I was in Phoenix, AZ on March 15, 1997. I thought I got food poisoning so I decided that I wanted to go home to Denver, Colorado. I left Phoenix early in the morning of March 15th and I went directly, 12 hours by car, to Denver. I was able to drive, but I did not eat or stop for rest breaks, just refueling. On March 16th, I was truly exhausted. I felt so sick. I made a doctor’s appointment for that day. My doctor examined me and stated that I had the flu and I would get over it.
I rested for several days, but I had not improved. I returned on a Monday to be examined again. The doctor was amazed to see that I had a very low oxygen level. I returned home with an oxygen tank and endured seven hours before I returned through the emergency room. My heart rate was racing at 190. The emergency room quickly began to work on me. I remember asking if I was “out of the woods”. The nurse told me I was not.
I was taken to the intensive care unit. I proceeded to go into a coma. On the first day I went into liver failure. The second day I went into kidney failure and on the third day I hemorrhaged with internal bleeding. On the fourth day, I had by the professional’s opinion, a positive day of health improvement.
At this time family and friends were sitting in the waiting room and being informed that my survival was doubtful. On that day I started having my out of body experiences and communicating with the other side. I have no recollection of this, but friends in the room became very fascinated with my one sided discussion on my left. I answered many questions and asked questions in my usual business manner. I was able to turn to my right and answer questions posed to me by the people who were physically in the room. Later my friends told me they heard a one sided phone-like conversation and they could not find out who the questioner was on my left.
Saturday, March 31st 1997 was the big fun day. My dear friend Dorothy came into the room and I immediately went into heart failure at 12:30 P.M. The doctor in the care unit climbed in bed and straddled by chest and began beating it. I decided so to speak, “I am out of here”. I rose up to the ceiling and watched as nine hospital medical personnel worked on me. I was fascinated with how each one had a specific job and that they came from all parts of the building. I then left the room and went to the waiting room where my friends were sitting. I have never seen this room in the physical realm. I was able to identify each one in the small room and who was sitting in what colored chair, but more importantly I was very specific to what each wore. There were five people and they all have agreed with my assessment of their arrangement in the room and their clothing. One lady said that it would have been impossible for me to identify her clothing because it was the first time she had worn that new blouse. Everything that I saw was in indescribable colors. I have never seen such colors since.
I then left the waiting room and went to where I grew up on a farm in northeast Colorado. I was floating above it and once again the colors were beyond description. I then took a quick turn and went into the light. The beautiful heavenly light and the warmth and serenity was now my certain destiny. I started my journey down the tunnel of bliss and two people were there waiting to greet me. I wanted to reach them, but I got zapped. The paddles came down on my chest and I was back in the physical presence. I was very, but very angry. I also remember the excruciating pain in my chest. It was awful. I was then in the present place in the intensive care unit. I watched as the medical personnel filed out and my nurse was arranging my body and washing the blood from my mouth. I fell asleep.
At 4:30 P.M. my friend Dorothy entered my room and I immediately left again. Once again the hospital medical personnel were filing in. The crash cart with paddles were right by the bed. I left immediately and went for the light. I was entering the tunnel. I knew how to get there fast from my previous experience and I remember saying I did not want to be stopped this time. Zap again! I was back in my pain filled body. This time I was really furious and I told them so. That moment forward to this day I have been in this physical plane. Dorothy held my hand as the technicians once again left the room. She had such comforting words. She told me that everyone was praying for me in the waiting room. She stated they all wished I would stay, but that she would understand if I choose to leave. She further stated that if I stayed I would make so many people happy. She then posed a question to me, “what are you thinking about”? I very angrily told her I was trying to decide if I would stay or not. She broke out into laughter. My friend, Dorothy is a nun, she understood all my indecision’s and has been a wonderful support since that time.
Unbeknown to me in the intensive care unit I had five broken ribs from the resuscitation. The days, weeks and months to follow would be excruciating. I became very angry that I survived. I ordered from my doctor who had done the resuscitation a form for a medallion that I wear around my neck stating no CPR will be performed on me. I want to live a happy and healthy physical life here, but I am anxious to make the transition as soon as I am called back.
My life has changed. I worry not. I work as a consultant when I so desire in the petroleum industry. I counsel people in health crisis and in their days of transition to the next plane. I am somewhat at a loss today as to what my real purpose for surviving has been, but I have resigned myself to accept each moment, day and time and move forward. I have basic spiritual beliefs, but I can not specify a deep devotion to any one religion. I have disappointed some friends by stating that your beliefs one way or the other will not change your outcome, so be you Muslim, Jewish, Christian or undecided, the outcome is the same. I truly believe this. I am so blessed to have had this glorious experience of near death. I am just an average person with no grand accomplishments, but I am very content, happy and secure with the future.
Presently, I am hoping to meet other people who have had a NDE, just to have a sense of belonging with other individuals who can relate to my experience. To date I have not come into contact with anyone in the Denver metropolitan area who can understand my desire for recognition of my NDE.
D.O.
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