Laurie B NDE

Experience Description

I was a school bus driver at the time and had my five-year-old son with me. I completed my high school, elementary, and kindergarten route. That day, I kept my son with me instead of dropping him off because he had the sniffles. I returned home, parked my 40-foot bus, and went inside with my son. I made breakfast for both of us.

I remember sitting on my couch and feeling the right side of my face droop. I went into the bathroom, and while I was walking, my knees were buckling under me. I had to use all my strength and the wall to stay upright. Once I made it to the bathroom, I looked in the mirror because of the sensation in my face. I noticed I was fine, with no facial drooping, but I could barely stand. I called my sister for help. She was a nurse at the time. I remember sitting on the chair in my dining room. I was extremely weak, and my sister was on the phone trying to keep me awake.

I remember looking down at myself in the chair. I was so high above my home. Around me was complete silence, peace, and calmness. I was in a tunnel-like area being gently pulled upward as I watched myself in the chair become smaller and smaller. It looked like I was looking into a dollhouse, but it was me.

My sister called 911. When the ambulance came, my only concern was my son and that they needed to take him with me. I do not remember being lifted onto the gurney. But once in the ambulance, I could not lie down and I felt so sick. They checked my glucose. The EMT asked if I was diabetic, to which I responded "No." They rushed me to the hospital with the sirens blaring. I could hear the sirens, but they sounded so far away. The ambulance had to keep pulling over because my glucose level kept dropping dangerously low.

When I got to the hospital, I saw my husband standing outside. He gave me a very angry look because he had to take time out of work to be there. Then, I remember my sister, her husband, and my father were already there; my husband had already left. The hospital was so busy that they kept me on the gurney in front of the nurses' station so they could keep a close eye on me.

I remember my dad taking my hand and telling me to live. He said he did not want to bury me and that I was too young to leave him. I felt like I was in a tight funnel; my vision was just around my head, and I could not see or feel my body. My doctor had several interns and residents watching over me. The doctor told my dad they did not know what was wrong, but it did not look good because my glucose level was at 20. The doctor even had the ambulance equipment checked for false readings, but there was nothing wrong with the machines. I later found out from my endocrinologist that people are clinically dead at 17, and he could not believe I survived.

That night the hospital finally put me on a floor. All night the same nurse sat with me in front of the nurses' station so she could keep an eye on me. She also had to check my glucose every 30 minutes per the doctor because my level was not rising; it stayed between 20 and 30. I remember her saying to me that I was a clinical mystery and they did not know what to do. After that, I must have drifted off, because I remember waking the next day in a room.

When I woke, I remember my room was very bright, with a beautiful, warm brightness coming through the windows. I felt protected, like I was in someone's arms. The neurologist came in to see me and did not know what to do. I remember her telling the nurse to call her husband and bring her children to see me because she did not think I would make it.

I was weak, drifting in and out of consciousness. The whole time it was the most peaceful feeling. Even though my body was in the room, I was not; I was floating higher and higher. When my children came in the room, they jumped on my bed. The neurologist was still with me. Once I saw my children, my glucose level started to rise and my heart rate got stronger. At the end of the day, I was discharged and sent home.

After my recovery, I divorced my husband. Since then, I have experienced seeing and hearing my parents, and my brother-in-law. All have passed away but came to me.

Background Information:

Gender: Female

Date of NDE: Fall of 2000

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes
My glucose level was extremely low and I am not diabetic nor was I at that time.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Both pleasant AND distressing

Did you feel separated from your body? I clearly left my body and existed outside it
I kept coming in and out of consciousness. Trying to focus was an impossible task in te physical but not when I was lifted.

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? When I was in those tunnels. The calmness and peace around me was so wonderful. I did not want to leave.
I was in and out of consciousness the entire day. The tunnels brought me peace.

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

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
Time meant nothing. There is no other way to explain this.

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 I felt outside of myself the whole time I was back home.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience Total silence is all I heard

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes
Yes, I was being pulled up through a tunnel, it was extremely bright but it did not bother my sight. I have so happy and light. I wanted to keep going.

Did you see any beings in your experience? I sensed their presence

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased beings? Yes
I saw people above me in a group, like they were waiting for me to come to them. They were older so I assume it was my grandmothers and grandfathers because of this feeling I had when I saw them.

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
There was warm bright light all around me.

Did you seem to enter another world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm
Just being lifted higher in this tunnel, I knew it was good and I was heading to the higher skies beyond vision.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Joy, peace, calmness, LOVE and I felt someone was with me.

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 understand everything? Everything about myself or others
I knew I was in a bad situation in my life.

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? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will
I was above in this tunnel the entire time until my children came to me in the hospital.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Christian- Other Christian
I have been a Christian all my live

Have your religious practices changed? No

What is your religion now? Christian- Other Christian
I love and believe in our Lord and Jesus

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 knew Jesus was real but I did not think He was real to the point He was with me physically. The tunnel, I had heard about but experiencing the journey was something difficult to put to words.

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes
The Lord and Jesus are not just want we were taught but they actually exist and are present. When a crisis occurs, they are right there even if no crisis, I feel their presence.

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
I was not alone, something was around me calming me, no voice though, just feeling of love and being safe

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.)? Yes
I was with someone not of this world, whether it was Jesus or an angel, I was protected.

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

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? Yes
It is difficult to put into words, I just knew I was with a higher being, they were protecting me and it was not just one.

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes
I knew the Lord was at the end of this tunnel, it was the feeling I sensed and I could feel love wrapped around me.

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Yes
yes, I knew where I was heading but did not know how the journey started

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? Yes
yes, I knew I had to change my life or I would it would only get worse.

During your experience, did you gain information about an afterlife? Yes
While in this tunnel, family members who passed, and a presence not of this earth was with me in this tunnel

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? Yes
yea, fear of my husband

During your experience, did you gain information about love? Yes
Heavenly, holy love constant and strong

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life
I have become a more understanding of life and death. I am now more loving, helpful and caring to others.

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes
I have become more loving and closer to my new husband like I never knew love could be like. Soulmates is what we are.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? Uncertain
I was in and out of consciousness.

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
I remember this because I did not want to return to earth.

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? Uncertain
I do see my mother and father who have passed, trinkets are left in my yard. One day I was digging and working on a yard project thinking about my dad and talking with him, remembering things we did together like golfing, he would take me with him on Saturdays. While I was digging, my shovel pulled up a golf ball that was in good condition, it was deep down in the ground. It made me smile because he was with me.

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Knowing we will see our loved ones, that we have something far better than here on earth and it is waiting for us.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes
years, but with family

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
Once I recovered, I just knew it was real

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

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? Uncertain
It is hard to answer questions from someone who has not experienced NDE

Anything else to add? na