Near Death Experiences

SleuthRN1 · Dec 11, 2004

As a nurse for many years , I have had two patients who experienced near death. I a yong nurse, and not as spiritual as I am now, I did not believe in near death experiences. I felt then that these people had predisposed themselves to such as an experience based on their religious beliefs or their experiences had perhaps been prompted by reading information as you are reading. I HAVE HAD TWO PATIENTS WHO CHANGED MY MIND !!!

One was a farmer who had experienced an uncomplicated MI and was scheduled to go home the next morning. He was a simple , uncomplicated man who was not prone to histeronics . He was doing very well and looked forward to getting home. Way back then , the nurses who worked ICU in this small community hospital would be assigned to pass meds , if there weren't patients in the unit. I had my little med tray with the little meds cards. ( LOL , now I have dated myself !!!) I had visited with this patient , given him his meds and cloaed the door behind me. As I left I was filled with immediate dread. I felt as if I had forgotten something vitally important. The patient was on telemetry and just across from the nurses station. I quickly re-entered the room and found him blue and not breathing !!! I could hear the monitor alarm go off at the station !!!!! I called the code and started CPR. The code team came . During the course of his code he was defibrillated . In thoses days , a patient was not initally intubated . He was recessitated , without intubation and transfered to the ICU. I followed his case there.

I came back on duty the next day and was sent to the unit to care for him again. He had stablized well. He called to me and asked if we could talk. His comments shook me to my very belief foundation.

He asked to clarify if he had died. I told him for all intensive purposes , yes. He went on to describe remembering talking to me when I was giving him his meds. He said he suddenly without warning forund hiself falling toward a bright light at the end of a long tunnel. He found a woman at the end of the tunnel with her hand stretched out to him. He said just as he reached for her hand , he said he heard his name being called and he told her he had to go back becuase " They are calling me ". I had not remembered that I had been calling him name , his first name during CPR until he related this fact. A chill went through me. But , his story became more enthralling !! :rolleyes: He said he felt he was falling backwards down the tunnel. As he fell he could see shadowy figures moving behind the woman in the light. He said the tunnel became dark and suddenly he " hit the bottom, HARD !!" That must have been when we defibrillated him . He said the next thing he knew was he was floating on the ceiling looking down on his body with the nurse working on him. He described in detail what I was doing ( CPR) . Another nurse entered the unit to bring me a cup of coffee about this time in his story. He was able to identify her as one of the nurses at the code. There was no way he would have known I was the nurse doing CPR or be able to identify the other nurse was present at his code !! He said he everything seemed to fade out and he found himself in the ICU with me again ! He remained very calm throughtout his story and the events seemede to come to him as he was telling it. As for me , I have been a believer ever since. Sweet man that he was , he brought me a bag of home grown tomatoes on the anniversay of his code till I left that hospital for greener pastures .

The other patient was a woman, who had been ill for some time. I don't remember the particuars of her case . I do remember she was recussitated with a little CPR and O2. The first thing she said to be , looking me directly in the eyes was, " Why didn't you let me go !! It was so beautiful there !!!" She was angry at being recussitated. :angryfire Those were the days before advanced directives . Boy are they handy ! I went back to her in a day or two to see if she wished to talk about her experience , but she declined. I did anvise her that if she didn't want to be recussitated again , she could tell her doctor. She said , " No , I guess I'll stay here a while. I guess He (God) wants me around. I'll just have to be good so I can go back ." She was calm and had a smile on her face when she said , " go back."

I hope this helps you. It made me a believer and I know there is a better place, This insight, through these two patients, has made it much easier to cope with losing patients and discontinuing life support. :crying2: All the sad thing we have to do as nurses !!! Take care and my you also gain the insight you are looking for !!!!

brigaily2000 · Dec 11, 2004

As a nurse for many years , I have had two patients who experienced near death. I a yong nurse, and not as spiritual as I am now, I did not believe in near death experiences. I felt then that these people had predisposed themselves to such as an experience based on their religious beliefs or their experiences had perhaps been prompted by reading information as you are reading. I HAVE HAD TWO PATIENTS WHO CHANGED MY MIND !!!
One was a farmer who had experienced an uncomplicated MI and was scheduled to go home the next morning. He was a simple , uncomplicated man who was not prone to histeronics . He was doing very well and looked forward to getting home. Way back then , the nurses who worked ICU in this small community hospital would be assigned to pass meds , if there weren't patients in the unit. I had my little med tray with the little meds cards. ( LOL , now I have dated myself !!!) I had visited with this patient , given him his meds and cloaed the door behind me. As I left I was filled with immediate dread. I felt as if I had forgotten something vitally important. The patient was on telemetry and just across from the nurses station. I quickly re-entered the room and found him blue and not breathing !!! I could hear the monitor alarm go off at the station !!!!! I called the code and started CPR. The code team came . During the course of his code he was defibrillated . In thoses days , a patient was not initally intubated . He was recessitated , without intubation and transfered to the ICU. I followed his case there.
I came back on duty the next day and was sent to the unit to care for him again. He had stablized well. He called to me and asked if we could talk. His comments shook me to my very belief foundation.
He asked to clarify if he had died. I told him for all intensive purposes , yes. He went on to describe remembering talking to me when I was giving him his meds. He said he suddenly without warning forund hiself falling toward a bright light at the end of a long tunnel. He found a woman at the end of the tunnel with her hand stretched out to him. He said just as he reached for her hand , he said he heard his name being called and he told her he had to go back becuase " They are calling me ". I had not remembered that I had been calling him name , his first name during CPR until he related this fact. A chill went through me. But , his story became more enthralling !! He said he felt he was falling backwards down the tunnel. As he fell he could see shadowy figures moving behind the woman in the light. He said the tunnel became dark and suddenly he " hit the bottom, HARD !!" That must have been when we defibrillated him . He said the next thing he knew was he was floating on the ceiling looking down on his body with the nurse working on him. He described in detail what I was doing ( CPR) . Another nurse entered the unit to bring me a cup of coffee about this time in his story. He was able to identify her as one of the nurses at the code. There was no way he would have known I was the nurse doing CPR or be able to identify the other nurse was present at his code !! He said he everything seemed to fade out and he found himself in the ICU with me again ! He remained very calm throughtout his story and the events seemede to come to him as he was telling it. As for me , I have been a believer ever since. Sweet man that he was , he brought me a bag of home grown tomatoes on the anniversay of his code till I left that hospital for greener pastures .
The other patient was a woman, who had been ill for some time. I don't remember the particuars of her case . I do remember she was recussitated with a little CPR and O2. The first thing she said to be , looking me directly in the eyes was, " Why didn't you let me go !! It was so beautiful there !!!" She was angry at being recussitated. :angryfire Those were the days before advanced directives . Boy are they handy ! I went back to her in a day or two to see if she wished to talk about her experience , but she declined. I did anvise her that if she didn't want to be recussitated again , she could tell her doctor. She said , " No , I guess I'll stay here a while. I guess He (God) wants me around. I'll just have to be good so I can go back ." She was calm and had a smile on her face when she said , " go back."
I hope this helps you. It made me a believer and I know there is a better place, This insight, through these two patients, has made it much easier to cope with losing patients and discontinuing life support. All the sad thing we have to do as nurses !!! Take care and my you also gain the insight you are looking for !!!!

Sleuth, thanks for writing such a long and interesting reply!!!! I appreciate so much the time it took. It really meant a lot.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Dec 11, 2004

Sleuth, thanks for writing such a long and interesting reply!!!! I appreciate so much the time it took. It really meant a lot.

I have heard several stories from patients about being in a tunnel and seeing the light. Seeing deceased family members waiting for them, feeling warmth and love. Children recount the same stories except that in their stories there is usually an angel guiding them through the tunnel. I do definately believe in life after death and heaven. I read an interesting article about people in Africa who had near death experiences who were illiterate and didn't know anything about the after life like we do yet they recounted the same story about the tunnel and the light. How could this possibly be unless it were true? I'm convinced!

Pattiecake · Dec 11, 2004

When I worked in ICU a man coded. We were able to recussitate him and the next day he gave an account of what it was like for him. He said he fell, but it was upwards. He arrived at two doors. He had to hold his breath and make a decision as to which door would be the right one before he was "allowed" to take another breath. He said he felt like he was going to explode if he didn't get to breathe. Out of desperation he finally chose a door, not knowing if it was the right one, at which point he was "allowed" to have a breath of air. He felt he chose the right door, as the other one would not have allowed him to breathe again.

Hairstylingnurse · Dec 11, 2004

when i worked in icu a man coded. we were able to recussitate him and the next day he gave an account of what it was like for him. he said he fell, but it was upwards. he arrived at two doors. he had to hold his breath and make a decision as to which door would be the right one before he was "allowed" to take another breath. he said he felt like he was going to explode if he didn't get to breathe. out of desperation he finally chose a door, not knowing if it was the right one, at which point he was "allowed" to have a breath of air. he felt he chose the right door, as the other one would not have allowed him to breathe again.

:stone oh my gosh, this story scares me a little bit. the thought of not breathing puts me in a panic:confused: