Dr. Jonathan W Patient
NDE
Exceptional
Greyson Scale: 4
#33349
Experience Description
I was the anesthesiologist, and not the person who had the near death experience.
The patient was having surgery on his right lung as I recall. During the operation, the surgeon accidentally transected the right pulmonary artery, causing catastrophic bleeding. The blood loss was so severe that, in order to identify and repair the damaged vessel, the surgeon allowed the patient’s blood so that he could clearly see the blood vessel. It took a couple of minutes before the vessel could finally be seen. Once control of the bleeding was achieved, we began aggressive resuscitation and gradually restored the patient’s blood volume.
During that time, the patient was pulseless for approximately six to eight minutes. Immediately before the event, he had been under deep general anesthesia, appropriate for major lung surgery, and he remained under anesthesia for the rest of the procedure. During the resuscitation effort, both the cardiac surgical team and the cardiac anesthesia team were called into the operating room to assist.
At the end of surgery, the patient was brought to the intensive care unit. He was sedated with medications for a day or two. After a couple of days, the sedatives were allowed to wear off. Upon waking, the patient was fairly confused. I visited the patient several times a day for the next few days, and the confusion lifted after two or three more days.
Once the confusion lifted, the patient still had a persistent belief that although he had intended to have surgery on his lung, he had in fact had heart surgery. When I asked him why he believed that, he told me that he was floating at the ceiling of the room. He was watching his body be resuscitated. He noted that what he described as the cardiac team had come into the room and was working on him. He reasoned that since he saw the cardiac team in the operating room, he must have had surgery on his heart.
Background Information
Gender
Male
Date NDE Occurred
1/1/2007
Near Death Experience Elements
At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event?
Yes, Surgery-related, While under general anesthesia, CPR was given (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), Transection of pulmonary artery during lung surgery, Other (briefly specify), I was the anesthesiologist.
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
How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness?
Normal consciousness and alertness
At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness?
N/A
Were your thoughts speeded up?
No
Did time seem to speed up or slow down?
No
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
N/A
Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience
N/A
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, N/A
Did you see any beings in your experience?
No
Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings?
No
Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light?
No
Did you see an unearthly light?
Uncertain, N/A
Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?
No
What emotions did you feel during the experience?
I don't know what my patient felt, but he told me that he was confused that cardiac surgeons and anesthesiologists were there.
Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness?
No
Did you have a feeling of joy?
No
Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe?
No
Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?
No
Did scenes from the future come to you?
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?
Jewish
Have your religious practices changed since your experience?
No
What is your religion now?
Jewish
Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs?
Content that was entirely consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience, N/A
Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience?
Uncertain, N/A
Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice?
No
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 universal connection or oneness?
No
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
Have your relationships changed specifically as a result of your experience?
No
After the NDE:
Was the experience difficult to express in words?
No
How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience?
I do not know how my remembrance of the experience compares to my remembrance of other life events that occurred around the time of the experience, N/A
Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience?
No
Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you?
N/A
Have you ever shared this experience with others?
Yes
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 probably real, Considering that the patient was under general anesthesia and pulseless at the time he was making accurate observations about what happened in the OR, it's hard to discount the experience.
What do you believe about the reality of your experience now?
Experience was probably real, As above.
At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience?
No
Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience?
No
Did the questions asked and information that you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?
Yes