Near-Death Experiences

[Kat_21]

For anyone who has had a near-death experience, how do you cope?

On December 3rd it'll be one year since I was put in a medically induced coma. I didn't know what was happening and I had to accept death within seconds. I didn't tell everyone I loved them, I didn't get to say goodbye. I thought I was dying and I couldn't even give my family a few last words.

Thankfully, I made it through. But I still relive it, and pretty consistently lately. I have nightmares of it.

Everyone came to say their goodbyes from different states, my mom cried anytime she would look at me after they woke me up, when I was bleeding out of my renal artery, my dad tried so hard to hide it but I knew I was on death's door again.

I can't forget it, I don't feel like I can overcome it. It haunts me and replays in my head constantly.

For anyone like me, how do you cope? I don't even know where to begin. It's so bad it makes my chest tight when I think of it. I just want to be normal again and not live such a fragile life.

[Mumma_h]

Hey Kat,I could imagine that must've been so traumatic. . I just had a small operation and for some weird reason I thought I might die. I'm not usually scared or worried about things like that but for some reason I was worried. The thoughts in my head were horrible. Like have I done enough ,did I love enough,how will I be remembered? As a good person? I even wrote my will. Anyway these thoughts were enough for me so I can't even begin to imagine what you felt at that time . I hope your health is better now. It sounds to me that you have PTSD . You've been through an extremely traumatic experience,there's not much scarier than that . With some help I'm sure it's something you'll be able to get through. Be kind to yourself,and giv yourself a chance to heal , perhaps councelliing?? Wish you all the very best and hope your feeling much better soon 🤗

[Kat_21 in reply to Mumma_h]

Thank you for sharing your story. I do have a counselor so I'm going to talk to her about it and see what she thinks. My neurologist thinks it's panic attacks but I have had panic attacks before and it's just not the same. I understand where you're coming from. I had a few surgeries while I was in the hospital and they terrified me. My kidney biopsy actually ended in an artery being punctured, and me bleeding out. The guilt also eats away at me the same way. It's difficult to live through over and over again and I just hope it gets better.

[kenster1]

hi sorry about your experience but glad you lived to tell the tale like me and any others I was probably nearer the other side than alive myself but unfortunately I was still a mess for a few years afterwards so that moment that period I never really learned much about myself and that experience.over time though I did as my life changed for the better and its made me feel a bit more appreciative of surviving and it does make you stronger.for you try and use that moment as the benchmark for your life the moment it changed for the better.

[Kat_21 in reply to kenster1]

Thank you, that's great advice. I'll definitely try to.

[Kat_21]

I'm so sorry to hear about that. I'm glad they're okay though. It's tough living with thoughts like these. Idk if you're the same, but I get triggered by Christmas decorations or songs. Like anything that reminds me of the time in which I was in the hospital. I think what makes it worse is I don't like bringing it up to people. It took everything I had to reach out to my neurologist. I don't think my feelings about this are validated. Like people have been through so much worse, who am I to complain? It just really got to me. I wrote this post during one of my episodes.

[Chajj]

one strange experience when i was still at home around 1997 my aunt asked me to destroy her old traditional round house where i started by removing all the grass then by the time i was removing the nails from the poles i was in between the top end of the roof and the wall its like the poles were too old to support my wait all i can remember was a huge breaking sound of the poles the top center of the roof went inward to my suprise i dont remember myself taking any action but after everything was stable i found my self standing on the edge of the wall i still cant figure out how did i reach there although i was shaking to hell, i cant stop replaying this in my mind and that what would have happened if i did not magical jumped and stand still on top off the wall without holding anything

[Mumma_h]

I really hope you're feeling more validated,I'm no doctor and am still on my journey to healing ,but it really does sound like a very traumatic experience. I think I'd be a mess after that! Truly! But eventually we can all heal from trauma,with compassion and care and understanding from others. And give some to yourself if no one else does. YOU know what happened,YOU were the one going through it ,YOU know how it felt ,no one else ,no one can tell you how it was for you ,how to feel about ...... could you possibly talk to your councellor and tell them how they made you feel and ask for another approach be taken? Just throwing out a suggestion ,wish you all the very best 🌈

[Kat_21 in reply to Mumma_h]

Thank you, I will definitely talk to my counselor and see what she thinks so I can cope better.

[Agora1]

I'm so sorry for your traumatic experience Kat. It is still fresh in your mind.Hopefully as you address it through therapy and the years go by, the fear of

that time in your life will lessen. They say we learn from our life experiences.

Hopefully you learned how fragile and precious life is and that we need to

be grateful for each day given us.

I did have a near death experience many years ago.

I remember feeling so at peace and thought if this is what death is like, it's

not so scary.

And then I fell asleep ??

When I woke up my mom, dad and sister where by my bed crying. Didn't know why,

I felt so calm. When the priest came and gave me last rites, I still didn't think anything

of it.

It wasn't until 4 weeks later when I was about to be discharged that my nurse came into

the room and said "we almost lost you dolly".. Huh??

I think for me Kat, that was a turning point in being grateful for each day I was given.

If I knew anything it was that I had not finished my purpose in life. And here I am and

here you are. xx

[Kat_21 in reply to Agora1]

Thank you for your story. In a weird way, it comforts me knowing others have similar experiences (though I wish none of us had to go through it). I'm still struggling to be grateful for each day. I still think I shouldn't be here, and especially now that my husband has been diagnosed with cancer, I'm much more... Resentful, I guess. I'm so angry at the world and I don't want to be that way. I wish I could see life through your eyes.