Upon my request, my husband had driven me to the ER on a Sunday afternoon due to the sudden onset of symptoms: chills, vomiting, fever, extreme headache and physical weakness that had all progressed within an 8 hour period.

I seemingly had developed an infection (source unknown) that quickly turned into sepsis. After crashing in the ER’s waiting room and waking up on a stretcher in the trauma room, I remember looking at the blood pressure monitor and reading 49 over 28. I realized my condition was much worse than I had thought and I was very ill.

The doctor had returned to sit and ‘be’ with me as I was alone at the time and I vividly remember his ‘extra strong’ loving presence as he looked into my eyes welcoming my hand to join with his. In that moment I was very aware that I might pass on…I remember waking up in the ICU. Due to the sepsis my body’s organs began to fail, my lungs had filled with fluid and I developed pneumonia. It was also thought that I suffered a heart attack due to the life-saving drugs that were administered. I spent 12 days in the hospital; 8 days in the ICU, 4 days on a regular ward and two months off work recovering.

Twice in a 24-hour period at the hospital, once in the ER’s waiting room and again in the ICU, I remember the same NDE with an addition of my deceased mother being present during my second NDE in the ICU. A dark oval-shape object filled my vision with a cloud-like image appearing inside, surrounded by a thin border of light. It grew visually larger and larger in size until I found myself floating in an upright position, not standing. I felt as if I was only energy existing in complete stillness, peacefulness in an overwhelming space of joy and love. I was lost in total amazement but feeling a little confused, as I didn’t expect to die at such a young age.

A voice appeared; "Tina…Tina…Tina, it is not your time yet, so don't worry or panic. Relax… and focus on calming your body…. I need you to concentrate on breathing… and opening your eyes." I knew with all certainly that this voice was an unearthly being and I was in their complete trust. At some point I opened my eyes to find/hear a medical team working to revive me, at the time of the central line being inserted into my neck. I had returned.