Tell me about your near death experiences.

[magpie]

Dying
Is an art, like everything else.
I do it exceptionally well.

I do it so it feels like hell.
I do it so it feels real.
I guess you could say I’ve a call.

It’s easy enough to do it in a cell.
It’s easy enough to do it and stay put.
It’s the theatrical

Comeback in broad day
To the same place, the same face, the same brute
Amused shout:

‘A miracle!'
That knocks me out.

As much as you feel comfortable sharing. This is a topic of interest to me I suppose. (I've had two and one was fairly recent so it's on my mind.) How did it happen? Were you changed after mentally or physically? How did it make you feel? Any other thoughts you have?

Tell me because sharing is nice and also I need to synthesize your experiences into my own and reach some sort of weird pure essence of what this means on a broad level but this is too weird to write unless I use white font. Please don't be scared away.

 

[cascadeco]

Other than perhaps one or two situations in the car over the years where I consider myself very lucky, I am not sure I have had any actual near-death experiences.

I have however done some physical things where in the midst of them I knew I was taking a bit of a risk, and if it did not work out I *could* have seriously injured myself. This involved bouldering / shimmying up rocks / through slits, or climbing 14ers, where a few of the areas near summit were dicey and while I had confidence in my abilities I also in the back of my head knew there was a very slight chance something could go poorly and I could plummet down a mountain.

Re was I changed, I don't believe so, other than these moments providing some sober reflection on mortality and life; I think though I've always had a pretty healthy dose of 'Life is short and unpredictable, and I can die at any time'.

 

[Andy]

I had a 5 year old throw a house brick at me from half way up a block of flats. He missed, but it would really have done some damage if he had hit.

 

[that's not my name]

I rolled my ankle while I was squatting 185 lbs. It didn't hurt my ankle so much as it threw me off balance so the bar fell over my head and then I fell back and hit my head on the safety rack. That was the most recent one. I use lifting shoes now.

I was also driving on a narrow mountain road, some guy tried to pass a slow car but didn't see me going the opposite way so I went into his lane to avoid him and lucky the guy he passed was just slow enough that I was able to get back to my lane in time. It didn't effect my that much because there was nothing I could do differently. I'm glad I was able to react though and I think reflexes are very important in general.

 

[magpie]

There's another question I want to add to the OP. People who've already answered feel free to answer again [MENTION=1206]cascadeco[/MENTION] [MENTION=8554]Andy[/MENTION] [MENTION=29715]that's not my name[/MENTION].

I stupidly forgot to ask about semantics. I should know by now that's a requisite on this site whenever you ask a question. What is your definition of a near death experience?

 

[miss fortune]

oh! ummmm... well... this probably isn't the correct section of the forum for this story

an ex and I were experimenting with breath play and things went a little too far... I lost consciousness and experienced a seizure which led to breaking the coffee table

I woke up to two guys (my ex and his roommate) completely freaking out about the fact that they were sure that I was dead and I was laying across a broken table with a part of it jabbing me in the back... I just laid there for a bit listening to them freaking out and thinking "am I really dead? is this how I died? my parents are going to be SO embarassed"... I was pretty glad that they didn't suggest dumping me in the dumpster or burying me in a shallow grave in the woods at least

I'd define a near death experience as an experience where you might very well be dead from it

 

[Frosty]

Was on a field trip once with my friends church and we were driving on a bus at night and there was a really bad thunderstorm or a tornado warning or something and the lady a couple rows away from us starting praying about granting us safe entry into heaven or something and I just absolutely completely lost it. Not sure if it was near death for real, but it certainly felt as such.

When I was really little I was at a beach and there were all of these 'big girls'(probably like 8-10 year olds) that were out in the water further than I was and I just thought they were so cool so I started heading out there- but I was way way too small/young and got pulled over by the waves pretty quickly and started going under. My dad had to fish me out of the water sputtering and crying and yeah...

 

[1487610420]

didn't die

 

[1487610420]

oh! ummmm... well... this probably isn't the correct section of the forum for this story

an ex and I were experimenting with breath play and things went a little too far... I lost consciousness and experienced a seizure which led to breaking the coffee table

I woke up to two guys (my ex and his roommate) completely freaking out about the fact that they were sure that I was dead and I was laying across a broken table with a part of it jabbing me in the back... I just laid there for a bit listening to them freaking out and thinking "am I really dead? is this how I died? my parents are going to be SO embarassed"... I was pretty glad that they didn't suggest dumping me in the dumpster or burying me in a shallow grave in the woods at least

I'd define a near death experience as an experience where you might very well be dead from it

wats beth plei

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Well one time i had pneumonia, the fever run much higher than what will usually kill a person. I was 22. There were hallucinations, dreams of panic where my limbs where torn off. The tearing off limbs seemed mild and quaint compared to what I was going through and gave a sense of satisfaction and serenity. So when I woke up I was in real panic. This continued for a day or two, after which I was never quite the same.

 

[magpie]

Well one time i had pneumonia, the fever run much higher than what will usually kill a person. I was 22. There were hallucinations, dreams of panic where my limbs where torn off. The tearing off limbs seemed mild and quaint compared to what I was going through and gave a sense of satisfaction and serenity. So when I woke up I was in real panic. This continued for a day or two, after which I was never quite the same.

How were you different after?

 

[prplchknz]

i dunno if i have one but my brother used to hold me under water and when i was 3 tricked me into climbing into a freezer than shut the door.my mom found me after she noticed i wasn't around and demanded my brother tell me where i was. i don't remember this but i was told about it after getting trapped in a closet at around 12 and freaking out because of it.

also on occasion out of nowhere get convinced i'm gonna die but too embarassed to tell anyone so i sort of just cry and feel sad not for me but for the people i'd leave behind, and i never die

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

How were you different after?

Shocked out of shyness. Realization life can end at any moment. Thinking about what I want to experience in life, I wanted to do more daring stuff. And I did.

Edit: and .. you don't want to hear this, but my IQ dropped from child-genius levels to just "smart". Uncomfortable hearing, much?

 

[Yuurei]

To quote a man I can't ever imagine quoting: That's the thing about death, either ya die or don't. I didn't let's go."

A situation where something that could have had a slight chance of possibly killing you almost happened isn't " near death." but then I believe that things can always happen at the last second so we have no way of knowing. So few things are " near death." In my opinion.


My kidneys failed when I was 19 because I was ( and still am a stubborn ass) I knew I was sick, hell I was green. I couldn't stand more than 5 minutes without wanting to /pass out/vomit/murder anyone nearby but I'd die before I admitted it.

I walked around with practically no kidney function for a few months ( don't gimme that " No you'd be dead" shit. I've also survived 3 cases of sepsis while on dialysis, been so anemic I need a blood transfusion and my "terminal" disease was supposed to kill me by 9. As I said I am very stubborn.)
Aaanyway, I needed 5 blood transfusions. I guess my blood had all turned to poison. I remember being in the hospital and feeling very, VERY tired. I was also very comfortable and warm I remember thinking to myself " Oh shit, am I dying? It's okay..oh damn, I must be then."

I had a dream where I was all alone in the dark. Two guys showed up out of nowhere.

"That's enough. Time to go"
"Go where?"
"Doesn't matter, come on."
" No, I'm not going."
" You don't have a choice. Not this time, you're going."
" But I...promised."
" That doesn't matter anymore. Let's go."
I drew a sword out of nowhere and rushed them saying " Screw you guys I'm going home!"
I must have surprised them because at that moment I woke up, feeling better than I had all week. I swear I could hear a voice in my head chuckling " Fine, but next time you're going."

My Dr came in that night to say that I had somehow made an amazing recovery, that I was no longer in danger of dying but I was not entirely out of the woods and she wanted to keep me there a while.

" No, I need to go." I told her.
" What's so important?"
" A party, tomorrow."
" A party!? Absolutely not!"
" But..I promised."

She let me go.
When I got to the party there were a lot of old friends and some people I'd never met before who were oddly very happy I had made it. It was ...inspiring. It made me realize that some people really do care and I should be more open...worst mistake of my life.

Even now when I get myself into life/death situations no one cares. No one gives a shit. I tell people " Srry I was away for so long I had sepsis but am fine now. In fact, I lost 15 lbs!"
I get " OMG quit whiiiiiining."
I miss my stoic disciplined self. I'd kill to get to back. Maybe if I die again...

 

[magpie]

Being a situation where something that could have a slight chance of possibly killing you almost happening isn't " near death." but then I believe that things can always happen at the last second so very few things are " near death." In my opinion.

I agree with this but I'm more interested in hearing people's experiences and what their defenition is than defining things for them.

 

[Ivy]

I had a near-drowning experience during a school field trip to the Outer Banks. It was our last day there, and I hadn't been in the water yet for a few reasons- mainly that I was 12 and hated my body so I didn't want to wear a bathing suit in front of my classmates. My BFF finally talked me into sneaking out and going in together. There had been a storm, but it was over so we thought it was safe. But the storm had created an undertow/rip current, and after a few minutes we got sucked out into the violent surf and couldn't touch the bottom. The waves started coming faster than I could get my head out, and I wasn't able to get a breath before another one crashed over me. Every time I came up I tried to scream but the ocean would just fold over me again. I could see my friend was struggling and trying to call for help, too, and we were very lucky that the art teacher who was chaperoning the trip chose that time to come out and go shell hunting. She saw us and strode out and pulled us both back in, one under each arm. I owe her my life.

I struggled with PTSD afterwards- I wasn't able to go back in the ocean for many years, and I still don't love it. I took part in a few clinical studies at Duke University while I was in college (not at Duke but nearby), and one was for PTSD, based on this incident. In that study I was taken through the process of desensitization and it did seem to help a lot. The incident doesn't haunt me like it used to, though I've still got a pretty intense fear of drowning or suffocating (though I assume nobody is "eh" about it).

 

[Yuurei]

I agree with this but I'm more interested in hearing people's experiences and what their defenition is than defining things for them.

Yep, and that is my definition. I think it's a little differant than most. The point was not " You're all liars" and more that I have this bizzarre optomism or...chaotic theory that it really isn't over until it's over.

 

[magpie]

Yep, and that is my definition. I think it's a little differant than most. The point was not " You're all liars" and more that I have this bizzarre optomism or...chaotic theory that it really isn't over until it's over.

That's fine. I'm sorry you experienced what you experienced. I relate to you in some ways. You can PM me if you ever want to.

 

[Yuurei]

That's fine. I'm sorry you experienced what you experienced. I relate to you in some ways. You can PM me if you ever want to.

Nothing to be sorry about. I'm still here.

 

[Norrsken]

My aunt took me to the beach with my other siblings in Florida, if I can remember. She carried me into the water and, at the time when she was somewhere in her 20's and thought it was lulzy to troll a young child such as myself, she was bouncing me up and down in her arms while I cried for her to stop. And I don't know how it happened but she let me go accidentally and I completely drowned--I actually remember my entire body sinking and my eyes looking upward and seeing the sun from the other side of the water, my breath and heart completely still. It felt, for a moment, that I was floating hazily in a strange world of sheer panic and calming acceptance that this may be it.

Then a hand shoots through the sun and it was my aunt hauling me out just in time, me coughing up and hacking for air. It is kind of hilarious now that I look back on it, but at the time, that really spooked me.