Emily D Anesthesia

Experience Description

I was in the hospital preparing to deliver my third child. Labor was being induced, but after two failed epidurals, I reached eight centimeters of dilation, and my daughter became stuck against my pubic bone, unable to descend into the birth canal. The doctors decided that I needed an emergency cesarean section, which would be my first. Because the epidurals had failed, they called in the head of the hospital's anesthesia department to make sure the spinal anesthesia would be effective before surgery began. The spinal worked, but with so much medication already in my system, I was feeling extremely ill. As I lay on the operating table, I began vomiting uncontrollably and became increasingly lightheaded. The doctors and nurses were chatting happily among themselves as they began the procedure, much as they would during any normal shift.

As I continued vomiting, I began experiencing an overwhelming sensation of wanting to crawl out of my own skin. I felt worse than I had ever felt in my life. Suddenly, I heard the beeping of the medical monitors intensify and change in tone, and the casual conversations among the medical staff came to an abrupt stop. At that moment, I felt as though I rose out of my body for a brief period and saw that the monitor displayed a blood pressure of 60/40. What struck me was how quickly everything changed. I went from feeling absolutely terrible to experiencing a remarkable sense of calm and acceptance about what was happening. I simply looked at the monitor and thought, "That's a very low blood pressure. I could die." Yet I was not frightened.

All at once, I heard what seemed to be a voice within me telling me to start humming, and suddenly I was back in my body. I have never been someone who sings or hums in front of other people, but without hesitation, I began humming the nursery rhymes my mother had sung to me when I was a child. As I continued humming, my blood pressure began to rise, the beeping of the monitors settled down, and the atmosphere in the operating room became noticeably calmer. The mood lifted so much that my doctor even began singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" along with my humming. Before long, my daughter was delivered, and the medical staff lifted her above the surgical curtain so I could see her.

A few weeks later, I was reading an article that explained how humming can stimulate the vagus nerve and help reduce physiological stress. I was amazed by what I read because, at such a critical moment, I had somehow received the exact instruction I seemed to need. Humming was not something I would normally have thought to do, especially under those circumstances. To this day, I find it incredible that when I was at my lowest point physically, a voice within me told me to do something that appeared to help my body recover.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: 10/00/2025

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
I had two failed epidurals. The first one entered my bloodstream and caused extreme panic. The second just didn't work. I could never relax, and my baby was stuck. I had to have a C-section and was given a spinal. The excess medication in my system made me vomit nonstop while on the operating table. My blood pressure dropped to 60/40.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Neither pleasant NOR distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? I clearly left my body and existed outside it
I felt in two places at once. Part of me was lying terrified on the table watching the hurried medical staff, and the other part was hovering above observing and calming down.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? When I was out of my body, I was most alert. I was analyzing the situation without fear.
I could think separately from the part of me that was just trying to survive.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness? More consciousness and alertness than normal

Were your thoughts speeded up? Faster than usual

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning
Everything slowed, and I could think of what I needed to do.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

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

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience Same

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, but the facts have not been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? No

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

Did you see or feel surrounded by a brilliant light? No

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter another world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Calmness and clarity.

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

Did you have a feeling of joy? No

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

Did you suddenly understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back? No

Did you reach a boundary or limiting physical structure? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? No

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated - Agnostic

Have your religious practices changed? Yes
I cared more about learning about God and seeking truth afterward.

What is your religion now? Christian - Catholic

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was both consistent and not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience
I grew up Christian, became disillusioned, and was agnostic for over a decade. After this experience, I felt that the presence that insisted I start humming was God, and that God cared for me. This has led to a rediscovery of the faith, but I have been led to the path of being Catholic, whereas I grew up Protestant.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
I was awakened to the premise that God cares for me and is guiding me.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I heard a voice I could not identify
I more so felt the voice instead of hearing it, but it instructed me to start humming.

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? No

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes
I felt that whatever this was instructing me was outside of myself.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

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

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? No

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? No

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? No

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Moderate changes in my life
Several months afterward, I began having much more spiritual awareness, which has led me to pursue a closer relationship with God/Jesus.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Uncertain
I am uncertain if it's simply because of this experience or a domino effect of becoming more spiritual/religious.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Yes
It took me a long time to realize this was supernatural, but I truly believe it was.

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience
A lot of the day was fuzzy to me, and it's like my brain blocked out all of the pain (it turns out getting to 8 cm on Pitocin with no pain relief for contractions is horrible), but this part clearly stood out.

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

Have you ever shared this experience with others? No

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Uncertain
I have heard of some, but I had never been interested until after this happened.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real
I knew it happened but did not know what to make of it for a while.

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

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No

Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience? Yes