was overjoyed, scared, excited, confused and full of several emotions - pumped full of drugs and I thought my heart was going to explode. I don't really remember too much after that, and the only conversation I remember holding with anyone during the six to eight hours I was in emergency room was with my mom. I couldn't believe that I spoke to her for about two minutes and she got off the phone with me because she had to 'get to the golf course so she wouldn't be late'. That sent me even to have less feeling. I told my husband to call my ex to have the kids to come up to the hospital. I really wanted to see my kids. I just wanted to hold them. I was trying so hard to remember everything about my experience and at the same time, I was feeling it slip away. This saddened me but I was just happy to be alive - happy my kids wouldn't spend the rest of their lives without their mother.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date NDE Occurred: 'August 27th, 2007'

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Allergic reaction Asthma Attack Clinical death (cessation of breathing or heart function or brain function) . Asthma, allergy attack, with anaphylactic.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

Did you feel separated from your body? Uncertain
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 As above.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? It took a little while for me to realize what I was looking at. When all the pictures started to flash before my eyes it wasn't until they were almost done that they were pictures of myself when I was a little girl. Those pictures were so cool, but they flashed before my eyes so fast and at the same time I could see every single one of them.

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 Altered? No time stop? Yes!

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Did your vision differ in any way from normal? Everything now seems like it was a vivid dream, but I wasn't dreaming. I lost consciousness. Everything was so fast, but so clear. It was a feather quickly floating in the wind that you can't get even close to.

Did your hearing differ in any way from normal? My ears closed (not fully) to the surrounding sounds of the ambulance and the sirens and the people talking to me. The voices and pictures became clearer the more I paid attention to them. I could still hear slightly what was going on outside of my body, but what was going on inside of me became clearer. The selective hearing was there.

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? Uncertain I remember them talking to me, but I didn't see them. It was over before I knew it had started. Although I do remember seeing the flashes of my childhood and revisiting it.

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? Uncertain

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm Feel yes, see...only flashes of my own life.

The experience included: Strong emotional tone

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Too many to list them all but from my previous explanations you should be able to get an idea.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

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 Stated earlier.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future Not really but I felt like I understood my purpose in life.

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 Christian

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? No However, the knowledge is powerful enough to maintain the feeling and push for a revolution for peace.

What is your religion now? Moderate Catholic

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? No However, the knowledge is powerful enough to maintain the feeling and push for a revolution for peace.

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? Yes This is the part that is hard to explain.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain Very possible that they have - but not by me. My relationship with my husband is more communicable as a result due to his experience with it.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes Yes and No. Not really difficult to explain but even when you explain it they don't seem to really get what you are trying to say.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No They are more in tune now, but I have always been quite intuitive.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Not really I just thought it was cool to see myself as a child.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes But the parts I am unable to remember it is because they won't let me remember.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No I have never experienced this before or had a desire to, but I have heard of others that have.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No No drug or earth-bound chemical can give, repeat, a feeling of such.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? It is my job to tell you that there really is life after death, and what we do here matters. Any troubles that you may have - you need to let go of because they don't exist on that side.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? No, but it is going to take a few minutes for the numbness to go away again.