Terry E

I had had a difficult birth of our first daughter on September 23, 1970. I was only nineteen, small boned, and the baby was over eight pounds in weight. After many hours of labor, the doctor finally performed a c'sarean section to deliver her. I was told later that I had hemorrhaged on the operating table and the doctors were afraid they had 'almost lost me'. But that was not when I had my NDE. That happened ten days later.
I was at home with my family (mom, sister and dad) because my husband was in the Air Force and deployed to training several states away. I had my first anaphylactic reaction; the doctors surmised it was probably a delayed reaction to the drugs received in the birth. My sister and mom drove me to the hospital (no 911 in those days) and I was declared clinically dead upon arrival. I remember being wheeled into the emergency room and being up in the corner of the room looking down at myself on the table. My body was looking upward and my eyes were open, but unseeing. I had seen enough TV to know that I was 'dead'. I also remember seeing my mom and sister on the other side of the emergency room door trying to look in through the little window in the door. (I told them that I had seen them and could describe where they were, how they looked and what they had said. They didn't believe me - my sister said, 'But you were dead. We saw you!' So after their reaction I didn't tell anyone else for many years.)
Even though this happened almost thirty-four years ago, I can still remember it vividly. I did not experience a tunnel, but rather was enveloped in a beautiful light of love and knew I was being held on the lap of Jesus like a child. It is a feeling of unconditional love, the closest I can possibly come is the overwhelming love I felt for my tiny daughter when I held her - but even that is not the same. I did not have a life review, but rather Jesus and I had an astounding conversation where he patiently answered all my questions. One I distinctly remember: I had recently completed a grueling course in calculus and had gotten all the final exam answers correct except one - I wanted to know the answer to that question. Jesus laughed and then gave me the answer, not in words but in a 'knowing' that encompassed not just the element of the question, but a complete understanding of all relational aspects of the question. HE has a wonderful sense of humor and I distinctly got the feeling that HE enjoys us humans as a father enjoys watching the minor scrapes children get themselves into.
I was allowed to have full knowledge and understanding. I remember that the awareness hit me with complete clarity and I thought, 'Of course, it's so obvious. Why are we all missing it?' Although not allowed to keep all the knowledge shown to me, there are two items I was allowed to keep:
1) In response to my question regarding religions of the world and which is the 'true' religion, HE answered 'Men come to me on many paths,' and I had the complete understanding of the response, which is broader than the words can convey. The point is not religion, but faith.
2) In response to my question about why we are here, HE answered 'To love one another.' Again, the understanding and meaning of HIS answer is so much more than the words. We are each part of HIM and by loving one another (and ourselves), we are in fact loving HIM.
After what seemed like hours, but was only about seven minutes according to hospital records, HE asked me if I would like to return. I felt that HE already knew the answer, but was asking out of politeness. I told HIM that I wanted to stay here and raise my daughter. HE said, 'As you wish,' and at that instant, I was back in my body. I felt the needles in my body and the pain and heard the doctor say, 'I think we have her back.'
I have since had a second daughter and our fourth grandchild is due this September. I know that my purpose here is to be a mother/grandmother and that that role is held in high esteem by GOD. I take that responsibility very seriously - and I laugh a lot!